Highly decorated soldier
- Thread starter Gustaf
- Start date
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
It looks like the mount of any 420 mm. 0r a 380 mm. gun, Gus. See for instance the relics of these gun bases at Zillisheim ( http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/?id=490357&r=1&tbl_archief=&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ), Alsace Sundgau or the relics of the base at Duzey near Verdun ( http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/index.php?r=1&id=410739&tbl_archief=0#410739" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ).
Alas, I have no comment on your portrait of the man (?) with 3 (?) Iron Crosses. :-?
Alas, I have no comment on your portrait of the man (?) with 3 (?) Iron Crosses. :-?
Hoi Pierre,
Thanks for the ID on the gun mount, I have seen a photo like this IDed as the Paris gun, but I would bet that every Doughboy who saw it thought it was. This photo had not caption, nor does the one above. If yo look close at his collar (he is wearing a US tunic) you can barely make out the medical insignia. I have not been able to put a name to him yet, but he was with the Evacuation Ambulance company # 8. I have a list of all the names of the members of co. 8, and many photos with IDs, so it is possible that he will be named.
Best
Gus
Thanks for the ID on the gun mount, I have seen a photo like this IDed as the Paris gun, but I would bet that every Doughboy who saw it thought it was. This photo had not caption, nor does the one above. If yo look close at his collar (he is wearing a US tunic) you can barely make out the medical insignia. I have not been able to put a name to him yet, but he was with the Evacuation Ambulance company # 8. I have a list of all the names of the members of co. 8, and many photos with IDs, so it is possible that he will be named.
Best
Gus
I would call him George 
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
A German period, Gustaf, taken by an anonymous soldier, of a baes of a 380 mm. Lange Max. Date, regiment unknown, location somewhere in France.
Next, from the same photographer, the Lange Max in transport.
Here is another one, both soldiers are IDed in this one, the M1916 GMC ambulance in the back is interesting to me.
the caption says
Austin Barber impersonating a German officer. Rear, B. Mulledy.
AustinM. Barber was from Kingston N.Y. and was an ambulance driver and Bernard Mulledy was from Long Island and was a mechanic.
the caption says
Austin Barber impersonating a German officer. Rear, B. Mulledy.
AustinM. Barber was from Kingston N.Y. and was an ambulance driver and Bernard Mulledy was from Long Island and was a mechanic.
Hoi Pierre,
Here is another photo of the same gun mount.
As you can see, this mount did get identified as the mount to the Paris gun, but as I mantioned before, it is likely that every large gun mount that US soldier came across after the Armistice was probably identified as the base to the Paris gun. This photo is from the book UNITED STATES LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION AND THE WORLD WAR, not a title that I would normally pick up to read, but it is the history of the Evacuation Ambulance Company #8 and related units. They were financed by the US Lawn Tennis Association.
Best
Gus
Here is another photo of the same gun mount.
As you can see, this mount did get identified as the mount to the Paris gun, but as I mantioned before, it is likely that every large gun mount that US soldier came across after the Armistice was probably identified as the base to the Paris gun. This photo is from the book UNITED STATES LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION AND THE WORLD WAR, not a title that I would normally pick up to read, but it is the history of the Evacuation Ambulance Company #8 and related units. They were financed by the US Lawn Tennis Association.
Best
Gus
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
Thank you, Gus. It makes some sense as La Fere-en-Tardenois is not that far away from Paris and it is a possible location. I have to research my own records about this location for to be sure. It might take some time. But why distrust this contemporary document and this photo? If you like to have a closer look at the area of La Fere, click here: http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/?id=428742&r=1&tbl_archief=&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .
It makes some sense as La Fere-en-Tardenois is not that far away from Paris and it is a possible location. I have to research my own records about this location for to be sure. It might take some time. But why distrust this contemporary document and this photo? If you like to have a closer look at the area of La Fere, click here: http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/?id=428742&r=1&tbl_archief=&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .
Great material Pierre,
I still would not be surprised if this is not the Paris gun mount, the book from which this photos was taken was written from the notes of the men of the same company as Frank. Reading his diary, they arrived in Paris on the 5th of August, as the Germans were shelling the city. He comments that the shells were landing about 15 minutes apart. He also comments on the French soldier that one of the ambulance drivers ran over, I will have to wait for the book to arrive, but as I was reading through the online version, a different driver was noted as hitting the French soldier (if I recall correctly).
Best
Gus
I still would not be surprised if this is not the Paris gun mount, the book from which this photos was taken was written from the notes of the men of the same company as Frank. Reading his diary, they arrived in Paris on the 5th of August, as the Germans were shelling the city. He comments that the shells were landing about 15 minutes apart. He also comments on the French soldier that one of the ambulance drivers ran over, I will have to wait for the book to arrive, but as I was reading through the online version, a different driver was noted as hitting the French soldier (if I recall correctly).
Best
Gus
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
Thank you, Gus. Sorry for the confusion perhaps? Are we talking here about the 23 March 1918 Paris Gun?? As far as I know the Paris gun 0f 23 March 1918 was positioned in a wood, 2,5 km. north of the village of Crépy-en-Laonnois (Dept. Aisne), north-west of the town of Laon, some 15 km. north of La-Fere-en-Tardenois. For an American this distance is perhaps peanuts. There was possibly a second gun positioned. It took the Germans some 20 minutes to reload the gun. So, the timing of your American guy is correct.
Some reliable looking
Wikipedia lemmas about the 23 March 1918 Paris Gun, in German: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Gesch%C3%BCtz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and in English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Gun" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .
Some reliable looking
Wikipedia lemmas about the 23 March 1918 Paris Gun, in German: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris-Gesch%C3%BCtz" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and in English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Gun" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; .
That is just the problem Pierre, I do not know what I am talking about I know that there was more than one Paris gun, but I do not know much more about them. Whn I found the first photo in the piles of photos from Frank's belongings, I thought I had seen something similar before. Finding a photo of the same gun base in the book about Company 8 was a bit of a surprise.
Best Gus
I know that there was more than one Paris gun, but I do not know much more about them. Whn I found the first photo in the piles of photos from Frank's belongings, I thought I had seen something similar before. Finding a photo of the same gun base in the book about Company 8 was a bit of a surprise.Best Gus
Here is a photo with the "Highly Decorated Soldier" in his own garb. Sandy McGuirk is the 6th from the left, the first is Frank Frankenfield, from whose papers these photos were taken.
The caption on the back had me puzzled for a bit, I do not read American script any better than Sütterlin, and what I was getting from it sounded rather rude.
10 of the "Dirty Dozen" having their cocks photographed
Then I realized that you can see everyone's "Cock" in the photograph. The "Cock" is the symbol of the Ambulance Corps, and their insignia is quite visible on their left shoulders. I must get my mind out of the gutter!
Best
Gus
The caption on the back had me puzzled for a bit, I do not read American script any better than Sütterlin, and what I was getting from it sounded rather rude.
10 of the "Dirty Dozen" having their cocks photographed
Then I realized that you can see everyone's "Cock" in the photograph. The "Cock" is the symbol of the Ambulance Corps, and their insignia is quite visible on their left shoulders. I must get my mind out of the gutter!
Best
Gus
Pierre Grande Guerre
New member
Ah Gus, a dirty mind is a joy forever.