Imperial Medal Group

[M Hunter]

Gentlemen,

I would like to show you a little Imperial grouping I have recently acquired.

Given the precedence in which the medals are mounted I would deduce that this was the medal bar of a Prussian Officer.

As there is a Saxon Albert Order 1st Class and Baden Zahringer Lion 2nd Class with Oakleaves I would say this was the medal grouping of an Officer with at least the rank of Hauptmann by the end of the Great War.

With a 25 Year Service Cross and no Centenary medals I would think the owner entered service some time in the early 1900s.

We can see that this Officer was still living in 1934/35 to receive the Honour Cross and had his ribbon bar mounted in the correct order of that era. He did not have his medal bar remounted. The Honour Cross he was given is pinned to the reverse.

The Albert Order is marked 'R' on the rim of the 6'o'clock arm and the Honour Cross is marked 'R.S.L.'.

I hope my analysis is accurate but please feel free to amend any of the above.

Best wishes,

Matt

[M Hunter]

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[M Hunter]

Reverse

[Brian Wolfe]

Congratulations on a great addition to your collection, Matt.

Regards

Brian

[M Hunter]

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[M Hunter]

..

Edited December 28, 2010 by M Hunter

[M Hunter]

Thanks Brian.

Here is a close-up of the ribbon bar.

[Chris Dale]

Nice bars Matt! Thanks for letting us see them.

In my opinion the Zahringer Lion is probably the best looking Imperial German medal...

Happy New Year!

Chris

Edited December 29, 2010 by Chris Dale

[Odulf]

Very nice indeed!

Can any one explain when/why the Prussian Long Service Cross was replaced to the end of the row in the ribbon bar?

Edited December 29, 2010 by Odulf

[Deruelle]

Matt,

Terrific group. A very nice Prussian officer group. I think it should be id.

For info :

BZ3bXEl : 1479 awards

SA3aX : 3905 awards

We just need time to do this research trouhg Roth's books

[saschaw]

Wow, now that is an extremely nice set, one of the nicest I've seen in a while. If you ever want to get rid of it...

I totally agree with your analyses, and think that Paul or Daniel may be able to trace him down. You don't know yet his name, do you?

[Deruelle]

Very nice indeed!

Can any one explain when/why the Prussian Long Service Cross was replaced to the end of the row in the ribbon bar?

During WW1, Prussian officers can wear their LS medal just after all their prussian medals (like here indeed). They follow the rules.

After the war, and more particulary after 1934, centenary medal and LS medal were worn after the Hindenburg cross (like here).

From my old collection, here is one ribbon bar with Prussian rules (all Prussians awards were ahead and before all "foreign" wartime awards

[rujab]

Which for a beautiful combination, congratulation

greeting Rudi

[Daniel Krause]

Hi,

very nice set!!!!

ID is quite simple in this case.

Richard Nesselhauf born 1880

was captain in IR 18, the Adjutant of the Prussian Training Mission for the Polish Army, retired as Major.

Got additional the EK1.

KO4, BZ3bXE, SA3aX and HH are confirmed for him.

Greetings

Daniel

[Paul R]

Sweet Grouping!!!

[M Hunter]

Thank you chaps for your kind comments!

@Deruelle- Thank you for the award numbers Christophe! I hope you like the Albert Order pictured!

@Daniel Krausse- A special thank you to Daniel for putting a name to this grouping. The research you and others do is invaluable. Is there any way to find out Major Nesselhauf's date of death?

Best wishes,

Matt

[Odulf]

Thank you for your explanation Deruelle :)

[ostprussenmann_new]

Hi,

very nice set!!!!

ID is quite simple in this case.

Richard Nesselhauf born 1880

was captain in IR 18, the Adjutant of the Prussian Training Mission for the Polish Army, retired as Major.

Got additional the EK1.

KO4, BZ3bXE, SA3aX and HH are confirmed for him.

Greetings

Daniel

Was this Infanterie-Regiment von Grolman (1. Posensches) Nr. 18 or Kgl. Bayer. 18. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Ludwig Ferdinand ? I would assume von Grolman since most of his awards are Prussian. If it is von Grolman, I can provide some more infomration once my Regimental History of the unit arrives from Germany. I possibly can find what Company, etc. that he was assigned to during the War.

Jason

Edited December 29, 2010 by ostprussenmann

[Deruelle]

Hi Jason,

It is the Prussian IR Nr. 18.

Christophe