EK 1914 Iron Cross, the Wound and the shrapnel

[Chris Boonzaier]

Here is a small group, including the shrapnel that wounded him......

[Chris Boonzaier]

2

[dond]

Nice. Can you tell what ordnance the fragmentation came from?

[dmiller8]

Nice. Can you tell what ordnance the fragmentation came from?

My best guess is a British Mills Bomb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mills_bomb), based on the size and shape of the bomb fragment, and that it only caused a slight wound resulting in the award of the Black Wound Badge. The shape is a near perfect rectangle that fragmented cleanly along the lines cast in the body of the grenade. It might have hit some other hard object on the soldier's body, such as a metal button or strap buckle, giving it the distorted shape seen here. Enough kinetic energy of the fragment may have spilled off in contact with that hard object so that the wound was less that fatal.

[Chris Boonzaier]

_Hi,

_{I think the checkered bit is the bit of a shell that goes under the driving band.}

_Best

_Chris

[dond]

I think you are corect Chris. As for the type of wound the guy got, it did not matter. A mere flesh wound or an arm blown off would have gotten him a black wound badge for his first award.

[dmiller8]

I think you are corect Chris. As for the type of wound the guy got, it did not matter. A mere flesh wound or an arm blown off would have gotten him a black wound badge for his first award.

I respectfully beg to differ; the loss of a limb would result in the Silver Wound Badge ( http://en.wikipedia....iki/Wound_Badge). The grade of badge depended upon the severity of the injuries. Black was awarded for 1 - 2 wounds caused by enemy action. Silver was awarded for 3 - 5 wounds or the loss of hand, foot or eye, Gold badges were awarded for fatal wounds, or non-fatal wounds resulting in multiple amputations, total blindness, emasculation or loss of sentient human function. Gaining additional injuries would result in an upgrade of the award.

Edited June 28, 2012 by dmiller8

[saschaw]

Not pre-1936... there, one wound is one wound.

[dond]

Of course, sachaw is correct.

[ostprussenmann_new]

Chris, Interesting grouping. Love the shrapnel piece.

[Ulsterman]

very cool- and IR 74! a premier regiment too !

A Kaiserschlacht award perhaps?