Help with ribbon and bar?

[Ian Jewison]

Gents,
Can anyone help and identify the ribbon and bar in the following pictures?

I think I have managed most but the ribbon thru the (missing!) buttonhole, I haven't got a clue!!!

War Merit/Service Cross II with Swords, Russian Front, Long Service IV, Sudetenland with Prag Bar, Spanish Commemorative Medal, Rumanian Crusade Against Communism.

Thanks, Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Another view of the ribbon......

[George Stimson]

Spanish "Blue Division" medal?

George

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Ian,

Your ribbon bar ID is quite correct, but for the ribbon in the buttonhole I have no idea.

It can only be a WW2 award, because this is no WW1 veteran. Allowed to wear like this was only:
- Iron cross
- War merit cross
- East front medal
- Livesavingmedal
nothing from that looks like the ribbon Your guy is wearing.

HMMMM....

Best regards

Daniel

[Ian Jewison]

I'm not too familiar with that medal but wasn't it only awarded to the Spanish?
Better check the forum...I'm sure I read about it somewhere!

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

Here's another photo as Hauptfeldwebel of Fallschirm Flak Abteilung 5....this time he is wearing a 5 place ribbon bar and EK II as the ribbon!
Difficult to say this time but at least War Merit/Service Cross II with Swords, Russian Front, Long Service IV, Sudetenland with Prag Bar.
No idea on any of the dates of thes photos except the last one must have been after January 1945 as that is when he was awarded the Flakkampfabzeichen.

Notice that he is not wearing any collar patches!

/Ian

P.S. François, yes you can!

[Daniel Krause]

Aha, a Spiess of a flak unit, that would make him a Hauptwachtmeister, the sergeants of such units were not Feldwebel, but Wachtmeister.

Hmm, here he doesnt show the Romanian medal on the ribbon bar and the buttonhole ribbon seems to be a EK.

George Stimson might be right with his idea that the other buttonhole ribbon is the Spanish blue division medal, although it was not authorized for buttonhole wearing.
There were 2 blue division medals existing, the Feldzugsmedaille der Spanischen Freiwilligen-Division in Rußland (war medal for the Spanish volunteers division in Russia) only awarded to Spanish soldiers and the Erinnerungsmedaille für die spanischen Freiwilligen der Blauen Division (Commemorative medal for the Volunteers of the blue division) also awarded to German soldiers. I think, this guy could have it, note his Spanish civil war decorations, maybe in WW2 "he refreshed his Spanish connections"

Best regards

Daniel

[Ian Jewison]

Daniel,
Well spotted my deliberate mistake!.......I have the photo alblum, award citations for 1944/45 and the Soldbuch but the awards page is missing...he was never attached to a Spanish Division!
His units were:
1939 Flak Rgt. 3 in Poland
1940-42 Fliegerhorstkompanie E 26/III (as Hauptfeldwebel according to Soldbuch and Aufklärer according to photo album!!!!) This unit is record as being in Jassi, Bulgaria, Balti, Bessarabien and Pawlograd during 1941 and 42 in his photo album....these I have to verify where they were...except Bulgaria of course!!!!
43-44 Numerous Flak trg. units.
1.4.44 Fallschirm Flak.Abt. 5

Another photo from 1941 wearing this time KVK II m/S....

/Ian

[Daniel Krause]

Again HMMMM..

So no Blue division!

Then I have no more ideas at the moment.

But it is a very nice set of pictures from a well decorated Senior-NCO. Congratulations!

Best regards

Daniel

[Ian Jewison]

Looking at the map....Balti and Jassi are in Romania......could it be a Rumanian or Bulgarian award? Particularly that he already has one Rumanian award!
Bessarabien and Pawlograd are in the Ukraine....

/Ian

[Rick Research]

Rumanian it is indeed, but which one--and WHY he was allowed to wear it there, I can't say. It's a pale blue ribbon, with either a yellow center stripe and twinkly gold/silver silver/gold edges, or silver bullion center with gold over yellow metallic edges-- making it either the "Loyal Service Cross" or the "Flyers Merit Medal."

Either would have been NCO grades' awards. I don't know if the Rumanians gave the "Flyers" Medal simply to air force personnel in general-- certainly the Bulgarians handed over their "civil flyers badge" (the long low over the pocket Italian style eagle) to any old flak and desk type who was in the Luftwaffe.

I'd say it is most likely the Loyal Service Cross, from the top photo, which although it shows the least ribbon, does show very distinct darkest outer, then lighter edges while the "Flyers" had gilt thread over yellow ribbon as edges.

Seeing a Rumanian ribbon being worn like this is a first for me. Rick

[Ian Jewison]

Bingo!
Thanks Rick I think we have it! The Romanian Loyal Service Cross (Crucea Serviciul Credincios)

Heres an example of the ribbon in color, b/w and sepia.......

Cheers!, Ian

[Daniel Krause]

Hi Ian,

I think, that is it!
I´ve never seen a foreign ribbon worn in the buttonhole in WW2. Normally it was not allowed, but the Air Force is everytime something special.

Best regards

Daniel

[all1knew]

the Romanian award placed on a German ribbon bar.

William Kramer

[hakobordeaux]

Hi Gentlemen,

Please have a look on these ribbons ...
What is for you the the ribbon behind the "Eisernes Kreuz" ... Should be the "east front medal" ?? For information this man has been assassinated in october 1941 ! So what is your opinion ?? Many thankx for your help !

[IMG][/IMG]