More help w/ ribbon bar decoding: Identifying an Anonymous Luftwaffe Officer

[Rick Research]

"Perhaps this is a lot of work and obsessing for one little strip of fabric with bits of metal pinned on it..."

That would not be POSSIBLE!

[AOK4]

Very nice Chris.

Does anyone know of a reference that gives you the air units attached to a particular Armee Corps? I am specifically interested in the air units attached to the XVII and XVIII Armee Corps after June.1918 to the end of the war. Then I would like to put the names of the men into those particular air units. Any ideas?

Thanks.

By that time, the Generalkommandos were Armeegruppen, meaning they were holding a sector and got units to do so (which had nothing to do with the peace time composition of the corps). However, I can't find both Generalkommandos as Armeegruppen in late 1918, which could mean they were behind the front and used as training commands.

Regards,
Jan

[Brian S]

I was thinking they were used to cover an organized retreat.

[landsknechte]

Just received a nice little letter in the mail from the WASt:

Freiherr von Berchem, Friedrich, geb. am 02.05.1890 in Schalkhausen

Ihre Internet-Anfrage vom 23.06.2004


Sehr geehrter Herr XXXXXXXXXX,

hiermit teile ich Ihnen Folgendes mit:

Der Geannte ist hier lediglich mit einer Meldung vom 05.06.1940 als Angehöriger der Einheit Fliegerhorst-Kompanie Leipham erfasst.

Weitere Meldungen liegen nicht vor.

Heimatanschrift: München, Gedonstr. 6

[landsknechte]

Found a circa 1900 photo of his residence, but still no photo of the man himself...



If I ever get a second named ribbon bar, I will really be in trouble...

[landsknechte]

...and at long last, the coat of arms of Friedrich Egon August Karl Maria Freiherr von Berchem:

[Brian S]

I'm really glad you got this ribbon bar. He was pretty much forgotten, his stuff scattered to the winds and sold as trinkets. Made whole again by research and someone who cares. Rather his awards are in the hands of someone who really cares than a family who lets it disappear for a few Marks.

[landsknechte]

I'm really glad you got this ribbon bar. He was pretty much forgotten, his stuff scattered to the winds and sold as trinkets. Made whole again by research and someone who cares. Rather his awards are in the hands of someone who really cares than a family who lets it disappear for a few Marks.

I still wonder how and when it hit the market... He lived for 20 years after WW2, and was never a POW. The fact that he published a book on his time with the 7th F.A.R. shortly before his death would suggest to me that he wasn't the sort to let something like that go himself simply because he didn't care.

[landsknechte]

Courtesy of the Bavarian Hauptstaatsarchiv:



Only took me two years since I got the ribbon bar, but I've finally been able to attach a face to it.

[McCulloh]

GREAT!! Well done. It brings the bar to life!