A few mementos of the Great War

[damien C.]

As an Australian I'm always a little disapointed when I see our contribution to WW1 highlighted by the Union Jack. I imagine our Canadian brothers feel the same. That said, I like the medal bar and trench art lighter.

Cheers,

Jamie

Ireland was in the same boat,but the correct title for the UK at the time was "The United Kingdom of Great Britian and Ireland.

[muzrub]

Before Canada got it's current flag we had a read flag with the union jack in the upper corner close to the flag pole and the coat of arms of Canada centered on the opposite end of the flag. I assume Australia and New Zealand had similar type flags

"The Australia flag’s first appearance was on January 1, 1901, selected from among over 30,000 other designs submitted in a public competition. The design was a combination of five very similar entries and was named the “Commonwealth Blue Ensign”. In 1903 King Edward VII approved this flag as well as a Red Ensign flag for Australian use. The blue was intended for strictly official and naval use whereas the red was intended for merchant fleet use. Naturally, this caused a great deal of confusion to the public who began using the two flags interchangeably. It was not until the Flag Act 1953 that the Commonwealth Blue Ensign flag was officially adopted as the emblem of Australia. In 1998 an amendment was passed on the Flag Act 1953 so that the Australia flag can only be altered by agreement of the Australian people".

The story of the Australian flag can be a little confusing. Our flag may also face more changes in future.
It's not inconceivable that it could change to be the Eureka Flag- The Southern Cross.
Eureka (The Eureka Stockade) was one of many rebellions in Australia which led to serious change, without the need to force a Republic. It also helped build a stronger Australia by forcing legislative reforms in Victoria, and helped forge our Australian ethos which believes everyone is entitled to "a fair go".

Cheers,

Jamie.

[Don Bible]

Jaime, can you tell me the proper name or terminology for the German bar shown in my first post here, that lists the names of the battles of the person to whom it was awarded? I have little knowledge of WWI awards.
Thanks

[muzrub]

Jaime, can you tell me the proper name or terminology for the German bar shown in my first post here, that lists the names of the battles of the person to whom it was awarded? I have little knowledge of WWI awards.
Thanks

An EK2 ribbon + a Kyffhäuser Veteran's Organization ribbon with 5 spange - which could be worn by a veteran in total highlighting their war experience.

Spange options included:
AISNE CHAMPAGNE / AVCRE / ANTWERP Ostende / Argonne / ARMENTIERES / ARRAS-ALBERT AVRE / Chambrai / CAMPANE / Dinant / Fere-CHAMPENOISE / FLANDERS AND ARTOIS / JUVINECOURT Kemmel / LA BASSOE-ARRAS / LILLE / LORETTO HEIGHT / LORRAINE / MAAS AISNE / MARNE AND besle / MARNE BATTLE / MONTDIDDIER-NOYON / MÜHLHAUSEN / NANCY EPINAL / OISE PERTHES / REIMS / SCARPE / SOISSONS-REIMS / Soldau ENVY MOUNTAIN / somme-BATTLE / St.Quentin / VERDUN / VOGESEN / RISE 1914 / Wytschaete / YPRES / YSER /
BREST-LITOVSK / Daugava / FINLAND / KURLAND / LITHUANIA / LIVE COUNTRY / Lodz / Masurian Lakes / NAREW NAROTSCHSEE / NJEMENSCHLACHT / NOVO-GEORIEWSK / EASTERN GALICIA / PRJASNYTZ / Rawka SEHRETH / Smorgon / Stokhod / south poles / TANNENBERG / Tarnopol / UKRAINE / WARSCHA / VILNIUS / ISONZO / MACEDONIA / PALÄSTNA / PIAvE / ROMANIA / SERBIA / / Dogger Bank / AIR COMBAT / Osel / SKAGERRAK / OVERSEAS / SUBMARINE WAR
CRUISER U. MINE WAR / The size is 35 x 6 mm. Original clips on the back always wear DRGM


After WWI, a variety of German veteran organization sprang up across the country, keeping with a long-established tradition. One of these was the "Kyffhäuserbund" (Kyffhäuser Veteran's Organization) who issued a brass type oval medal to commemorate service in WWI. For many veterans, this was the only WWI service medal that was worn until the German Cross of Honor ("Ehrenkreuz") was officially established in 1934.

Cheers,

Jamie

[Don Bible]

Jaime, once more I owe you my sincere appreciation for explaining this to me. I could make the association with the EKII, but did not recognize the other ribbon behind the 5 spange with the place names.

In the recent Florida WWII veteran's grouping I recently acquired, there is an armband for the "Kyffhäuserbund" (Kyffhäuser Veteran's Organization), with a badge attached. I have some other pieces I got earlier that are associated with the organization. I am posting the armband and badge.

I looked through several websites with German WWI medals but could never find the particular piece that I asked you about here, as I did not know the name for it.
Thanks again for helping me learn a little about the German WWI medals.

[muzrub]

I'm glad I could help and hopefully all the information is 100% accurate.
I have a few items from the Kyffhäuserbund, not many. As an organization is it appears to have had great reach, much like many of the return service organizations at the time.
In Australia we had the RSL- Returned Serviceman's League, which is still very strong today.
I doubt the Australian version was as political as the German, or maybe US organizations. They were more a place to drink and be social, they still are now.


Cheers,

Jamie.

[Don Bible]

Your RSL-Returned Serviceman's League sounds a lot like our VFW-Veterans of Foreign Wars. It too is a place to drink a beer and socialize.

Sixty-five years ago, when I was twelve years old a local VFW group bought a small farm that joined my Dad's farm where I grew up in rural East Tennessee. They built a clubhouse and a pond and stocked it with fish for the use of the members and local kids. My mother's only brother, a combat medic in WW II was a member there, along with other family members.

I have many fond memories of the place and still have a German K98 rifle that one of those guys brought home from Austria...along with an Austrian war bride.

The place is still operating but I doubt if there is more than two or three WW II members left. Time marches on...but sometimes far too quickly!