K. R . 3 Gilbert Hamilton

Thank you .He was quite an impressive officer .I have many photos of him in his Swedish uniforms with helmet .Other photos
of him in German K R 3 and when he served in the 1 L K R 1 .Also as older man he could still fit into his uniforms and he dressed in him and had his photo taken .He would stand in of one of the walls of his home which was filled with military
items ; swords ; a set of saddle blanket and pistol flaps for an officer of the 1 Leib Kurassiere Regt. 1 and another 1 L K R Regt. set for an enlisted man . He had a tobacco named after him with his photo in a Swedish uniform on the top of the tin .
My late collector friend from Stockholm , Sweden got me all of the photos some years ago .
Steve
 
I know I’m displaying my ignorance, but who was he? He has an English or Scottish name, but served in the Swedish and German armies. When would this photo have been taken? Final question , how is the Iron Cross attached to the breast plate?

patrick
 
Hello Patrick ;
I wish that I could answer your question , but there is no date on the photo .As I wrote I have a series of photos of him
first in the Swedish Army ; then the German Army , first as an officer in the 1 L K R 1 ; then K R 3 .In the photo
he is wearing the pre war uniform of Kurassiere Regt. 3 .From other photos I know that he was serving in K R 3
during the war .As to how the Iron Cross was attached , it would only be a guess on my part , as I have never seen one in
person .I have seen other photos of the Iron Cross worn on the Kurass .I assume that 2 holes were made in the body .
Maybe a Kurassiere collector can tell us .
I also have a photo of Gilbert in a 3rd Reich officers uniform .
He was a personal friend of Kaiser Wilhelm II .
Another photo shows him with the Kaiser at Haus Doorn chopping wood .
There is an article in one of the old German Soldiers Yearbook about Gilbert Hamilton
but of course it is in German which I do not read
Thanks for your interest .
Steve
 
If found this on another site attributed to a user named Glenn...I'm guessing the same one we have here? Excellent work!!!

"Gustav David Gilbert John William Graf Hamilton was born on the 20th of March 1869. A Swedish Cavalry Captain since the 1st of May 1908, he left Swedish sevice on the 27th of October 1914 and was assigned to the Leib-Kürassier-Regiment Großer Kurfürst (Schlesisches) Nr. 1 on the 10th of November 1914. He was accepted in the rank of Rittmeister der Reserve (ohne Patent) and initially employed on the regimental staff before being given command of a squadron. On the 1st of January 1915 he was awarded a Patent of Seniority of the 1st of May 1908. Promoted to Major on the 25th of July 1915 he was appointed commander of Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 22 the same year. In March 1918 he was assigned to the staff of the Ostseedivision under Generalmajor Graf von der Goltz until appointed as commander of Kürassier-Regiment Graf Wrangel (Ostpreußisches) Nr. 3. He left Prussian service in 1920 and rejoined the Swedish Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Mounted Life Guards. In 1921 he became the commanding officer as a colonel of the Smalands Hussar Regiment until retiring in 1927. He additionally served as a Flügeladjutant to the Kaiser in exile at Doorn from 1928 to 1940. He died on the 11th of August 1947."
 
More on Gilbert Hamilton .
Photo 1 ; In his Swedish Armee uniform and helmet . dated 1910
Photo 2 ; in the uniform of 1 Leib Kurassiere Regt. 1 and helmet with the Pro Gloria front plate 1916
photo 3 ; Gilbert Hamilton as an older man dressed in his Kurassiere Regt 3 uniform standing in front of
a wall covered with items from his former military service . The saddle blankets and pistol flaps
of an officer and enlisted man from 1 L K R 1 , also the ringkragen .Some years ago my Swedish
collector friend Jarl Hartze was able to get that enlisted set of saddle blanket and pistol flaps for me.
photo 4 ; Gilbert Hamilton on the right next to Kaiser Wilhelm II at Haus Doorn. The other man is not I D ' ed
SteveG H Swedish Armee 1910.jpeg
g-h-1-l-k-r-1-1916-jpeg.14151
 

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I'd never heard of him before, Steve. Absolutely fascinating! I hope his items have survived the test of time.
 
More on Gilbert Hamilton .
Photo 1 ; In his Swedish Armee uniform and helmet . dated 1910
Photo 2 ; in the uniform of 1 Leib Kurassiere Regt. 1 and helmet with the Pro Gloria front plate 1916
photo 3 ; Gilbert Hamilton as an older man dressed in his Kurassiere Regt 3 uniform standing in front of
a wall covered with items from his former military service . The saddle blankets and pistol flaps
of an officer and enlisted man from 1 L K R 1 , also the ringkragen .Some years ago my Swedish
collector friend Jarl Hartze was able to get that enlisted set of saddle blanket and pistol flaps for me.
photo 4 ; Gilbert Hamilton on the right next to Kaiser Wilhelm II at Haus Doorn. The other man is not I D ' ed
SteveView attachment 14150
g-h-1-l-k-r-1-1916-jpeg.14151
This is spectacular, Steve !
Other pictures of him with the KR1 helmet ?
 
This man's life story is just incredible - and, as far as I can see, totally unknown to almost everyone. If ever there was a tale to be told in film then this is it. Not that Hollywood is capable of doing it justice - or even telling it honestly.
 
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This man's life story is just incredible - and, as far as I can see, totally unknown to almost everyone. If ever there was a tale to be told in film then this is it. Not that Hollywood is capable of doing it justice - or eleven telling it honestly.
Thank you
He had a tobacco named after him
Jarl sent me an empty tin
Gilbert's image is on the tin lid
just adds to the man
Steve
 
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