Meckl.-Schwerin, Baden, Prussia... a combat stud.....

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have not had time to research this, but he is mentioned in the Reichsarchive as a company Führer in the 24th IR just outside of douaumont during a French counter attack, he put up a brave fight and returned with just 6 survivors in his company... I do not have the full regimental history... but I am sure he is mentioned a time ot three. There is no EK2 document, on occasion this was never handed out for early war awards, so that is possible in this case. I found a prewar pic of him... unfortunately a really early one.....

[ccj]

He was a very young soldier

[Dave Danner]

On 13/09/2020 at 03:45, Chris Boonzaier said:

I found a prewar pic of him... unfortunately a really early one.....

I believe they changed to darker-colored uniforms shortly after this picture was taken when they realized how ineffective this uniform would be on the battlefield.

Also, a fine example of the different ways to get different state awards.  Prussian Army, so the Iron Cross. Native of Baden, so the Zähringen Lion. Served in a regiment whose Chef or Inhaber was a sovereign, so the awards of that sovereign, in this case Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

According to his marriage certificate, he was a Reichsbankoberinspektor in Frankfurt an der Oder in 1928.

His father was a Sergeant in Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 14 at the time of Karl's birth.