Navy style ribbon bars

[Daniel Krause]

I know, Rick will hit me, but I cannot stand to post it.

I´m wondering about the misplaced KVK and the olympic rings.
The back is light grey wool.

Best greetings

Daniel

[Daniel Krause]

Here a WW1 trapezoid bar:

[Rick Research]

The upper bar rows have no WWI Honor Cross! I suspect the olympic rings MIGHT have been a Kleindekoration for the Commander grade, though I've never seen any reference to such a device.

The trapezoid bar belonged to char. Konteradmiral zS aD Hermann Mörsberger (1872-1940) who served in the navy 1889-1919.

The China Medal was the steel type. The Siamese White Elephant was Officer class. His Prussian Crown Order 3rd Class was replaced during the war by a 2nd Class with swords-- he also got both classes of Iron Cross, both classes of Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, and a Bremen Hanseatic Cross. From September 1914 to August 1917 he commanded the heavy artillery of marine Corps Flanders and artillery there of the 2nd marine Division, ending the war as Captain of SMS "Markgraf."

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Rick,

1st bar:
uff! Now I see it, no ww1 honor cross! Hmmm...

2nd bar:
Big surprise! How do You make it? It is nearly a wonder, how fast You are able to identify somebody! You are sure You are only a normal human being?

Best regards

Daniel

[Rick Research]

No-- the Imperial Navy is EASY: the section where they list awards is all by seniority (not like horrible Army, having to go through 1,200 pages of Regiments, aagh ).

Kapitän zur See Mörsberger received his Prussian Order of the Crown 2nd Class with Swords (which meant he had to return his peacetime 3rd Class) per Militärwochenblatt of 26 October 1916, so this ribbon bar dates UP TO then. He was a Bremen native,

born Schwachhausen/Bremen 12 August 1872 and died in Bremen 29 February 1940. He was commander of Heavy Artillery of Marinekorps Flandern from sometime in September 1914 until sometime in July 1917, then only until 14 August 1917 Artillery Commander of the II. Marine Division.

His steel China Medal isn't listed in the 1908/09 Deutscher Ordens-Almanach, but I find many "steels" (especially for Southwest Africa) weren't listed by serving officers. No one else matches these awards.

He served in the take-over of Kiautschou, China 1 October 1897 to 29 June 1899, then was a Watch Officer on the SMS "Kaiserin Augusta" there off Tsingtau until 18 October 1899-- rotated home just before the outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion of 1900-1901.

He was back off the Chinese coast again as commander of the Light Cruiser SMS "Nürnberg" 10 November 1911 to 23 November 1913, returning home via Mexico (hmm... must have been scouting for potential naughtiness... "Zimmermann Telegram" anyone?... ) just before WW1.

Alas, his photo in the Admirals' biography bolume shows him as a mere baby with no awards on.

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Rick,

thanks again. Don´t tell me it is easy to find out all that stuff!!!

What is Your opinion about the last 2 ribbons of that bar?

- 3rd ribbon Bavarian Jubilee or Turkish Medjidji Order?
- 4th ribbon Ölberg- cross? I don´t think it could be a saxon livesaving medal.

Best regards

Daniel