Just in From Germany !

[medalnet]

I really hate to show this off, but it is to nice stay in hiding.

A nice group of former Vizefeldwebel Heinrich Prigge. Just arrived from Germany. He was awarded the PlM for NCO's (Militaerverdienstkreuz) for extraordinary bravery during defeating the French enemy on October 02, 1918, being part of the Grand Dukes Hessian Reserve Infantry Regiment No 254. His documents unfortunately didn't survive, but I luckily got it from the grand daughter who also threw in the regiments? history with his personal comments as well as a copy of the 1960 issued book about the bearers of the MVK. Despite the fact that he got lost during the day of his deed he survived the war. I also got his sons WWII medals (e.g. tank battle badge in silver as well as the frozen meat medal) - Certainly a brave family.

[attachmentid=25549]

[medalnet]

Here the cover of the regiments's history:

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[medalnet]

I guess I will have some reading to do to also find the days of his awards of the Hessian Bravery medal as well as his Iron Cross 1st class. It seems that those are mentioned by name in the regiments' history book.

A word about the Militaerverdienstkreuz:

It the typical silver gilt WWI issue piece with the marking W 938 for Wagner and the silver content. Gilding is of course almost washed away.

The following picture shows the messed up "T" in Verdienst. The tooling broke early in the war and was never replaced.

[attachmentid=25552]

[Stogieman]

Greetings Andreas. very nice to find one with some history attached. The scan makes the texturing of the center look very strange!

[medalnet]

Greetings Andreas. very nice to find one with some history attached. The scan makes the texturing of the center look very strange!

Indeed, but that is the way the look.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

That's a really great grouping to get.

[medalnet]

That's a really great grouping to get.

Thank you, and here are his sons badges:

[attachmentid=25561]

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Not familiar with that lone eagle pin? You don't collect that nasty WWII stuff, better sell it to me.

[VtwinVince]

Ich gratuliere zu dieser Familiengruppe, richtig Ausgezeichnet.

[notned]

Andreas, Nice Group!

I wish you luck in finding out more about his deeds

Regards

Paul

[dond]

Very nice grouping with a history. The son's awards are iceing on the cake. It puts the first half of the last century in perspective. The PAB is a Daisy BTW.

Don

[David Gregory]

Andreas,

Excellent family group - shame that the documents are missing. It is astonishing what turns up still in the possession of families.

I have the Milit?rpass of a man who served with the MGK of RIR 254 and who was awarded the EK II, Hessische Tapferkeits-Medaille and Hessisches Krieger-Ehrenzeichen in Eisen. They must have met and quite possibly knew each other.

David

[medalnet]

Andreas,

Excellent family group - shame that the documents are missing. It is astonishing what turns up still in the possession of families.

I have the Milit?rpass of a man who served with the MGK of RIR 254 and who was awarded the EK II, Hessische Tapferkeits-Medaille and Hessisches Krieger-Ehrenzeichen in Eisen. They must have met and quite possibly knew each other.

David

What is his name? If I may ask? I should be able to find him in the regiments history!

[David Gregory]

What is his name? If I may ask? I should be able to find him in the regiments history!

Andreas,

Thanks for the offer, which I was going to ask as a favour by PM. I have listed his details as follows:

Unteroffizier Heinrich Muhl volunteered for active service and joined the recruit depot of Infanterie-Regiment 168 as a replacement recruit in August 1914. In October he was posted to 9. Kompagnie Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 221, part of 95. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade, 48. Reserve-Division fighting near Ypres before transferring to the Eastern Front in late November. He saw action at Lask-Pabianice, Lodz and Kawka-Bzura before transferring to Hungary in January 1915. He fought in the Carpathians until he suffered a broken leg in February. After recovering in various reserve and field hospitals, he was posted to the machine gun company of Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 254, part of 76. Reserve-Infanterie-Brigade, 76. Reserve-Division in February 1916. He saw action on the front at Riga, in Siebenb?rgen, at Kronstadt, the mountain fighting at the T?rzburger Pass and pursuit through and fighting in Rumania until the ceasefire in December 1917. In March 1918 he was transferred to the Western Front and took part in the Kaiserschlacht as part of Hutier's 18. Armee until he was wounded in the left cheek by an artillery splinter near Birnaville in September. Awarded the EK II, Hessische Tapferkeits-Medaille and Hessisches Krieger-Ehrenzeichen in Eisen.

I'll look up the exact date and details of his wound when I get home - it would be interesting to see some scans of the pages relating to the unit's activities at the time.

Many thanks in advance,

David

[Daniel Murphy]

Andreas,

Beautiful group (as always). Made even better with the family history and the mans personal unit history. Not trying to get off topic , but this reminded me of something. I have a grouping of a well decorated British Royal Naval Division officer who moved to the US after the war. His notations in his unit history were fascinating. At one point he drew a little trench map in it and marked an X with "Killed two Germans with handgrenades here". I hope you find some great notes in his book.

Dan Murphy

[Bob Hunter]

Congratulations on the new additions, Andreas!

[JensF.]

WOW! Groups with the Goldene Milit?rverdienstkreuz are always fantastic! And especially for someone from Hessen. It seems this RIR 254 had a lot of brave men, Kriegerehrenzeichen in Eisen don't grow on trees too.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Andreas,

In March 1918 he was transferred to the Western Front and took part in the Kaiserschlacht as part of Hutier's 18. Armee until he was wounded in the left cheek by an artillery splinter near Birnaville in September. Awarded the EK II, Hessische Tapferkeits-Medaille and Hessisches Krieger-Ehrenzeichen in Eisen.

David

David, it wasn't Hutier's 18 after the 27 of Aug 1918. The 18th Armee went to von Etzel when Hutier was relieved.

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

A nice group of former Vizefeldwebel Heinrich Prigge. Just arrived from Germany. He was awarded the PlM for NCO's (Militaerverdienstkreuz) for extraordinary bravery during defeating the French enemy on October 02, 1918, being part of the Grand Dukes Hessian Reserve Infantry Regiment No 254.

Andreas, what Armee group was this a part of when awarded?

[Stogieman]

I was thinking about this... I've seen less than a half-dozen documents for this cross in all my years. I've had about 5 of these, 2 actually mounted on a bar. By the numbers, this is truly the "rare" "PLM". You want the neck order, they can be found real (never mind the plethora of fakes).... set your mind to having one of these and will take you some time to acquire one.

[Les]

Brian,

Begging Andreas' pardon in replying for him, here's the information you enquired about:

R.I.R. 254 was from the Grand Duchy of Hesse (XI and XVIII A.K. District), and part of the76th Reserve Division. In the early spring of 1918 the division was transfered from Roumania to the western Front near Metz, then in April was in line near Montdidier (where they were hit hard during a French offensive against their part of the line). During late June, the division was in line near Verdun, and during September was in the Argnonne opposite the Americans.

Les

Edited February 2, 2006 by Les

[Guest Brian von Etzel]

Interesting Les, so it appears both these men were in my grandfather's command.

[dond]

Did the father, Heinrich Prigge go on to serve in WW2?

Edited January 2, 2009 by dond

[dond]

Now we can put a face on this grouping.

[dond]

awards. I can read the first three.