Blu1989 Posted August 23, 2015 Share #1 Posted August 23, 2015 Hello again everyone. This piece tugs at my heart as it was captured by a family member I never got to meet. This German helmet was captured by my great uncle in France sometime between when he landed on D-Day and when he died two months later in Brest. He shipped this helmet among other items home to my relatives shortly (a week or so) before he was killed. My brother and I found the crate containing all of his trophies a couple of years ago when we were helping my grandmother redecorate after my grandfather's passing. She had forgotten that my grandfather still had that crate but she let us open it up for the first time in 70+ years and we decided to split the items amongst us for our own collections. These items hit home as the last time my great uncle saw these items he was only a couple of years younger than me (he died when he was 23 about to turn 24) and it made me somewhat sad that he never got to enjoy these items after the war. Someday I'll make my way out to the Brittany war cemetery where he's buried and pay my respects for his sacrifice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24th_infantry Posted August 23, 2015 Share #2 Posted August 23, 2015 Its great you are keeping his memories alive. He is a true hero. Rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted August 23, 2015 Share #3 Posted August 23, 2015 Thanks for sharing. What else was in the crate if I may ask? May Mr. Watkins rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCapturephotos Posted August 23, 2015 Share #4 Posted August 23, 2015 Wow. That is a powerful souvenir. Do you have photos of your great uncle? Do you still have the crate the items were shipped home in? Thanks for sharing.<br />Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViewfinderGyrene Posted August 23, 2015 Share #5 Posted August 23, 2015 Remarkable, thank you for posting, and I echo others' questions. Thank you, PFC Watkins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted August 23, 2015 My brother has the crate since he was starting a display and needed a back drop. There were three k98s, three helmets, a couple of bayonets, a p38 without a mag or holster, and a flag nailed to the bottom of the crate. I took one of the k98s, this helmet, the p38, and both bayonets. My brother and sister split the rest between both of them. I have wanted the flag too but I didn't want to risk damaging it by removing it from the crate's bottom. Sadly other than this gravestone I have no other pictures of my great uncle. My grandmother has the only picture left of him in uniform before he left for France in a frame next to his Purple Heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted August 23, 2015 Share #7 Posted August 23, 2015 Three K98K's would be great to have. They are really pricey these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted August 23, 2015 Share #8 Posted August 23, 2015 Great souvenir, Rest in Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 24, 2015 Share #9 Posted August 24, 2015 Like Paul stated, amazingly powerful souvenier. You must be honored to have his blood running through your veins. I'm sure you'll cherish this and the other items forever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted August 24, 2015 Thanks everyone. I do cherish the items I have from my great uncle and someday I hope to pass them down to my children so his legacy can continue to live on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted August 24, 2015 Share #11 Posted August 24, 2015 Thank you for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckG Posted August 25, 2015 Share #12 Posted August 25, 2015 If you take that picture in the frame that your grandmother has of your uncle to a good photographer, you can get darn near a 100% duplicate of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted August 25, 2015 I'll give it a try next time I visit her Chuck. She lives in Colorado and I can only go see her about every two years since work is pretty busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted August 26, 2015 Share #14 Posted August 26, 2015 That's a very historic item and sobering story. RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted August 26, 2015 Share #15 Posted August 26, 2015 A very poignant bring back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOLO Posted August 26, 2015 Share #16 Posted August 26, 2015 I didnt know a soldier could send so much stuff back during war? that would be a heavy crate with three rifles, helmets, bayonets and other items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted August 26, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted August 26, 2015 It was a very heavy crate Bolo. Thank god we didn't have to lift it much but when my brother and I did have to move it it was incredibly exhausting. The rifles were the heaviest things in the crate obviously but it appeared the items were thrown in haphazardly. My helmet for instance was at the bottom of the crate covered up by two of the rifles and got some surface rust on in from slight water exposure over time. There were supposed to be some documents sent along with the crate saying where and when my great uncle had acquired each item but those over time have been lost or my great grandmother threw them away like she did his dress uniform. I suspect the items had been captured in a small time frame before he marched to Brest, where he ultimately died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raylemere Posted August 27, 2015 Share #18 Posted August 27, 2015 wow sad story, nice helmet and in great shape also. thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relicranger Posted September 16, 2015 Share #19 Posted September 16, 2015 I would bet that there was a reason for nailing the flag to the bottom of the crate. You shpuld check to see if the documents were folded up inside the flag. My brother has the crate since he was starting a display and needed a back drop. There were three k98s, three helmets, a couple of bayonets, a p38 without a mag or holster, and a flag nailed to the bottom of the crate. I took one of the k98s, this helmet, the p38, and both bayonets. My brother and sister split the rest between both of them. I have wanted the flag too but I didn't want to risk damaging it by removing it from the crate's bottom. Sadly other than this gravestone I have no other pictures of my great uncle. My grandmother has the only picture left of him in uniform before he left for France in a frame next to his Purple Heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted September 16, 2015 Share #20 Posted September 16, 2015 I didnt know a soldier could send so much stuff back during war? that would be a heavy crate with three rifles, helmets, bayonets and other items. Had a local 14th armored vet tell me he sent home two boxes a week when he could.I was amazed and asked him why? He said "law of averages" some will make it some wont.I bought a nice 98k from him which I still have, couple bayonets etc.He had a lot of stuff but there were items sold prior to my meeting him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share #21 Posted September 16, 2015 relic I checked by feeling the flag last time I was visiting my brother but I didn't feel anything behind it. It is nailed in a way where it wasn't folded over and I guess it served kind of like a mat or a water barrier of some sorts as it covered an area of the crate where there were some small gaps in the wood. Also to my understanding the paperwork was mailed alongside the crate but not attached to it so I think my great grandmother probably thought it didn't mean anything and threw it away along with other pieces that were my great uncle's that went missing about the same time (his dress uniform, the uniform he was killed in, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge8 Posted September 17, 2015 Share #22 Posted September 17, 2015 A ww2 friend once said, you could send home whatever fit in mailbag. After the war, they started getting stricter about what you vould send. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippo66 Posted December 26, 2015 Share #23 Posted December 26, 2015 Artifacts like this are incredible and a part of history to be cherished. So many times you see items at military shows and wonder where the item came from. I'm so glad that you appreciate the history and significance of these items. What a blessing that he took the time to send them home. Thanks for posting your story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu1989 Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share #24 Posted December 27, 2015 Your welcome Zippo. I enjoy sharing my family's history and if I can sharing their items they cherished or deemed valuable enough to keep for all these years. It's just a shame my great uncle never lived to enjoy his treasures after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc. Posted January 31, 2016 Share #25 Posted January 31, 2016 At least someone enjoys his treasures. I believe that many have been simply thrown away because nobody cared.. Thanks for sharing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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