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    One for Christophe - the next saxon superhero !


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    Saxon Military Order of Saint Henry Medal (Silver?)(Gold?)

    Saxon Honor Cross with Swords

    Saxon Friedrich August Medal (Silver?)

    Prussian EK2

    Merit Cross to Sax-Ernestine House Order with Swords

    Sax-Altenburg Bravery Medal

    Saxon Long Service Cross (15 Years-NCO)(possibly a 20 year depends on what year pix was taken...)

    Prussian SW Afrika KDM w. Kalahari 1908 Service Bar

    (Note the oddity of period photography that reverses color hues on the St. Henry & FAM ribbons)

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    Guest Rick Research

    The only match from the Rolls-- uniform and rank unexplained is...

    Wachtmeister Alban Freitag, K.S. Husaren Rgt 18

    sStHM 10.02.15 (Roth)

    SKzX 22.01.17 (Roth)

    EH4X-Coburg 03.08.16 (Lundström & Krause)

    That appears to be a M1915 dress infantry uniform. Can't explain it. There were only 12 Saxon recipients of the EH4X, and for the trio of awards above, ONLY HIM.

    Edited by Rick Research
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    Guest Rick Research

    Yup, which makes no sense based on three separate rolls. Freitag was a Hussar Wachtmeister (= Feldwebel)so even if he transferred OUT of "circus lion tamer" uniformed cavalry into ? Schützen (darker looking than infantry red ??) or ??!! Pioniere in 1918... he'd have had a second cuff stripe for his permanent rank.

    I can't account for anybody else with the unique trio of awards.

    Naughty man wearing Xs on ribbons, too.

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    Guest Rick Research

    Exactly what I was thinking while I was away wrestling with the combination in the Rolls again.

    KURT Harnisch

    sStHM 14.01.16 as Vizefeldwebel-Offizierstellvertreter K.S. IR 107 (Roth)

    EH4X (Altenburg) 15.08.17 as VFw-OffzSV 7./ IR 107 (Lundström & Krause) annnnnd

    as "OTTO" Harnisch, SKzX 25.05.17 VFw-OffzSV IR 107 (Roth)

    the first names threw me off, but that makes Harnisch the ONLY one who matches the rank and uniform....

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    Guest Rick Research

    I can't account for the Vorname discrepancies for Harnisch in the late Erhard Roth's work, since to this day we don't know what rolls he saw. Nobody has gone back to see what the saxon sources ARE. But here the Sachsen-Altenburg wartime Ernestine House Order Roll (the one kept SOLELY for the Duchy itself of... five versions) confirms first name as Kurt:

    I've now rechecked and re-checked again all the 12 Saxon EH4X winners by last names under ANY first names and only Freitag and Harnisch have the trio. 5 of the 12 were Feldwebelleutnants when they got the EH4X so cannot be any of them, 2 more were Unterzahlmeisters--again can not be them, and 1 was an Obermusikmeister... only leaving 4 "suspects."

    This is a truly amazing set of awards for a senior NCO/Warrant Officer.

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    Guest Rick Research

    No. These are sewn down permanently-- you can most clearly see the restraining thread sewn across horizontally under the "W" of the Iron Cross.

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    Guest Rick Research

    Aha! Technological magic! :jumping::cheers:

    This was "easy" given the extraordinary number of awards limiting suspects. Just that bit of confusion in the sources over first names and--

    all it takes

    always

    is Just Having The Right References. :whistle:

    Well, that and some fool dedicated person spending years transcribing Rolls that have never been published before. :catjava:

    It seems extraordinary to me that Warrant Officer Harnisch-- who'd have been discharged as a Leutnant aD IF he survived-- got SEVEN awards but NOT the Gold St. Henry Medal.

    Definitely worth seeking out a WW1 regimental history of Saxon IR 107.

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