Mecklenburg-Schwerin A Baden/Mecklenburg Fancy Cheapo's Ribbon Bar

[Guest Rick Research]

This beautiful deluxe South German style ribbon bar has been driving me nuts since November 1994. Identifying this officer has been a frustrating, irritating chore. Unlike other anonymous bars, it's as if he's been fighting me all the way NOT to be identified. Been down more red herring blind alleys than I can even remember BUT thanks to seeheld's Mecklenburg-Schwerin WW1 Rolls and to Dave Danner's recent trip to the Baden archive, have finally GOT him.

1) EK2

2) BZ3bE without swords (1913/14 see below )

3) Prussian XXV (1920)

4) MMV2 (26.04.15: also MMV1 02.11.16)

5) BMV4X (29.11.14)

6) ??? this appears to be a Hessian Philipps Orden (HP3b) : cannot account for THIS ribbon

7) Lippe Detmold War Honor Cross (LKr)

8) Austro-Hungarian Military "War" ribbon (must be a ÖM3K)

9) 1897 Centenary Medal

10) ??? Baden 1906 Commemorative Medal (only by position and never never never NEVER found on correct ribbon )

11) Baden 1902 Jubilee Medal

From numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11--7:11 matches this could only have been worn by

Friedrich Keding

born (date unknown) in Dorf Mecklenburg

Served in Baden Feldart Rgt 30 to creation of Baden FAR 66 in 1899 (transferred), then ther until promotion to Captain, when transferred to FAR 15. By April 1915 he was battery commander 2./ RFAR 58, severely wounded June 1915, still in that regiment November 1916--

Leutnant 18.04.96 Bb

Oberleutnant 21.03.08 V

Hauptmann 01.10.12 C30c

Major 18.10.18 N7n

aD that rank, alive 1926.

WHY he splurged on the fancy schmancy ribbons and THEN chose to omit ALL X devices etc.... arrrgh. I lost YEARS trying to fit a BZ3bEX onto what had to be a wartime Hauptmann/retired Major group. If it wasn't for seeheld and Dave I'd be in a padded cell about now!!!!

Sources:

Prussian annual Rank Lists, Prussian wartime Seniority Lists,

unpublished MMV Rolls 1914-1918, unpublished Baden 1902 RJM Roll, pre-war Baden officer record, Preuß. Verlustliste Nr. 271 10.07.15 (seeheld/Dave/Dave/Dave)

Erhard Roth's 1997 "Verleihungen von militärischen Orden und Ehrenzeichen des Königreichs Bayern im Ersten Weltkrieg 1914-1918"

[M Hunter]

All things are possible for Rick & Co.

No doubt a lot of time has went into finally tracking this officer down. Well done to all!!

Best wishes

Matt

[redeagleorder]

How about number 6 being a Schaumburg-Lippe Military Merit Medal?

[Guest Rick Research]

They didn't give any out 1914-18. The stripes are a perfect match for an HP....

[redeagleorder]

What it is we may never know, but awards of the Military Merit Medal were given out in WW1. They were given out either with straight swords on the ribbon (as opposed to the 1870 curved sabers) or with a Geneva cross device. In limited numbers, granted (heaven knows i've been searching for ages for one of the latter), but still a possibility.

[Guest Rick Research]

I'll take ANYTHING that fits with this weird no devices group! I lost YEARS chasing down a Zähringen Lion with swords... when he never got one!