Making sense of a Prussian bar with a Bavarian MVO with crown and no swords?

[landsknechte]

Apart from having the darkest blue that I've ever seen on a BMVK / BMVO ribbon, it's also got a crown device by itself.  I don't really know how to interpret this one.  What are the normal circumstances associated with the crown only version of the MVO?

 

I assume that the dark blue was a 25 year Prussian DA, but who would have been in a position to have that without an 1897 Centenary?  I suppose it's possible that this was a Prussian who signed up immediately after March 1897, and netted just enough time in service to earn the DA a few months before the Armistice.  Is there some other scenario  that this makes sense for?

 

 

 

[Daniel Krause]

Nice one!

 

Most likely the Bavarian at the end should have swords, which are not shown here.

The Bav. MVO was never awarded on the war ribbon without swords.

 

2 scenarions, which I see here;

Reserve / Landwehr / Seewehr Officer at Major-level, with an Landwehr Long Service who did NOT serve active in 1897 to get the Centenary

Or active Officer, MAjor-level as well, entered service just after 1897 and accumulated enough "time in" to get a DA XXV in 1919/1920 at the De-Mobilisation.

 

I would bet on the 1st scenario.

 

Best,

Daniel

[landsknechte]

Ah, ok.  I was under the impression that the 1897 was handed out a lot more liberally, and that pretty much anyone in state service at the right time had one - regardless of whether they were regular army, a reservist, or a postman.  

[Daniel Krause]

Nope. Not at all.

 

Vets of the wars of unification, active soldiers, does not matter on which kind of service.

Reserve guys who were not actively serving at that time did not get it.

 

Best,

Daniel 

[CRBeery]

Is the back dark blue? I thought overseas service and war time service both counted double.

[landsknechte]

Yep.  It's a pretty standard "navy blue".

[landsknechte]

On 11/11/2021 at 11:57, Daniel Krause said:

Nice one!

 

Most likely the Bavarian at the end should have swords, which are not shown here.

The Bav. MVO was never awarded on the war ribbon without swords.

 

2 scenarions, which I see here;

Reserve / Landwehr / Seewehr Officer at Major-level, with an Landwehr Long Service who did NOT serve active in 1897 to get the Centenary

Or active Officer, MAjor-level as well, entered service just after 1897 and accumulated enough "time in" to get a DA XXV in 1919/1920 at the De-Mobilisation.

 

I would bet on the 1st scenario.

 

Best,

Daniel

 

Did a bit of digging, and uncovered two candidates in the 1918 Ranklist.  Nobody else came into 1918 with the combination of the RAO and KO, the right amount of time in service to get the DA, not have the 1897, and not have other decorations.

Korvettenkapitän Paul Clarenbach

Born 26.8.81

Entered Service 7.4.00

a.D. 1.9.20

Per the 1918 Ranklist, had the RAO4, KO4, EK1, and BMV4X (no crown!)

Korvettenkapitän  August Lassen

Born 15.7.81

Entered Service 10.4.99

a.D. 24.11.19

Char.als.Fregattenkapitän 11.12.20

Per the 1918 Ranklist, had the RAO4, KO4, and EK1.

 

The 1918 through 1920 Bavarian Verordnungsblatt doesn't show anything additional for either man.  Neither was from Bavaria, and there are no visible connections to any of the ships with a tradition connecting it to Bavaria (i.e. SMS Bayern, SMS Prinzregent Luitpold, etc.)

 

I'd put my money on it belonging to Clarenbach, but I can't be absolutely certain just yet.