The non-fightingman

[Don D.]

Yesterday as today for every guy fighting at the front there were 7-10 nameless, faceless smoes doing nug work to make things happen. This thread should compliment the fightingman thread: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=151986

I will move the non-combatant posts here as time allows. The key to these bars is the ribbon colors and/or the Hindy cross. Thanks to Chris B, Rick R, Jens and the rest of the GMIC crew for this revelation.

Now for our first non fighter, a poor beurocrat paperpusher by the looks of things and not just in the first war but on into the second also.

[Don D.]

reverse.

[Don D.]

Anhalt, note the noncombatant ribbon on the Friedrich Cross.

[Don D.]

The reverse.

[Don D.]

Next is a Bavrian King Ludwig Cross, single mounted.

[Don D.]

The rear.

[Don D.]

A Hessian. He has both an EK2 on combatant ribbon and the award for war support on the home front. Could be he was wounded and invalided out but continued to help or possibly was in one of the active theaters, just not at the front.

[Don D.]

The reverse of the Hessian.

[Don D.]

Next are a couple of medic bars, presumably Prussians by the possition of the awards yet they must have worked for an Oldenburg unit. First is to a guy that served at the front.

[Don D.]

And now one that served in the rear. Note the different ribbon on the War Merit Cross.

[Don D.]

Now for a more traditional noncombatant bar or two. EK2s on the white/black ribbon. It has been postulated by some very smart guys that this ribbon was issued to people on the home front and the black/white ribbon went to guys serving in the theater of operations. This is based upon some of the award documents in private collections. Thanks to Chris B and gang over at GMIC for this revelation.

Note the nifty attachment ring on the EK2. The variants found in the Imperial items is amazing.

[Don D.]

The reverse.

[Don D.]

And another NC EK2. Note that he carried on by serving in the 2d war.

[Don D.]

Reverse again.

[Don D.]

I started with a Wurtemburger and will end with one. Note this time there are swords on the Wilhelm Cross but with a Hindy for war support. Was he in theater but far behind the lines?