a bit on the errie side, one of my cousins was downed in aerial combat against US B-24's on this date of 26 November 1944 some 63 years ago. I remember him and the Allied crews that faced him and his unit which lost 40 pilots this date.

Sad story, Erich. We remember them today.... Doing the kind of research that you/we do and they people we read about and research....Every day is memrorial Day.....

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I sent a mail to the author of the article with the old wood cross, the little town of Holtensen paid to have it removed and replaced out of their own pocket books............I was very impressed with thanks. would luv to have a section of that old cross for the office as a memorial but...

May he rest in peace for many more centuries. the initiative of these villagers is to be praised, you can't imagine how many graves are simply forgotten, including war graves.

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I agree completely Skipper and in work with two Europeans that are searching for the German night fighter crews MIA over the Ardenne 1944-45. what a task they will have to take a long break now as I am sure the Ardenne is covered in snow correct ?

we may never know really how many lost from all sides ~ very sad

No snow in the Ardennes this early, they don't get snow all the time and usually around Christmas and the winter months of January and February rather than early December. Right now there is light night frost and it's humid and muddy, the kind of weather you hate when you are in a foxhole.
Hey, I was on a famous German forum we both Know and I saw T. B. requesting info about Hans Baer. Is this your other cousin and is he trying to help you?

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correct Skipper Hans is the night fighter ace in the Familie perishing with his Bf 110G-4 in December of 43, his two man crew bailed out and the 110 rolled over and Hans never got out of it. II./NJG crews were mortified that their Gruppenkommandeur went out in a stupid engine accident, Yep noted the he was trying to pin down some extra info for his book

thanks for the response on the Ardenne's weather pattern. Crazy looking over the loss's listing for LW night fighters over the Ardenne in December/Januury 45, many shot down by US/British AA and the ever present RAF Mossie nf with a few P-61's from the 9th AF added for good measure. so much still lost in the heavy dark woods and soil - MIA.

E ~

2 new acquisitions

first one did not come out to clear, served on an escort vessel, the memorial dedication given to his Familie by the servicemans C.O. of the ship was included:



second chap served on a converted Mine-layer and his ship, the "Königin Luise" was sunk while sailing the waters close to Helsinki, Finland by Soviet mines:

Nice to see that this fine thread is still going, the minelayer image is nice , especially because you have the story that goes with it.
I have acquired a fe new ones to which I will post when I have scanned them.

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Erich I think you"ll like this one. I scanned it on high resolution so that you can read all the details and save the pic. LUDWIG WERNER. This Bavarian Flieger died near Besancon in September 1944.
I fear he was one the many rookies who had just left the Lehrschule and was sent to the front at the age of 18 only. I would love to find out if any one could find out about his unit.

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September eh ? end of the Normandie campaign per see. Will have to take a look at the JG histories and yes you are probably right due to his age a new raw recruit with hardly a mission under his belt shot down KIA. I about makes me gag to think on it ..........

another KM member, this kid was wounded in a 15th Air Force bombing raid on Nice, France and died later of his wounds. Now to find out who as to KM was stationed in the area......

A nice card. This were the preparings of the Southern France landings which happened a few days later.

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One you certainly do not see eveyday: Petain's death card!

Note the mention "died as a pow".

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and a little thought for the German pows who were used as human mine detectors after the war. This man died at the Douai hospital in October 1945 (cause not mentionned) was it illness, wounds? Who knows: the pows in the Calais area were often used in the mine fields on the beaches, but I don't know if a mining accident caused his death. Due to his age of 31 , I have reasons to believe he fough tthe whole war. Strange to think that he survived the entire war and must have thought in May 1945, "at last I survived and will see my family again"

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Hello All,

Nice card but very sad...

Sebastien.

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http://coiffures.aceboard.fr/

Thanks Seb, thye are all sad in fact. I have many more, but need to scan them and possibly find the story that goes with them before I post more. I will keep on doing so over time.

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The stuff you guys posted are amazing. However, looking at all the faces on those cards, I have goose bumps.

just purchased two more Kriegsmarine death cards, one from 1945 a Zerstörer crewman and another from the 4th Räumbootflottille under Kptlt. Ahnhalt, C.O. in the northern waters, the member and his small boot went down after hitting mines laid by RAF a/c .......

post pics soon

I made a statement a few years back in this thread that I would be opening a Death Card Gallery he on-site. We are just days away from this coming to fruition. Stay tuned for updates.

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looking forward to it Otto and what you have in mind, I've got a host of others I have not shown yet

E ♫ ♪