Help with text on photo of Imperial Officer

[Peppe864]

Hi guys!

I need some help, can anyone read out what the text on this photo reads?

Can anyone identify this officer? Which Award does he wear in the second buttonhole? Not EK 2 as I first thought,

I think he bears a striking resemblence to Jonk Steffen aka Maximilian Bayer, they look very much alike, but I am not sure, see pics.

Any input appriciated.

[Peppe864]

Can anyone tell me the list of the Awards of Maximilian Bayer the commander of 27. Königlich-Preußischen Jägerbataillon.

[Peppe864]

I Think it reads:

Aus ******* Nomeny 1917.

This would make perfect sence regarding that the man in the picture is indeed Maximilian Bayer because he was stationed in Nomeny in 1917 Before he was killed by a sniper.

[Dave Danner]

It is not Bayer. The officer is wearing a cloth cross (Leinenkreuz} of the Johanniterorden below the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross 1st Class.

So he is a member of the nobility, possibly from a Mecklenburg-connected noble family. Unfortunately, there are a lot of those, including some of the largest ones (Arnim, Below, Bülow, Oertzen, etc.).

If you can get a closer scan of the shoulder strap, that might help.

[Peppe864]

Hi Dave!

Thanks for your help and input, I have made some new scans, my scanner cannot preform better quality of scans, but I hope it can help.

Can you tell me which ribbon he is wearing in the "buttonhole"?

[Dave Danner]

It looks like a crowned cipher on the strap, but too oblique an angle and not clear enough to tell which one.

The buttenhole ribbon looks like one of those specially made ones with the pattern of overlapping ribbons. It looks like the EK2 and one more, most likely the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross 2nd Class.