WW1 German colonial veteran medal group

[Langers]

Hi folks,

This is my first post to this group, although I have come across it many times in making background checks for medal groups. 
 

I purchased this German colonial set recently, and I’m confused (so I thought I’d pass this one by you all!).

Our man has the Lion & Elephant Orders, with corresponding buttonhole ribbons, however, in the photo (c.1938), he also wears the Austrian, Hungarian & Bulgarian War Medals.

so, my thinking is that he was a schutztruppe veteran from DSWA, judging from the band on his hat, but how did he manage to serve in Europe if the campaign ended in summer 1915?

Any thoughts much appreciated!

[922F]

Bulgarian WW I service commemorative medals could be awarded to Central Power countries' military & civil personnel  [usually upon application & payment of a small fee] involved in the war effort regardless of war theatre [Denkov & Petrov].  Some  Hungarian authorities [Konyvkiado] cite similar provisions.   Perhaps Austria offered the same opportunity.

Thus, these commemorative likely were available to any qualified veteran who asked & paid for them.  

 

[Chris Boonzaier]

It is possible he served in the Schutztruppe before the war, then returned to Germany and served in the war in Europe. I have a group for a guy who did that.

Killer photo!

[VtwinVince]

Great photo, do you have a name?

[Langers]

8 minutes ago, VtwinVince said:

Great photo, do you have a name?

Sadly not (I’d love one!).

23 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

It is possible he served in the Schutztruppe before the war, then returned to Germany and served in the war in Europe. I have a group for a guy who did that.

Killer photo!

That’s a possibility; he has the service medals of a man who appears to have served alongside allied forces in Eastern Europe/Balkans. 

It could be that he was in DSWA before the War & contributed to the colonial war effort. 
 

thanks! 

50 minutes ago, 922F said:

Bulgarian WW I service commemorative medals could be awarded to Central Power countries' military & civil personnel  [usually upon application & payment of a small fee] involved in the war effort regardless of war theatre [Denkov & Petrov].  Some  Hungarian authorities [Konyvkiado] cite similar provisions.   Perhaps Austria offered the same opportunity.

Thus, these commemorative likely were available to any qualified veteran who asked & paid for them.  

 

Yeah, I have plenty of groups with other allied nations service medals, but it just seems a bit odd that he would apply for A-H & Bulgarian medals when he served in DSWA? 
 

I’m thinking that he may have served Ore-WW1 as Chris Boonzaier says.