Paul R Posted December 25, 2011 Posted December 25, 2011 Despite being a Luftwaffe fanatic, I have made it a goal to build a collection built upon the career of Major Reck. He was a veteran of France, Norway, Leningrade, and of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. He joined the Reichswehr in 1929 as a private. During the prewar years, he accended to the rank of Hauptfeldwebel and was commissioned as a Leutnant in 1940. By the wars end, he was a Major. I think that his progression in rank was hampered by an Alcohol related AWOL(where he received 10 days of house arrest) charge in Norway, and his crappy attitude with his training billet at the Infantry Officer Candidate school, in Posen in 1943. He was highly decorated, with a DKiG(Warsaw Uprising), Honor Roll Clasp(Leningrad), WBiG, EK1, EK2, and various other service medals and badges.
Paul R Posted December 25, 2011 Author Posted December 25, 2011 As you can see, during his 16 years of service, he was assigned to an array of units. My goal is to find shoulder straps and boards that match his paygrades during his time assigned to each unit, as well as his awards.
Paul R Posted December 25, 2011 Author Posted December 25, 2011 IR 18 and IR60. He was at these units during his prewar years. I would love to find some of the correct Reichswehr 18IR boards, but this one will have to do for now!
Paul R Posted December 25, 2011 Author Posted December 25, 2011 A set of Leutnants boards from the 236th, where he served for most of his career. I have a Feldwebel from the 79th IR that is inbound! I will post it when it arrives. Hopefully, there will be more additions soon!
Deruelle Posted December 25, 2011 Posted December 25, 2011 Hi Paul, Congrats for your job, very interrsting story. Christophe
Paul R Posted December 25, 2011 Author Posted December 25, 2011 Thanks Christophe! I hope to add to this thread regularly. I hope that you have a Merry Christmas!
Chris Boonzaier Posted December 26, 2011 Posted December 26, 2011 This is an interesting project indeed! Good luck on it, it wont be easy.... you somehow never find the boards you need :-(
Paul R Posted December 27, 2011 Author Posted December 27, 2011 I hear you Chris. What do the 1929-1935 era of infantry boards with embroidered regiment look like?
Paul R Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 He served with the 79th JR as an Uffz and Feldwebel, before his transfer to the 236th JR.
Troy Tempest Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Excellent historical research project Paul. You're a credit to the Herr Major!
Paul R Posted February 7, 2012 Author Posted February 7, 2012 Thanks for the kind words Troy. I have a long way to go. Some of this stuff is hard to find!
Wood Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 and epaulets are, for some reason, ridiculously exprensive. Pete
ostprussenmann_new Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 It is always great to hear a story like this. I wish wish you the best of luck and be on the look out for what you are looking for. It was something (a simple picture) like this that got me into collecting. I can wait to hear about what eh future brings for you on this project.
Paul R Posted February 8, 2012 Author Posted February 8, 2012 Thanks for the kind words. As I find things, I will update them here. The painful parts will be the DKiG and the Honor Roll Clasp.
Paul R Posted August 30, 2015 Author Posted August 30, 2015 It has been some time, but things are starting to come together. Here is where we are on this project now. I have remaining to obtain: 1. Medal bar with EK2/Heeres 4 Jahr/Schutzenwall Medals 2. 2x Tank Destruction Badges 3. Ehrensblatt der Heeres Clasp 4. DRA Badge in Bronze Various shoulder boards for his ranks held, with unit cyphers: IR 18- Soldat IR 236- Oberfeldwebel/Oberleutnant/Hauptmann IR 58- Hauptmann Infantry Lehr- Major
hucks216 Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 That is a great effort. Hopefully you will be able to find the items that you are looking for.
Paul R Posted August 31, 2015 Author Posted August 31, 2015 Thank you. I found some more shoulder boards this week. :-)
Paul R Posted September 15, 2015 Author Posted September 15, 2015 Here is another photo that found yesterday. The photo marks the surrender of the Free Polish Army on the 2nd of October, 1944.
Paul R Posted October 20, 2015 Author Posted October 20, 2015 (edited) His Ehrenblattspange is enroute!! One more piece remaining... the last Tank Destruction Badge. $11.6K down one more remaining!!!!!! This has been painful, but fun at the same time. Edited October 21, 2015 by Paul R
hucks216 Posted October 29, 2015 Posted October 29, 2015 It certainly is a labour of love. Good luck in looking for everything else as I doubt it will end when the TDB arrives! : )
Paul R Posted December 5, 2015 Author Posted December 5, 2015 Here is the final product! All done and accounted for. Now to find a few other shoulder slides and if I am lucky, some original award certificates. I feel that I was belong lucky to have found his Soldbuch!
dedehansen Posted December 8, 2015 Posted December 8, 2015 Certificate signed by your subject Kind regards Andreas
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