Der Finn Posted January 4, 2015 Share #1 Posted January 4, 2015 Over 25 years ago I responded to an ad in the local pennysaver. Mrs. Elizabeth Gatchell was selling some WW2 relics that her late husband, Edward L. Gatchell, brought home from the ETO. Over the course of several visits, I bought some great German items – canteens, ammo pouches, two stick grenades, several Luftwaffe helmets, including this one which I initially passed on it because it was damaged. Mrs. Gatchell called me several days later and said she had something that would make the helmet more interesting – a photo. Curious, I went over the next day and after seeing this black & white photo, I bought the helmet. The word “unique” is often bandied about it – this Luftwaffe helmet belonged to Obergefreiter Kurt Gunther and it is unique and illustrates the true cost of war - young men die.. Elizabeth Wakefield was born at Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England. She met Edward Lounsberry Gatchell during WWII when he was a Captain and commanding officer of Cannon Company, 156th Infantry Regiment (Awarded “Certificate of Merit” by General Dwight D. Eisenhower). He came home to Andover, Connecticut after the war and married Elizabeth. The 156th was an independent infantry regiment formed from the Louisiana National Guard and brought into federal service on 11/25/40. Trained at Camp Blanding, FL and Camp Bowie, TX. Staged at Fort Dix, NJ on 9/19/42 until departed New York on 9/26/42. Arrived England 10/6/42. 2nd battalion sent to Oran, Algeria for MP duties because many had ability to speak French. Further training at Woolacombe, England in prep for D-Day. Some of regiment went ashore on June 6th but entire unit ashore by 6/24/44. Returned to England on 7/6/44 and back to France 8/18 - 9/3/44. Guarded flanks of First Army and Red Ball Express highways. 2nd battalion guarded Headquarters of SHAEF-Supreme HQ (Eisenhower's HQ) from 10/15/44 while remainder of unit guarded US Embassy and command facilities in Paris. Later dispatched to guard German POW's in the Channel Islands. Returned to U.S. on 3/11/46 and deactivated at Camp Kilmer, NJ on 3/13/46. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Finn Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted January 4, 2015 More photos....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Finn Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted January 4, 2015 Last photos......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted January 4, 2015 Share #4 Posted January 4, 2015 Man, that's rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted January 4, 2015 Share #5 Posted January 4, 2015 interesting, story glad the story has stayed with the helmet. I have had a number of damaged helmets over my years. Some WW1 and some WW2, never had a pic of the grave site of one of the original owners. I have had helmets ID by name in the helmet but that is as close as I have had to something like this. Great find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted January 4, 2015 Share #6 Posted January 4, 2015 It's so rare to have a photo of the helmet in theater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted January 4, 2015 Share #7 Posted January 4, 2015 Interesting yet sad story. Provenced to the boot -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 4, 2015 Share #8 Posted January 4, 2015 Thanks for posting.Truly a reminder of the cost and sacrifices of war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 4, 2015 Share #9 Posted January 4, 2015 Whoa...there are a LOT of battle damaged helmets out there. But you never know if they were shot at for sport or if they actually spelled the doom of the wearer. This one is incredible that it falls in the latter category with bona-fide proof. Just amazing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCapturephotos Posted January 4, 2015 Share #10 Posted January 4, 2015 Wow. Wow! I have one damaged German M 16 helmet in my collection, one great snapshot of a GI proudly showing his M 1 helmet with a bullet hole through it and two battle damaged VC canteens that US GI's brought home so this really intrigues me. Thanks for sharing! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted January 4, 2015 Share #11 Posted January 4, 2015 Brings to mind a WWI German helmet I saw on Gunboards and have mentioned here before. Shell fragment entered the rear of th ehelmet, passed through the man's head, and lodged in the front. When they buried him, they planted it atop his cross like shown in this picture. The man's father was, because he was older, a rear echelon type that brought supplies to the front and brought the helmet home. An American collector acquired it, had a similar picture of the grave, etc. Amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmanton Posted January 4, 2015 Share #12 Posted January 4, 2015 The removal of the helmet from a grave really turns me off. Paul Salome, AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted January 4, 2015 Share #13 Posted January 4, 2015 The removal of the helmet from a grave really turns me off. Paul Salome, AZ I agree, it looks "cool" to people who don't know the history behind it. I have a really large german helmet collection and wouldn't want it in it for the plain simple fact that it being removed from a grave was desecrating it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted January 4, 2015 Share #14 Posted January 4, 2015 At this point, and it ain't like my opinion really matters here, I think any kind of moral guilt would be for the vet himself to think about. Whether it bothered him or not, who knows. For a lot of guys that were there, I don't think they'd give much of a darn. In a respectful collector's hands, as it is, the guy's life (even if he was an enemy) gets some remembrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted January 4, 2015 Share #15 Posted January 4, 2015 At this point, and it ain't like my opinion really matters here, I think any kind of moral guilt would be for the vet himself to think about. Whether it bothered him or not, who knows. For a lot of guys that were there, I don't think they'd give much of a darn. In a respectful collector's hands, as it is, the guy's life (even if he was an enemy) gets some remembrance. Your opinion on this is an excellent one. And a German helmet removed from a temporary grave marker is totally different from some of the "grave robbing" of WW2 sites that goes on presently in Russia and Eastern Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 4, 2015 Share #16 Posted January 4, 2015 Your opinion on this is an excellent one. And a German helmet removed from a temporary grave marker is totally different from some of the "grave robbing" of WW2 sites that goes on presently in Russia and Eastern Europe. Agreed. I imagine most all of the helmets were removed at some point by a veteran or local from the area.If the remains were returned at a later dated Im guessing the helmet wasnt there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 4, 2015 Share #17 Posted January 4, 2015 There's a German counterpart to the American Battle Monuments Commision, Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraeberfuersorge Google it, If one is really interested in more info about Gruenther, perhaps one can find where Guenther was permanently interred, graves like these in Normandy (I gather this photo is from Normandy) were semi temporary, after the war they would of been moved to the permanent cemeteries, and given markers shaped like Iron Crosses or those flush ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry K. Posted January 4, 2015 Share #18 Posted January 4, 2015 A gripping piece and story for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted January 4, 2015 Share #19 Posted January 4, 2015 It appears that helmet was not permanently affixed to the temporary marker. I was just set on top. If it had sat outside for a long period of time, wouldn't the helmet be rusty and the liner have water damage? Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der Finn Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted January 4, 2015 Kurt, I don't think the helmet was on the temporary grave marker for very long. I think Captain Gatchell removed it after he took the picture, while the 156th was in France. For the record, here are the markings on the crosspiece: Obergefreiter Kurt Gunther Geb. 2.5.17 Gefallen. 20.8.1944 Tom P.S. Garandomatic, I appreciate your well-expressed opinions stated on this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted January 4, 2015 Share #21 Posted January 4, 2015 I have mixed feelings about this.. First,Kurt(KASTAUFFER) makes a good point in that we do not know at what point,or when the helmet was acquired.Having stated that I'll add this.If it was taken from atop the marker(temporary or not,it makes no difference to me),then I regard this as a form of desecration.I would be equally outraged to learn that items were taken from US personnel graves.Just my opinion. Realizing that it would not be feasable,or morally warranted,to return every named piece found,I'm wondering if,under these rather unique circumstances,would it not be a decent gesture to attempt to locate the soldiers family and see if they would like to have the helmet back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted January 4, 2015 Share #22 Posted January 4, 2015 Not at all . German helmets had great paint jobs. It probably only sat on the marker for about 1 second after it was removed after the picture was taken. It may have only have been there for a matter of weeks in the first place. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore456 Posted January 4, 2015 Share #23 Posted January 4, 2015 I respect everyone elses opinion but it is not like he dug up the body and removed the helmet. I would think that when his body was recovered, moved to a permanent grave the helmet would have been tossed aside and eventually scrapped. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted January 4, 2015 Share #24 Posted January 4, 2015 Photograph a war grave and then remove part of it for a souvenir. Temporary grave or not, BAD Karma. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patchcollector Posted January 4, 2015 Share #25 Posted January 4, 2015 As for the "temporary grave" subject,I wanted to add this;while studying the photo I noticed these details;the grave has a "border",and it appears that someone has planted ferns (or may be spruce branches)and other plants within it.There is also what appears to be a fence in the background.I'm wondering if these are signs that this may not be a hastily prepared "temporary" gravesite,and may be in fact,a regular graveyard?Yes,the marker may be wooden,and of the "temporary" type,but in a wartime(or recent postwar) setting there may be various reasons for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts