A Trench With A View: Scenes From The Front-- Literally

[Rick Research]

Thanks Jens!!! Wonderful map!!!


If I was one of the guys in that last scan... I'd have been a LITTLE nervous about the guy playing around with his hands on the machine gun firing mechanism--pointing a loaded automatic weapon right at them!!!

[Frosch]

Villers-Outréaux

According to the caption on the back of this photo, one of these officers is Leutnant der Reserve Ricken of 3. Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie at Villers-Outréaux on 23 October 1917.

Both officers have the EK 1 and the one on the right also has the Oldenburg FAK 1 pinned below it.

I know this is a long shot, but has anyone got a reference to Leutnant Ricken? I still have a lot of books to find a read, but I would very much like to find out which regiment he belonged to.

Was the Oldenburg FAK only issued to members of Oldenburg regiments, such as IR 91? How many bestowals were made? Was it one of the more freely distributed awards, such as the Hamburg Hanseatic Cross?

[JensF.]

No problem. Do you want more maps? I have a Garnisonskarte from 1897 as jpg (really BIG)!

[JensF.]

Frosch (?)
the 2. class of the Oldenburg FAK was awarded about 50000 times, the first class about 7000 times. They could be awarded to "foreign" regiments too. You see sometimes medal bars with a combination of the two "nordic awards", the Hanseatic Cross and the FAK.

[Frosch]

Nomen est omen

Frogs just happen to be my favourite animals.

My wife and my mother call me David, and some of my German friends call me Scheiss-Besatzer ;-)

Thanks for the information on the FAK bestowals.

But what is in a name?

Does anyone have any tips about finding out something about Leutnant Ricken?

ttfn,

David

[Rick Research]

There is no officer harder to find than a Prussian wartime Lt dR!

No seniority lists. No pre-war career. No post-war career.

[Frosch]

Good, I like a challenge

ttfn,

David (aka Frosch)

[AOK4]

David,

great pictures of Flanders!

Jan