I served with a fine NCO several years ago whose father was in the Luftwaffe during WW2, captured, sent Stateside and returned to Germany, only to later immigrate back to the States in the 50's. One day he brought in his Grandfathers medals for me to identify as he knew very little about his Grandfather, only that he was a flyer in WW1. What really caught my eye was of course the War Service Cross from the Principality of Reuss! The construction was just fantastic.
Since I had some time this summer, I spied the thread on the bravery medals of Reuss on the WAF and thought this would be a great time to display this gentleman's awards. A member challenged that he would be a Bavarian Pilot/Observer and hold the War Service Cross from Reuss, so I was determined to run him to ground.
Naturally I called on Gerdan for help and as always he steered me in several directions from the Munich Archives to the Thuringen Archives. Neither proved fruitful, though I had pictures of the Oberleutnant along with a date of birth. I was referred to the Military Archives in Freiburg last week, but did not have a chance to send them an email.
I spoke with the granddaughter of the man who remembers walking with him until he died of appendicitis in 1938. She shared several of her memories of how he was defended from a Red crowd by one of his enlisted men while he was in Munich right after the end of the war and still in uniform. She told me that he was a university student prior to the war and volunteered when the war broke out. Naturally remembering more of the post war years when he worked for the Zoll insuring that the Breweries in the eastern districts paid their taxes to the government.
I received an email today from a great resource on the Imperial German Air Service in WW1: Frontflieger.de I had written them back in August along with Cross & Cockade, hoping to get something. Frontflieger came through with his entire military record from when he entered the military to the time he took Officer training, Flying training and the units he served with during the war. I'm sure that both daughter and grandson will be pleased to add to the family history left behind when they immigrated to America. Thanks God, they took Opa's medal with them when they came!!!!
Since I had some time this summer, I spied the thread on the bravery medals of Reuss on the WAF and thought this would be a great time to display this gentleman's awards. A member challenged that he would be a Bavarian Pilot/Observer and hold the War Service Cross from Reuss, so I was determined to run him to ground.
Naturally I called on Gerdan for help and as always he steered me in several directions from the Munich Archives to the Thuringen Archives. Neither proved fruitful, though I had pictures of the Oberleutnant along with a date of birth. I was referred to the Military Archives in Freiburg last week, but did not have a chance to send them an email.
I spoke with the granddaughter of the man who remembers walking with him until he died of appendicitis in 1938. She shared several of her memories of how he was defended from a Red crowd by one of his enlisted men while he was in Munich right after the end of the war and still in uniform. She told me that he was a university student prior to the war and volunteered when the war broke out. Naturally remembering more of the post war years when he worked for the Zoll insuring that the Breweries in the eastern districts paid their taxes to the government.
I received an email today from a great resource on the Imperial German Air Service in WW1: Frontflieger.de I had written them back in August along with Cross & Cockade, hoping to get something. Frontflieger came through with his entire military record from when he entered the military to the time he took Officer training, Flying training and the units he served with during the war. I'm sure that both daughter and grandson will be pleased to add to the family history left behind when they immigrated to America. Thanks God, they took Opa's medal with them when they came!!!!
A really incredible, and scarce group of medals, thanks for showing them.
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