sometimes the luck is .........

[Stijn David]

Hello,


Well after reading some of the more fantastic story's about great finds one would begin to wonder , do only other collectors have great finds ? , are we looking at the wrong places ? , etc ... and then it happens !!!!!!!

Im corresponding for quite some time now with former German glider pilots and in most cases the letters are never answered, when lucky you receive a smal picture, etc ... but im not complaining , after contacting and writing letters over and over again i received a somehow larger envelope in my post , i opened it and i could not believe my eyes => there where a few pictures inside and 4 award documents inside + a short note from the vet .

The note stated that iff im interested in these things he would be happy to give them towards me , i could not believe my eyes => i picked up the phone and spoke towards the vet. about it and asked if he was serious , he said yes => absolutely positive , please keep them as a reminder of our units , otherwise they wil be thrown away , i spoke with the vet. for about a hour , etc .. and we agreed to meet each other on the near future .

And here i am , proud to present a grouping that consists out of some rarity's in a kind that a person never would expect to find it or on a normal base one must pay top dollar to receive them .

The grouping consists out of the following award documents :

* Large NSFK Gliders badge
* operational clasp for transporters " Bronze " grade
* Iron cross 2 nd class
* operational clasp for transporters " silver " grade

I wil show the documents in a chronoligal appearance and start with the rarest one , the large NSFK Glider pilots badge award certificate .

Enjoy and comments are welcome

[Stijn David]

document number 2

Hello,


Well mayby there is a little more explanation wanted about the first award document that is shown , the Large NSFK Gliders badge , this badge was instituted somwhere 1942 ( and replaced the internationally so called Silver C profiency badge in Germany ) , it is a largely underestimated rarity in todays literature ( try and find one ) and exact numbers of this rare award are not known ( i believe approximatly around 2000 ( only my opinion ) , this award certificate bears number : 526 ( see the right corner + all original award docs. are numbered ,each unique towards a certain recipient !!! ) . Note also the very nice facsimile of the badge and the swastika design around the whole award doc.

These award documents are signed by Friedrich Christiaensen , this award doc. was awarded on 06.05.1942 and counts towards the earlyer recipients , the owner ( who's name i have partially erased ) was in Luftwaffe service at that time and was already a qualified ( Luftwaffe ) glider pilot ) => you can see him in my otehr thread about award combinations for glider pilots , the last picture )


Ok back towards my glider friend => here is the second award document the award for the operational clasp in Bronze for Transporting units .

I hear you guys think => so what , just a normal bronze transporter clasp !! , but have a closer look please => note that unit !!!!!!!!!!!!! : 3.(H)/13

Normally one would say => copy , but look at the stamp !!!!! : Nah - Aufklarungsgruppe 8 , and wen one looks and research this it is perfectly legit , see also the signature => it is the signature of Major Albrecht Kothe ( he was the Gruppencommander of the NAG 8 untill 25.06.1943 )

I have asked the vet. about this rare mix of units, etc .. and he confirmed that at that time he was part of the NAG 8 used as a glider to transport goods of the recon. unit , and that explains the strane combo !!!!!!!!

stay tuned for more unusual docs. from the same person

[Stijn David]

award doc. number 3

Hello,


Here is the third award document from the serie that are already in my possesion => the award doc. for the iron cross 2 nd class , note once again the strange unit for a glider pilot : Nahaufklarungsstaffel 3./13

This award doc. is signed by Generaloberst keller ( a famous LW general ) , i do not know at the moment for wich action my friend received the iron cross 2 nd. class ( i will update as soon as more info is available ) but for anyone keep in mind that even a EK 2 was a high award for the most glider pilots .

More to follow

[Stijn David]

award doc. nr. 4

Hello,


And here is award document number 4 : the Operational clasp for transporting units " Silver " grade !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The unit where he won this award was the Luftlande Geschwader 1 ( or L.L.G.1 ) , our brave Glider pilot was still a Gefreiter at that time !!!!!! ( he ended the war as a Leutnant )

This award document should be considered as exceptional as it is the first proof that a Glider pilot won a higher grade from a Transporter operational clasp in his functiona s glider pilot , and im quite sure that he is one of the few ( if not the only one ) who won this grade as a glider pilot ( there are quite a few Bronze grades known today towards me )

ps = => Did someone here Ian Tannahill faint ?

I wil keep you guys updated if more comes in , etc ... + comments are always welcome

Cordial greetings,

[ERIC S.]

wow!

Very nice indeed, Stijn!! Hey, Grandma said good things happen to good people. Funny, I have this sudden uncontrolled urge to check my mailbox!!!! - Again Congrats!
ERIC

[Stijn David]

LLG 1

Hello,


Thanks Eric for the compliments => im sure your grandmother was ( or is ? ) a wise woman + good luck in the run towards the mail box

THe signature on the silver operation clasp is that of Oberstleutnant ( later Oberst ) Dr. Hans Eggers , he was the LL Geschwaderkommodore from the LLG 1 from 17.12.1942 untill 09.1944 .

Are there any other persons on our beloved forum who are in the possesion of the first shown award document ? => the " Grosse NSFK Segelfliegerabzeichen "

Cordial Greetings,

[Radcollector]

Hello,

thanks for shareing the scans,very interesting story!!it sounds like your patience has finally been rewarded!!

Yancy

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Stijn,

Does he maybe still have the badges?

Luck is a lady! Congratulations!

Cheers, Frank H.

[Ian Tannahill]

Giday Stijn,

Thanks for sharing the documents with us.

I write at least one letter a day to a fellow collector or veteran and it follows that I should receive at least a letter a day in my mail box. Stijn, I have sent you two letters in the past three weeks and have received nothing in my mail box. To make up for this slip up on your part, may I suggest that you just pop those documents in the mail to me.

Seriously, what can you tell me about the unit the glider pilot was assigned to when he received the transport clasp in bronze? What was his role when he was with this unit? Was it that he brought in supplies to the unit?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Ian Tannahill

[Stijn David]

glider pilot assigned towards other units

Hello,


Thanks all for the kind comments => I must admit that " that Day " was actrually the best one in my collecting history and it is something one would not even dear to dream off

Frank i have asked about the awards issue and he would give it another search , and iff we could be lucky once again then we might find a envelope with other stuff , but I personall have the experience that the vets. have either the docs. and paperwork left or the so called " Lametta " or awards, etc ... => so very likely he will not have them anymore .

Ian do not worry in not getting letters back ( to give you a number , i write about 15 letters a week towards vets, friend collectors, etc ... etc ... + my girlfriend will be mad once again when see will see the Tephone bill , etc ... ) and in many cases i do not receive anything back either .

Im awaiting news for you my friend on your letters but as said it will take a serious amount of time before our vet. will answer ( iff he answers, etc .. and iff he knows the right answer ).

Well back towards your question now , as far as i know for the moment he was attached towards this reccon unit to bring indeed highly needed supply's in a quicker way to the unit ( I do not have his complete story at the moment ) and therefore he would have received the operational clasp in bronze while performing his duty . ( this was a not so uncommon practice as one might think, often Glider pilots + their planes where send towards another LW unit ( most cases => bomber units such as KG 27( see my other thread " Glider pilots and strange award combo's ) , etc ... , and as we can see also in certainly one occasion towards a reccon unit => but this should be seing as a exeption !!!!!!!!!! )

I wil have a hell of a time trying to reconstruct his wartime career again ( and I just hope it will be possible ) , but one thing is also proven a fact that he was a member of the LS Kommando " Hundenborn " during 1941 => i will provide a picture in the near future !

Cordial Greetings and happy hunting

[Steiner]

Nice finds Stijn, you do a lot of research and put a lot off time in your hobby. Keep doing the good work.

Mehr sein als scheinen

[Stijn David]

Picture of my friend

Hello,


In attachement i have added a picture that shows my friend glider vet. posing before his DFS 230 number 5 , this picture was taken at the airfield of Bukarest - Banessa ( Hungaria ) , he started from there towards Targsorul .( writing on the back )

Nothe the tactical sign besides the painted number 5 , this is the sign of the LS Kommando " Hundenborn " , the sign is quite rare to find and it shows a diving eagle that holds a stick grenade in its claws ,note also the very nice camo. design on the DFS glider plane.

Now a little more explanation about the LS Kommando Olt. " Hundenborn " as i believe alot of the interested readers will never have heard of this . During the Summer of 1941 about 25 glider pilots from the LLG 1 + technical personel where transferred towards Bukarest ( a little later about 15 DFS 230 planes arrived also at this place ! ) , after the complete mobilisation of this little force ( under lead off Olt. Hudenborn ) these glider planes where transporter towards Targosrul ( near ploesti - Rumania ), from this airfield they flew further towards Tiraspol & Nikolajew and they became a subdivision of the KG.z.b.V; 104 ( towing planes : Ju 52 ) .

End august 1941 these toops began their actual task , ressupplying ( with gasoline ) for Panzerunits who advanced quite rapidly or towards Fighter units ( such as the JG 52 & JG 77 ) , on the way back the glider planes brought wounded back . this kommando was to see in action on quite distant area's ( such Rostow, the Asow See , Kertsch, etc ... ) , for security reasons these missions where flewn very low ( to lower the risk of being shot down =>for example : on 28.09.41 , 3 of such combo's ( JU 52 towing DFS 230 ) where attacked by 15 Russian fighetrs and all 3 Ju 52 planes where shot down in flames, the DFS pilots could land safely and bring themselves in security )

This kommando was releaved from duty and disbanded at the end of 1941 and the Glider pilots, etc .. returned towards their Germany and their original units.

Hoping to be of some help

[ManuelR]

congrats stijn!!!! you deserve it!!!!!!!!!
keep showing!!!!!! regards manuel