What's he holding?

[Sturmgeist]

Is it military issue or what? Its hanging next to his right knee.


Another one. Looks like bicycle handle bars?


(Sorry for the huge images. I just thought it would be easier to see more detail)


Thanks

[besslein]

ye maybe he was worry abaut hes bicycle

[Gary Cain]

I can't tell from the first picture for sure what they are though they certainly could be the removeable handle bar. The second photo is clearly showing that item.

Gary

[Sturmgeist]

Yeah, its sort of strange. I believe it the same man because it came from a grouping, and both are definately pioniere. Could the first photo be some sort of detonation device? Its strange that he'd be holding bicycle handle bars walking away from a gravesite....

[Michael Kuligowski]

100% bicycle handle bar - in old times it was one of the ways to secure your bike - so it wont get stolen.
looks like He is visiting battlefield at Verdun

[norwest]

100% bicycle handle bar - in old times it was one of the ways to secure your bike - so it wont get stolen.

Or maybe he's looking for a bike to steal.

[Sturmgeist]

looks like He is visiting battlefield at Verdun

I've been researching this particular soldier for a while, so I'm just wondering, why would you think its Verdun? I'm not doubting you at all, I'm just trying to find as much information as possible.

Thanks.

[Theodor]

That reminds me of Mr Bean - a tank smashed his car, but he collected the lock from the wreck and was happy /you know, he closes the car with a shedlock type lock, attached ot the door /

So, that guy's camp was bombed and erased from the face of Earth, but he recovered the bike bars and everything is allright!

[Sturmgeist]

That reminds me of Mr Bean - a tank smashed his car, but he collected the lock from the wreck and was happy /you know, he closes the car with a shedlock type lock, attached ot the door /

So, that guy's camp was bombed and erased from the face of Earth, but he recovered the bike bars and everything is allright!

[Michael Kuligowski]

I've been researching this particular soldier for a while, so I'm just wondering, why would you think its Verdun? I'm not doubting you at all, I'm just trying to find as much information as possible.

Thanks.

its rather theaory - but there is not too many sucha huge bunkers on battlefieds in Europe.
first - it looks like old battlefield - not actuall WW2 - but rather like a bunker-monument from WW1
He is wearing early uniform M36 with dark green collar - no combat badges just KVK and sidecap - suggests a early war - 1940-41 - that would be France

it also reminds me a story from actuall battle at verdun - germans captured one of the huge french bunkers - they used it as a ammo storage and hospital. beacuse of accident - ammo inside bunker detonated - 700 soldiers died on spot inside. Afer battle entrance to the bunker was closed and bunker become a massive grave - maybe that the place. I was reading about it years agon - so all what I am recalling is from memory ...

[Sturmgeist]

Yes. But the grave in the background that the two soldiers are looking at has a helmet on the cross and has fresh soil ontop of it. Also, I always thought that that particular soldier had an EKII..strange..

It came from the same group that belonged to this man so I always figured it was him (They have the same rank, uniform, and twist piping running accross their shoulder straps):

It is actually extremely possible that that man is not him though.

*That bunker or whatever does seem to hold some signifigance though. It looks like there is something blocking the entry and some signs tacked about that. I always thought before that it was some sort of Rachel in Russia, but now that I see little trails around the sides I think differently.

[Michael Kuligowski]

Brendan - You maybe right - it maybe EK2 ribbon - sorry !

about that "fresh" grave ?? - hard to say - either some unlucky guys was actually burried there - or maybe it was just build after german took over that area as a memorial... - its speculation.... just trying to help..

[Sturmgeist]

Well, I'm only 13, so I can't get enough help! Thanks! Hmm..it is strange.

There are two men looking at the grave. There is definately a DD helmet on the cross and an enscription, probably name and dates of the victim. Could that person have died in the area during the 1940 Campaign in the West? All that is on the back of the photograph is "9" written in pencil and a printed "6000". The photograph was most likely the album that belonged to the soldier's wife.

[Sturmgeist]

If you're interested, all the other photos I have that belonged to the one individual soldier, as well as some history, are located here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/index.php

It still needs to be updated because some of the information is wrong, and my best bet is that he was in the 46. Infanterie Division, Infanterie-Regiment 42, and later transfered to Pionier-Bataillon 88. The man here is a pionier, and that is why I didn't think it was Verdun - because through what I've researched he transefered to Pionier-Bataillon 88 sometime in Mid-1940 (More towards August)

[michiel01]

Isn't he holding the same bicycle handle, the knob pointing out could be the bell, I think.

(otherwise it's his skateboard )
At that time he was in Northern France so this definitly is a WW-1 battlefield.

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...at/PiBat88.htm

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...ionen/46ID.htm

I hope you already found these two links!