close up
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Even closer!
Note original Kriegsmarine "High Seas" badge.
Every large sea going vessel had a doctor on board and
he would qualify for such a badge! See also post 1018.
The maker of this rare (and weather beaten) badge is "RS & S"Comment
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My Landschutzen uniform restoration project is making progress.
Note Edelweiss arm badge as worn on occasion by Innsbrück based
Landschutzen battalions (info furnished by fellow member Craig Brown!)Last edited by NickG; 10-05-2008, 03:16 PM.Comment
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final image
Final image for the time being of a corner of my clutter collection!
The hunt continues!Last edited by NickG; 10-13-2008, 10:35 PM.Comment
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Here's a "in memory of" dedication that I created for a Wehrmacht soldier
who shares my last name.
I have no idea if we're related but I do know that my family originates from the
Dutch-German border (the name is 100% Dutch) in a place called Den Ham, trace-able back to
the 1650's
The soldier, a Gefreiter (already 37!) gave is life during the 1944 calapse of Heeresgruppe Mitte (Center)
in Belarus on the Russian front ...
The Russian offensive "Operation Bagration" in June 1944 was considered
the “Defeat of the Army Group Center” where he fell in battle. RIPLast edited by NickG; 10-05-2008, 11:27 PM.Comment
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Another soldier that shares my last name, a Union gunner from Ohio during the Civil War.
Something I had framed with original period artifacts (Kepi insignia) of Union Artillery soldier.
No clue if we're related but with such an uncommon last name, a good chance we are!
He survived the Civil war. The document reads Company, (which came out of a publication)
but more accurate is Battery for artillery units...I would think...Last edited by NickG; 10-05-2008, 11:24 PM.Comment
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period image
Reproduction of a period image of this soldier's Volunteer unit from Ohio, circa 1863Comment
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Going back even further in time!
Here 2 more soldiers (brothers) of Dutch decent, who share my last name,
both recruited during the War of independence (Revolutionary war) and served
under General Washington in the Continental Army and survived the fierce winter
of 1777 at "Valley Forge".Last edited by NickG; 10-05-2008, 11:20 PM.Comment
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Impression of the Valley Forge Winter campaign (turning point in the Revolutionary war), Pennsylvania, Winter of 1777, where these 2 brothers encamped along with 11,000 troops in the Continental Army under Gen.Washington. Note the bare feet on some troops!Last edited by NickG; 10-05-2008, 11:28 PM.Comment
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zoll pelzmutze
pelzmutze with zoll insignia !Comment
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This Zoll Tunic Goes Great With The Pile Cap
This tunic is a possible acquisition through trade or purchase,
which I am still negotiating with a fellow WAF member.
It was incorrectly restored as a SD tunic with questionable insignia, but now
refitted with zoll (customs) insignia for "berg landzoll" as its the closest thing
I can up with for it to be correct. Either way looks neat I think!Last edited by NickG; 11-01-2008, 02:11 AM.Comment
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side view
A side view...these zoll-customs troops were often patrolling Alpine regions and were often mountaineering qualified when operating in these areas and entitled to wear a edelweiss patch on the left sleeve.(Heer was worn on the right sleeve of course)
The Zoll did have its own unique edelweiss design sleeve patch, with a serrated ("saw like")
border design similar to the collar tabs, with the edelweiss in the center of course, but these were not issued in seems based on photographic evidence...Last edited by NickG; 11-01-2008, 10:37 PM.Comment
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close up
close up "zollsekretar" rank. Note RFV cyphers (ReichsFinanzVerwaltung)
Regarding the Russian front ribbon:
YES these guys did serve on the Russian front!
I have a death card of a Zoll official who died in 1944 during the Soviet summer offensive
when army group center (HeeresGruppe Mitte) collapsed...
Zoll officials followed the front lines in the east in order to regulate the flow of goods requistioned (expropriated) from defeated enemies, for use in the Reich. So customs men would have been sent with other rear echelon personnel close to the front lines and ended up involved with a sudden enemy offensives... in a defensive combat role (note black wound badge!)
Also Zoll personnel were employed in anti-partisan activities (banden-kampfen) and anti-smuggling operations, securing/patrolling their Reich borders.Last edited by NickG; 11-01-2008, 11:19 PM.Comment
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Heer M34 overseas cap
Heer M34 overseas cap with a twist...note seams...(YELLOW arrows)
It is actually a reworked Dutch Army cap.... which was wartime converted
for Heer use!
(a US vet bring back obtained in France...for him no doubt it was just another German cap...)Last edited by NickG; 11-01-2008, 01:14 AM.Comment
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