Wound Badge Documents

[Tony]

Hi all,
I've noticed there is quite a variety of wound badge award documents.
What is the reason for this? With all the variety, how does one tell if
you have an original? Hope this not a dumb question.
Thanks
Tony

[Christian L]

thats a pretty good question!

i think it was difficult to get one standard document "frame" for all units, so you will find some very well made (showing, that there was an artist who made it) and you'll find typewriter written ones.

and because of the great variety of firms which prodcued the documents - there is also a great variety of the docs itself.

hope someone else could add other info, too.
christian

[Gerd Becker]

thats a pretty good question!

i think it was difficult to get one standard document "frame" for all units, so you will find some very well made (showing, that there was an artist who made it) and you'll find typewriter written ones.

and because of the great variety of firms which prodcued the documents - there is also a great variety of the docs itself.

hope someone else could add other info, too.
christian

Not a dumb question at all. Its hard to tell. Beside the points, Christian mentioned, I would say, the feel, the appearance, old paper... i cannot add more.

But be patient, there are some specialists on this forum, who can you tell more.

best,
Gerd

[Rick Research]

Documents in the First World War were issued by units as far down as battalion, routinely-- and sometimes at independent companies' levels. I have seen everything used from lined notebook paper scrawled on and stamped to elaborate printed forms.

But there was NO standardization at levels below division in WW1, beyond when a particular regiment might have bought a lot of documents that they liked for use.

So there are THOUSANDS of possible designs and non-designs out there.

A nice printed "silver" (WE call them that-- THEY called this grade "Matte white") from Jäger Battalion 9--

[Rick Research]

But the usual rotary mimeograph "dog license," here a "black" from Lübeck Hanseatic Infantry Regiment 162--

[Rick Research]

Now just for "stylistic comparison," here is a 1918 Iron Cross 2nd Class document from that SAME regiment, to a young machine gunner, signed by the same CO:

In this case, knowing that the same unit used similarly designed paperwork...

[Tony]

documents

Thanks to all who responded, especially Rick.

[Tom Y]

Here's one for a Black from the same printer as Rick's Silver issued at regimental level.

[Tom Y]

One trom a different printer for a Garde Regiment

[Tom Y]

One trom the Kommondantur in Brussels, probably printed locally.

[Tom Y]

A very plain "dog license" type from an unnamed Grand Duchy.

[Tom Y]

And the other extreme, a highly decorative doc. Note the pre-printed date and location.

[John Skandalis]

And one from the IR.24

[Rick Research]

Tom's document above in post #11 signed by Oberrstleutnant von Rettberg (a mystery to me which of two potential officers this was-- no date,AND no stamp!) was in Mecklenburg-- Eldena where the ? discharged recipient lived is German zip code 19294.

The information found can be offhand-- no first name, no nuttin'-- or extremely detailed, with full birth date and place given.

Unfortunately in this case, somebody made an error, apparently transcribing NUMBERS into words, because I also have his EK1 document ("Lautenschager" search) and he cannot have been born in the same place in the same year only in January (1) AND December (12)-- so SOMEBODY goofed on ONE of them!

[Adam H]

Some very interesting examples, thanks for sharing gentlemen!

I particularly like the last two illustrated with a rendition of the actual wound badge appearing on the document itself...sort of sets a precedent for the Third Reich era award docs that often include a similar feature...whether it be for wound badges or other awards.

Thanks for sharing and enlightening us!

Cheers!

Adam