An overdecorated Corporal?

[Ulsterman]

I just got this-

It's a VERY odd rank with these medals, so I assume hes' a Fahnrich.

I reckon that fewer than 5% of all EK1 winners were below the rank of sergeant....and, well, I'll let Deruelle comment on the "extra" cross.

Note there's no Regiment ID -sadly-

[W McSwiggan]

This soldier is most likely from the 5. Th?ringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 94 (Gro?herzog von Sachsen) (IR94).

The EKI is not all that special to me.

The stand-out is the Wilhelm-Ernst Kriegskreuz! Beyond that ? two grades of the Allgemeines Ehrenzeichen mit Bandschnalle und Schwertern is also an exceptional level of recognition in my estimation.

[Deruelle]

Hi,

Many thanks for sharing picture with me

Like Mc Swiggan said he's probably from IR Nr. 94. I will look in the book if I can find a name. Like there is only 366 SW awarded during the war, I will see what I can do for you.

Christophe

[Deruelle]

For the moment I find this :

Uffz HOH Max from IR Nr. 94 , he received AEZgX, AEZsX and SW

Uffz SCHWANZ Karl RIR Nr. 98, he received AEZgX, AEZsX and SW.

That's all, so probably our man is from IR NR. 94. I'am waiting for Rick's reply

Christophe

[Guest Rick Research]

I've never seen TWO General Decorations worn together before, so this is noteworthy for that too. It looks to me like a BRONZE being worn ahead of his SILVER due to "order received." That would make more sense for this junior a rank.

On that assumption... and numbers on his strap would make things SO much easier

though I don't HAVE the Roll for the Bronzes,

9 possible Unteroffiziere for the WEKK...

2 didn't get the Silver Gen Dec X, 1 was in telephone troops, 1 was Prussian Guards.

Unteroffizier dR Martin Messerschmidt got his Silver Gen Dec X in 1914 as a Gefreiter-- which makes him VERY unlikely to have previously gotten a Bronze that same year. as did Uffz Richard R?hr of 7./ RIR 94...

brings me down to 3 suspects =

AN Unteroffizer dR Karl Stein of RIR 94 got the WEKK in 1917, and IF he was the "Uffz dR Stein" of 9./ IR 94 who got Silver Gen Dec X in 1917 then MIGHT be him but cannot verify change in regiments without even a first name to match both.

That leaves two with matching names and units--

Unteroffizier der Reserve Otto T?lle of RIR 251: Silver Gen Dec X 1916 "zur Zeit Reserve Lazarett Erfurt," and WEKK 1916.

or

Unteroffizier der Landwehr in 10/ LIR 83 Otto Wackernagel: Silver Gen Dec X 1916 and WEKK 1918 in the same company.

This guy doesn't look old enough to be Landwehr, so of T?lle or Wackernagel, my guess would be T?lle.

I am fairly certain that is NOT a shiny gold Gen Dec in the middle, but rather a dull chocolate bronze.

[Ulsterman]

Thanks lads!!

Now, when the cards get here perhaps there will some useful writing on the backs...stay tuned to this space.

[Beau Newman]

Whoever he is, I would like to know what he did to get that level of recognition.

[Riley1965]

What is the cross below his EK 1?

Doc

[Mike Dwyer]

What is the cross below his EK 1?

Doc

Uh, Doc, do you mean the cross beside his EK 1? If so, it's the Wilhelm Ernst War Cross of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

[Ulsterman]

Got the photos today. This new board confounds me, so i may not be able to post scans.

However, it clearly says "Bruder Karl" on one in ballpoint pen.

[Guest Rick Research]

HURRAH!!!!!!

And thus is the work of the Research Cyborgs added to--

only ONE Unteroffizer with WEKK and that's our boy Stein! Him it is-- presuming that the writer recognized his/her own sibling!!!

Those of you with the Rolls... cross reference him with the first name added where missing!!!! :jumping:

[Riley1965]

Uh, Doc, do you mean the cross beside his EK 1? If so, it's the Wilhelm Ernst War Cross of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.