Condor Legion ~ Spanish Cross award document Panzer Division

Spanish Cross in Silver award document

I purchased this the other day. It is an award document to a Corporal Alexejew Eugen for the Spanish Cross in silver with swords. He was in the Condor Legion  with Panzer Regiment 6 "Neuruppin" of the third Panzer Division. The above is this document, roughly translated it reads:

 In the name

of the German people

I give

Corporal Eugene Alexejew

as recognition

 for fine service as a volunteer in the Spanish War of Independence

The German Spanish Cross in Silver with Swords

Berlin the 6 june 1939

The Fuhrer

and

Supreme Commander

 of the Wehrmacht



Honor Deed of Cpl Eugene Alexejew



Above is an "Honor Deed" showing his service with the regiment between 1935 and 1937. Roughly translated it reads:

Honor Deed

of Cpl Eugene Alexejew

has from 1 Nov 1935-30 Sept 1937

in

Third company, Panzer Regiment 6 "Neuruppin"

fine compusary service fulfilled

with honor

"Neuruppin" the 30 september 1937

SIGNED Captain and Company commander

 In Spain in early October 1936 General der Panzertruppe Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma was sent by the German high command to Spain as the commander of the group "Imker" (Beekeeper), the ground contingent of the German Condor Legion. Tasked with training Franco's Spanish Nationalist officers and men in tanks, infantry tactics and artillery and signals employment. Cpl Eugene Alekseyez would have been part of this.

Spanish Red Cross of Merit Document

The above is an award document for the Spanish Red Cross of Military Merit. Translated below:

Spanish army

on the meritorious service in operations during the war

Sergent Eugene Alexejew

S.E. the chief of state and general of the Nationalist Army has seen fit to grant

the Red Cross of Military Merit

and for the record and to the satisfaction of the applicant, issued on behalf of "SE" This diploma

Burgos to 1st December 1938, III triumphant year

The Minister of National Defence

Eugene Alexejew recieved the above document and the one below which is for the Spanish Campaign Medal

Spanish Campaign Medal

The text translates roughly as follows:

Spanish army

on the meritorious service in operations during the war

Sergent Eugene Alexejew

S.E. the chief of state and generalissimo of the Nationalist Army has seen fit to give the Campaign Medal and for the record and to the satisfaction of the applicant, issued on behalf of "SE" This diploma

Burgos to 1st December 1938, III triumphant year

The Minister of National Defence

Interestingly he is a corporal in the German army and seen as a Sergent when helping out Spain.
Spanish Cross silver for Legion Condor panzer division

3rd Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife FS third



2nd pattern FS Knife in scabbard



Knife and scabbard



I've listed the other two Fairbairn Sykes daggers in recent posts. This is the final WW2 production one, the 3rd pattern. These knive were used by Commando unites and later the SAS and other special forces.The grip on the 3rd pattern is a ring grip introduced in 1942. The grips themselves were possibly manufactured by 4 companies. Almost all the blades of the 3rd pattern are machine ground, there exist some hand ground ones but these are rare.



Grip of the 2nd pattern

The above shows the ring grip which differs quite considerably from the 1st & 2nd pattern grips. Fairbairn disliked the grip calling it a disaster, ruining the reputation of the F-S fighting knife. The balance of the blade was lost and the grip was also likely to slip if it became wet with water or blood.

Top of grip showing foundery mark no.1

The grip has a foundry mark raised 1-4 on the top as shown in the picture above.



Additonal photo of guard.
Not all these knives have WD marks



Hans Joachim Marseille "Star of Africa" son of Siegreid Marseille

Hans Joachim Marseille shortly after being
awarded his Oakleaves and Swords

After my previous post on Siegfreid Marseille. I thought I would post some information on his son Hans Joachim Marseille known as the "Star of Africa". He was a gifted pilot and often shot down three or four British aircraft per sortie.Marseille recieved the Knight's Cross as a Lieutenant on February 22, 1942 after 50 victories. He became the 97th recipient of the Oakleaves on June 6, 1942 as a Lieutenant after 75 victories. After amassing a score of 101 aerial victories he became the 12th awardee of the Oakleaves and Swords. Hitler awarded these to him personally at his headquarters. Reichsmarschall Goring also presented him with the combined Pilot/Observers Badge in Gold with Diamonds and a special gold ring with a lapis stone set with a Pilot's Badge. On September 2, 1942, Marseille became the 6th person to receive the Diamonds.

Marseille's body on the military cot. Th impact of his
head against the aircraft's tail section can be clearly seen.

Honor guard posted by his body

Merseille's Knights Cross Oakleaves Swords and diamonds.
Note damage to sword from aircraft impact.

His fate however was not in the hands of the allies but an unfortunate accident. on September 30, 1942, Marseille took off on a solo mission over British lines. Not making contact with the enemy he turned back towrds his own lines when at 11:26 AM, an oil line broke in his BF 109-G2. With his cockpit filled with blinding acrid smoke. Marseille bailed out, but struck his head on the tail of the aircraft. He was immediately rendered unconscious and fell to the desert floor. His body was quickly recovered by German units in the vicinty of Sidi-Abd-El-Rahman, identified and prepared for burial. His decorations and identification were removed and the remains placed on a military cot and draped with a flag. An honor guard was posted prior to the services.

To see his fathers Documents click here

View promotion document for his farther Siegfreid Marseille

The Lincolnshire Regiment Helmet Plate Officers

The Lincolshire Regiment Helmet Plate

Here's a nice Officers Helmet Plate a got the other day for The Lincolnshire Regiment. Most of the gilding is still visible. Battle owners of Egypt depicted in the centre which it gained in 1801.The regimental badge - the Sphinx with "Egypt" - appears (laurelled and crowned) on the button, on the collar, over an eight-pointed star (derived apparently from the Militia) on the helmet plate A lovely badge. Size 12.5cm 10.7cm.

Reverse

Shown on Hearts and  Daggers web site

German SS Freiwillige Flag for BAD MUNDER

SS Freiwillige Flag for BAD MUNDER

 A german Flag I've had for a little while.
SS Freiwillige Flag for BAD MUNDER. Freiwillige is a German term meaning 'European Volunteers'. Measures 97cm x97cm. The center shows the coat of arms of BAD MUNDER, stitched in bullion. Bad Munder is a town located in Lower Saxony, Germany. Either corner has stitched silk SS runes and Swastika. Some burn marks to hangers at top but otherwise flag is in excellent condition. The reverse is plain black cloth. This flag probably hung up in the town hall or some other official building.

Close up of center showing coat of arms

SS Freiwillige Flag on Heartsanddaggers.co.uk

Siegfreid Marseille Promotion Document father of Hans Joachim Marseille signed by Von Brauchitsch

Siegfried Marseille Promotion Document

cream folder

Obtained this document the other day from a collector of Nazi memorabilia.  He's had it for about 25 years and bought it London, England. It is Rare item and therefor valuable for what it is. I'm am going to sell it and will put it on my website. Here's some info on the item:
Siegfried Marseille, who was a Colonel and subsequently promoted on 1st July 1941 to General Major, was the father of Hans Joachim Marseille (The Star of Africa). Siegfried Mareseille, through his own participation in WW1 as an aviator, was the instigator of the subsequent Luftwaffe flying ace Hans Joachim Marseille's interest in aviation. A Large ingle document of promotion of Siegfried Marseille from Colonel to General Major dated July 1941 with facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler and the original signature of the head of the Armed Forces, Field Marshal Von Brauchitsch in its original cream folder with its large gilt embossed national eagle and swastika. Accompanying is a framed photograph of General Siegfried Marseille wearing his Iron Cross 1st Class and his First World War Prussian Observers Badge and wearing General's uniform, hatless.


Promotion Document



Siegfried Marseille

 Above photo showing Siegfried  Marseille. wearing his Iron Cross First Class and Prussian Observers badge. Also on his right brest is what appears to be a Prussian pilots badge. Below is a Postard photo of his son Hans Joachim Marseille in tropical uniform hatless, wearing his Knights Cross, Oaks Leaves and Swords at the neck.

Hans Joachim Marseille, WW2 fighter ace

Close up of gilt embossed national eagle on
front of folder

Bottom right of document showing original signature
of Field Marshal Von Brauchitsh

Siegfreid Marseille Promotion Document on Hearts and Daggers

WW1 Mine Clearance Service sleeve Badge



WW1 Mine Clearance Service sleeve Badge

  Here's a badge a purchased the other day. It is the First World War Mine Clearance Service badge. It also came with the mounting plate which you don't see to often. The service was formed at the end of the war to clear the thousands of mines which had been laid. Of the countries involved, Britain had the biggest job of clearing 40,000 square miles, Members of the service were given a special rate of pay and conditions reflected in the nature of the job, clearing mines!!  By the end of the war 1919 approximately 23,000 Allied and 70 German mines had been cleared with the loss of 6 minesweepers.
The members wore the above badge on the cuff. It is a rare badge because the Royal Navy rarely issued metal badges and it was only worn for a short period of time. I think the brass backing plate at the back is probably rarer than the badge! There are many copies of this badge. The most obvious "restrike" to spot is the one with a line running from top left to bottom right. This is said to be stamped from an original die that was deliberately smashed in half after use and disguarded. Someone then came along took the pieces and glued them back and started manufacturing more for profit. It measures about 8.5cm x 5.7cm and has two lugs to the rear.

Reverse showing backing plate



Case for German WW2 Luftwaffe paratrooper badge



Case for the Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge

  I thought I would show the case the Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge came in. A blue letherette case with gold leaf lettering on top. The badge in inside case is manufactured by C.E. JUNCKER BERLIN SW.


Contents of case. The Luftwaffe paratrooper
badge

Cased luftwaffe paratroper badge CE Junker

WW2 German Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge

WW2 German Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge

The above is the German WW2 Luftwaffe Paratrooper badge (fallshirmjäger). There were many different manufactures of this badge, the above example is produced by C.E. JUNCKER BERLIN SW. Formed in 1936 the Luftwaffe Paratroopers were the first paratroopers to be committed to large scale operations. A school was activated several months after the first parachute units were established in January 1936 and was open to active and reserve Luftwaffe personnel. NCOs, officers and other ranks of the Luftwaffe were required to successfully complete six jumps in order to receive the Luftwaffe Parachutist's Badge. This is a very nice example of the badge with most of the bluing around the wreath and gilding to the eagle intact.

Rear view of badge