Feldgrau.net

Thanks again Guy, for "replicating" my lost documents, and soldbuch. And INDEED you made sure that they were recognizable as "mementos", and not to be seen as the real McCoy. But they are GOOOOOOD. A "knowledgeable" friend of mine examined the soldbuch the other day an...

Paddy,

Thanks for posting those ingenuous samples of forged documents. I should only hope my efforts could eventually arise to such heights (but would ensure they could be recognized as "replacements").

--Guy

John, That was the first I knew about "tiger-women" being able to stitch as many knots as their age. Wiki has a good article, stating the custom began in the first Sino-Japanese war: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senninbari By the way, 千 [sen] 人 [nin] 針 [hari] really translates to "100...

World War I: Encyclopaedia , Spencer C. Tucker, ed. Casualties mentioned bottom of p. 607 through top of 608. Japan mobilised 800,000 men during World War I, of whom the Japanese reported approximately 300 were killed and 907 wounded, while 3 were captured or went missing, a casualty rate of only 0...

That was a good find, Phylo. I'll keep my nose to the grindstone and see if I can find something just as intersting.

--Guy

[Apply more research here ...] Siberian Intervention During WWI ...more than 70,000 Japanese troops joined the much smaller units of the Allied Expeditionary Force sent to Siberia in 1918.... Source Also called the Archangel Expedition Aha! The smoking gun .... kinda: Japan War dead figure of 415 is...

Phylo,

I'm not sure -- but all I've ever heard about was Japan's naval participation. Looks like a case of: "...more research required."

--Guy

Japan did participate on the Allied side during WWI -- but they operated mostly in the South Pacific & Indian Ocean region against German holdings (some in China as well). Their participation in the Western side of the world was entirely naval -- in South Africa and the Mediterranian. More at Wi...

Hi NIka, Yes, enjoy "our" weather while you are here! I work for NASA Ames Research Center. NASA actually owns the "footprint" of Moffett Field ever since the Navy element was relocated due to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) Commission -- that's been about 15 year...

NIka,

Always a pleasure to help. You were in my neck of the woods -- I'm at Moffett Field (Mountain View), which is 35 miles south of SF.

Regards,
--Guy

Hello NIka, It does not seem to be a real flower since the petals in the pin are set together much denser than those of the gothic-sharp petals of the live edelweiss. Here's an example of a bone or ivory pin: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vVbvr13p1VQ/SOeLdrHhPFI/AAAAAAAACvg/7-0xv5wu-SY/s400/aaabjewelry+...

Hello Franz, You might be right and it could be the SS version of the Edelweiß. When I first looked at the image, I thought I saw the entwined rope border of the Heer badge, but now I'm not certain. SS: http://www.regiment-militaria.com/pictures/3572/tumb.jpg Heer: http://members.fortunecity.com/eli...

I have found dried edelweiss in photo albums from WWII. It must have been significant to someone to put a dried flower head in the album? Yes Annelie: the significance is that the Edelweiß also is a symbol of love -- showing what difficulties and dangers the suitor will endure and overcome ... to s...

Nika, The more I look at the image of your grandmother, the more I think the edelweiß is a real flower. I've many edelweiß that have been dried and they will last for years -- you can wear them on your hat, or -- as perhaps in your grandmother's case -- as an embellishment to a pretty dress. I bough...

Nika, It is hard to tell, but perhaps that is carved from ivory ... or maybe a real edelweiss. The edelweiss has for many years been the symbol of the Alps and mountaineering -- and nothing at all to do with Naziism (unless it has a swastika on it). Perhaps the edelweiss means just that to your gran...