robbie Posted 15 October , 2004 Share Posted 15 October , 2004 Hi all, I have a German deathcard commemorating this guy who died in a field hospital on !st September 1916 aged 24-years. There is a picture and the unifrom appears to be regular army with a pork pie cap (hat). Any suggestions re databases etc for tracking doen this guy's service/medal records? Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 15 October , 2004 Share Posted 15 October , 2004 I would try the German War Graves site to see if he is in a listed grave. Other than that can you identify his unit, company, etc. Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 15 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2004 I would try the German War Graves site to see if he is in a listed grave. Other than that can you identify his unit, company, etc. Ralph Hi Ralph, Thanks for the information. If i post the details given on the card are you able to translate/read German? The unit/company etc might be amongst this. Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 15 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2004 PS Ralph - can you advise the link to the German war graves site pleae? I did a search on Google but this seemed to only throw up specific cemetries. Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chip Minx Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Robbie, I can help you with the German if you want. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Robbie, Try using this address: http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/content_suche.asp If you could put a scan of the card on it would be great, thanks. Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 16 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Robbie, I can help you with the German if you want. Chip Hi Chip and Ralph Many thanks for your offers of help. Here is the text - I'll scan the card and post the photo when i get back to the office on Monday. It is really hard to red the fancy script so there might be a few errors but here goes (i've inserted a x where i cannot interpret the letter): Johann Fraunhofer Gattlermeiftersjohn von Xristern Goldat b. Rehruten-Depot der 6. b. Res-Div., Maschinengewehrhomp. Er starb in eimem Feldlazarett am 1. September 1916 im Alter von 24 Jahren. Many thanks Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 16 October , 2004 Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Robbie, I had to make a few changes in your spelling so without actually seeing the card I cannot state that his background or tiwn is correct, however there was no town with the spelling you gave. Here is what I came up with. Son of a Master Upholsterer (or Saddler) from Tristern. Soldier in Recruit Depot of the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, Machine Gun Company. He died in a field hospital on 1 September 1916 at the age of 24 years. Ralph P.S. Put the scan on when you can, it will help to verify the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 16 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Robbie, I had to make a few changes in your spelling so without actually seeing the card I cannot state that his background or tiwn is correct, however there was no town with the spelling you gave. Here is what I came up with. Son of a Master Upholsterer from Tristern. Soldier in Recruit Depot of the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, Machine Gun Company. He died in a field hospital on 1 September 1916 at the age of 24 years. Ralph P.S. Put the scan on when you can, it will help to verify the info. Fantastic thanks Ralph. Will scan it on Monday. Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 16 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2004 Son of a Master Upholsterer from Tristern. Soldier in Recruit Depot of the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, Machine Gun Company. He died in a field hospital on 1 September 1916 at the age of 24 years. Ralph, A little googling revealed this interesting information about the 6th Bavarian Reserve Army: In the following extract from Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, Commander of the 6th German Army's diary of 1 March 1915 he referred to the 6. Bavarian Reserve Division having found a French shell containing poisonous gas. This division was part of Rupprecht's 6th German Army and at that time was serving in the sector Messines-Wyteschaete, south of Ypres. Rupprecht's diary entry is as follows: "The 6. Bavarian Reserve Division has found and handed in a French shell, which contained metal phials filled with poisonous gases. This was a welcome 'find' for our Supreme Command, as the use of these sort of gases by the enemy has frequently been reported by our troops. Since the enemy has begun to use this prohibited weapon our side is also now intending to put it to use. However, I have reservations about the prospects of success for the new technique of assault on the enemy with gas, as has been devised by the chemist Dr. Haber. The procedure is to be tried out as soon as possible in an attack to take the town of Ypres from the Allies. The procedure involves building cannisters filled with chlorine gas into the German trenches. With a favourable wind, that is a south-easterly wind, the contents of the gas cannisters will be released and will drift towards the enemy positions. As soon as the enemy's troops are literally 'knocked out' the German troops will storm the position. When Dr. Haber and General von Falkenhayn stayed with me before the gas trials were carried out in Flanders for the first time I didn't conceal my feelings from them. I consider this new weapon is not only distasteful, but envisage the potential danger from it for our own troops; if the gas is successful in the attack then the enemy will doubtless start to use the same method against us, and with even greater success. In Flanders, as in northern France, the wind seldom blows from the south-east. Predominantly the wind blows west-east, thereby giving ten times more opportunity for the enemy to blow gas towards our positions instead of us blowing it towards him. In response to my concern I was told by Dr. Haber that our enemy's chemical industry was not capable of producing gas on that large a scale. I replied that this may well be the case at present, but that I doubted it would remain so." Anyone know whether this was the truth or was it perhaps propanda? Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 18 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Hi Ralph This is my 4th try.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the german Posted 20 October , 2004 Share Posted 20 October , 2004 Hello Robbie, Johann Fraunhofer is buried on the german cemetery in Haubourdin in the northwest of Lille. Hinrich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 20 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2004 Hello Robbie, Johann Fraunhofer is buried on the german cemetery in Haubourdin in the northwest of Lille. Hinrich Hinrich, How kind of you to go to the trouble of finding this out for me. How did you do it? Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the german Posted 20 October , 2004 Share Posted 20 October , 2004 Hello Robbie, no problem. Just go to the URL of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge: http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/content_suche.asp I am not sure if you first have to go through a kind of registry-form. After that you have to fill in the name: Frauenhofer next line: Johann Then you will get the information. It is important to spell it Frauenhofer instead of Fraunhofer ! Hinrich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 20 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2004 Hello Robbie, no problem. Just go to the URL of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge: http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/content_suche.asp I am not sure if you first have to go through a kind of registry-form. After that you have to fill in the name: Frauenhofer next line: Johann Then you will get the information. It is important to spell it Frauenhofer instead of Fraunhofer ! Hinrich Ah yes. I did find that website but I couldn't interpret the German. I figured it was a registration page of some sort. Will try again, many thanks. thanks, too for the spelling correction. Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted 20 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 20 October , 2004 Ralph, Hee's another one for you. Any information re this guy would be very welcomed. Thanks Robbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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