Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Share #1 Posted January 29, 2017 The story of these items has been, for the most part, unfortunately lost to History, but I'll do my best to "prove" that they are as I say they are. I personally knew about these items for quite some time. My neighbor had once told me about how his grandfather, a Medical Lt., had brought these items back from his time in France. He promised to show them to me, but unfortunately his cancer, which we all had thought he had beaten, came back and he passed away. I found them while helping his wife go through his estate (he had many properties). She gave them to me, and I will always display them in his memory. Before he passed, he told me about his grandfather, Paul Gillespie, and how he served overseas. Unfortunately I didn't get any specifics on the items, but I feel very honored being entrusted in such amazing items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted January 29, 2017 Some more photos. There is more to hte grouping, however we've only put a small dent in the sorting process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share #3 Posted January 29, 2017 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David D Posted January 29, 2017 Share #4 Posted January 29, 2017 Incredible bring backs. That sign is really one of a kind. Also sorry to hear about your neighbor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCapturephotos Posted January 29, 2017 Share #5 Posted January 29, 2017 Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed looking at your collection. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted January 29, 2017 Share #6 Posted January 29, 2017 Great items! The "trench art" I would say is truly soldier made, not commercially made like some items.Might not be too hard to pin him down.Try to find out where the G-father was from, maybe the widow know a bit of his family history, maybe a bit of gemology on your part of his family. Find-a-grave has lots of possibilities. "Nesles is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Nesles is situated about 12 miles south of Boulogne." Likely this town meant a lot to him to engrave a 37mm shell. The piece of MG belt is likely German, what are the head stamps on the cartridges? Of course, they might not have been actually in that belt, they are not properly seated. What do the stamps say? The spike helmet (missing the top piece) seems lightly misshapen, I would try to find a head form to fit it to help return it to it's original shape, but be careful, it is over 100 years old! These Pickelhaubes often have the unit ownership information stamped in the metal rim on the inside. Great Piece! The brass color belt buckle is not the typical German like the painted steel one, I don't know what country, but pretty uncommon find. Thanks for posting them. Might ask some of the research experts to assist finding info on this WW I Vet! BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted January 29, 2017 Share #7 Posted January 29, 2017 Very nice collection of bring backs! It'll be interesting as you learn more about these pieces and your neighbors grandfather. Great to have this grouping and know the connection. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorDoc Posted January 29, 2017 Share #8 Posted January 29, 2017 That buckle is a two piece enlisted mans buckle from the Wurttemberg Division. it means "Fearless and Loyal". Pretty desirable piece with a very interesting history. Desirable enough that it is and was heavily reproduced. Yours looks good! Worth about 3 -4 times what the latter steel pressed buckles are, these are often unit marked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Magut Posted January 29, 2017 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2017 An excellent collection of very rare German items. Could the vet have been Lt Paul B Gillespie, born 2/16/1889, from Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton University Med School, Class of 1917, U.S. Med Reserve Corp. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 29, 2017 Share #10 Posted January 29, 2017 Great items Jacob Im thinking the MG belt is for the Swarzlose MG. The Maxims were different having a tab that extended past the cloth belt as I recall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share #11 Posted January 29, 2017 Great items! The "trench art" I would say is truly soldier made, not commercially made like some items.Might not be too hard to pin him down.Try to find out where the G-father was from, maybe the widow know a bit of his family history, maybe a bit of gemology on your part of his family. Find-a-grave has lots of possibilities. "Nesles is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Nesles is situated about 12 miles south of Boulogne." Likely this town meant a lot to him to engrave a 37mm shell. The piece of MG belt is likely German, what are the head stamps on the cartridges? Of course, they might not have been actually in that belt, they are not properly seated. What do the stamps say? The spike helmet (missing the top piece) seems lightly misshapen, I would try to find a head form to fit it to help return it to it's original shape, but be careful, it is over 100 years old! These Pickelhaubes often have the unit ownership information stamped in the metal rim on the inside. Great Piece! The brass color belt buckle is not the typical German like the painted steel one, I don't know what country, but pretty uncommon find. Thanks for posting them. Might ask some of the research experts to assist finding info on this WW I Vet! BKW Thanks for the information! I really should've taken a picture of the individual cartridges when I did, but neglected to do so. I'm back at school, so next time I'm home I'll take a look at them. Also, I'll see what I can do about "reshaping" the Pickelhaube, and see if I can find anything on the inside of it. I know a bit about the Grandfather that I forgot to mention last night when I posted this, but he was from Minnesota, and at some point became a banker. My neighbor has some bills that he personally signed at the mint. Also, his grouping is still in the care of my neighbor. The patch on his uniform is an Advanced Sector one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share #12 Posted January 29, 2017 An excellent collection of very rare German items. Could the vet have been Lt Paul B Gillespie, born 2/16/1889, from Omaha, Nebraska. Creighton University Med School, Class of 1917, U.S. Med Reserve Corp. ? Possibly, I'd have to check when/where he was born. I know he spent most of his life in Minnesota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Magut Posted January 29, 2017 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2017 Possibly, I'd have to check when/where he was born. I know he spent most of his life in Minnesota. The banker and Minnesota connections changes things. Paul S Gillespie, from Anoka, Minn. of the Univ of Minnesota, enlisted in Base Hospital 26. He later became President of the Western Montana National Bank. Much more likely based on your additional info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stahlberg Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share #14 Posted January 29, 2017 The banker and Minnesota connections changes things. Paul S Gillespie, from Anoka, Minn. of the Univ of Minnesota, enlisted in Base Hospital 26. He later became President of the Western Montana National Bank. Much more likely based on your additional info. That's him for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Magut Posted January 29, 2017 Share #15 Posted January 29, 2017 That's him for sure! That's great. He is in the Unit History of Base Hospital 26. That book is downloadable online and has great information, including the fact that the hospital treated German prisoners of war. Here's Lt Gillespie's picture (in the visor hat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted January 30, 2017 Share #16 Posted January 30, 2017 Excellent that he is ID'd! Uniform looks like it is in fine shape also. BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieony Posted January 30, 2017 Share #17 Posted January 30, 2017 A really interesting group of bring backs...thanks for posting and best of luck with your research! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kestrel452 Posted February 1, 2017 Share #18 Posted February 1, 2017 Great collection. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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