ELEPHANT ORDER AND DOCUMENT

[W. C. Stump]

Gentlemen:

I can't get the thread on this order to open due to the "white Ghosts", but here is a link to one of these orders with accompaning presentation document. A seldom seen offering. http://www.derrittmeister.com/0620.htm

W. C. Stump

[DaveL]

What was this medal awarded for?

[Rick Research]

It was awarded "TO ALL THOSE, WHO during the World War, IN THE COLONIES, were "active" ("ta"tig") in their interests,", and is a campaign medal more than a decoration, despite being pinback.

While the names of all the colonial regions are around the rim, the design of an elephant was appropriate only to Africa--hardly to China!

The badges had to be applied for, so not everyone put in for one, despite being available for more than a dozen years, into the Third Reich era. the fact that only the paperwork was issued and the recipients had to buy their own badges from the designer may have limited its appeal as well!

I have seen a magnificent group to a Tsingtau Marine reserve officer who did NOT apply for this badge, apparently resting content with his two 1920 Iron Crosses and naval Wound Badge, and not caring for an elephant irrelevant to his own service.

Unfortunately, since the award documents were issued by the Foreign Ministry, they only call the recipients "Herr" (I have nevr seen one to a woman, and yet surely nurses etc were equally qualified) and give residence city. Without any of the other documentation (retroactive Iron Crosses, etc) it is impossible to tell from a single Elephant badge docuemnt whether the man wasa military officer, enlisted man, civil servant, or local farmer displaced by the peace treaty. Nor is the colony of "activity" specified.

Authorized in 1922, it was still being granted in 1936. How much longer awards dribbled out is not specified by the 1940 issue of von Hessenthal and Schreiber.

[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: Rick Lundstrom ]

[Ken Jasper]

The latest catalogue from Pieces of History lists the "Colonial 'Elephant' Badge" and the "Rare Colonial Service Badge (Lion and Hat)." Both are listed as Prussian awards and sell for $95 apiece. CAVEAT EMPTOR!

[Claudius]

Old thread...new member w/ Tsingtau POW rolls available

It was awarded "TO ALL THOSE, WHO during the World War, IN THE COLONIES, were "active" ("ta"tig") in their interests,", and is a campaign medal more than a decoration, despite being pinback.

While the names of all the colonial regions are around the rim, the design of an elephant was appropriate only to Africa--hardly to China!

The badges had to be applied for, so not everyone put in for one, despite being available for more than a dozen years, into the Third Reich era. the fact that only the paperwork was issued and the recipients had to buy their own badges from the designer may have limited its appeal as well!

I have seen a magnificent group to a Tsingtau Marine reserve officer who did NOT apply for this badge, apparently resting content with his two 1920 Iron Crosses and naval Wound Badge, and not caring for an elephant irrelevant to his own service.

Unfortunately, since the award documents were issued by the Foreign Ministry, they only call the recipients "Herr" (I have nevr seen one to a woman, and yet surely nurses etc were equally qualified) and give residence city. Without any of the other documentation (retroactive Iron Crosses, etc) it is impossible to tell from a single Elephant badge docuemnt whether the man wasa military officer, enlisted man, civil servant, or local farmer displaced by the peace treaty. Nor is the colony of "activity" specified.
Authorized in 1922, it was still being granted in 1936. How much longer awards dribbled out is not specified by the 1940 issue of von Hessenthal and Schreiber.

[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: Rick Lundstrom ]

I know it's an old thread, but I believe the same questions on these documents may be out there. To help in the research, I have a copy of the POW rolls from the Tsingtau garrison.

If anyone has a document/or papers to someone who was at Tsingtau during the siege, I can look them up to confirm and provide additional info. Especially if you have a Tsingtau Elephant Badge document. (the Elephant document came in two forms, one for Kiachutschou (Tsingtau) and the other for all other colonial areas) The information available is the;
POW #,
Name,
Unit,
Home City/area,
Prison sent to in Japan and
Rank.

I hope I can be useful in providing a piece to a puzzle that was otherwise missing.

-Claudius

[McCulloh]

wow

wow-WC lives on in cyberspace. I remember this old thread.
Thanks for the offer Claudius. Chris Boonzair has some EK2 docs to Tsingtao POWS. He could use the verification. Also, there was another document thread a while back 2 years ago similar to this one regarding the miserable German POWs in Japan in 1914-1918.