Bavarian Military
Merit Order
The Bavarian Military
Merit Order ("Militär-Verdienstorden")
was the standard Bavarian award for officers for bravery and
military merit. As well as being awarded for European service it could be awarded
to Bavarian (and other German) officers for colonial actions. One such as this (4th
Class with Swords) was awarded to Oberleutnant Jakob Danner for
bravery during the Boxer Rebellion. Another example (again 4th
Class with Swords) was awarded to Leutnant Lukas von Kaufmann
along with the Prussian Crown Order (4th Class with Swords) for
bravery while serving in the 1. Feld-Regiment of the
Schutztruppe during the Herero Rebellion.
Recommended
External Links - Bavarian Military Merit Order on Wikipedia
Recommended Reading - "L'Ordre du Mérite Max Joseph de Bavière"
Militaria Magazine No253 August 2006
Saxon Saint Heinrich
Order
The Saxon Saint Heinrich
Order ("St. Heinrichs Orden")
was Saxony's oldest Military decoration and could be awarded in
several classes to different ranking recipients. Again as well
as being awarded for European service it could be awarded to
Saxon (and other German) officers for colonial actions. For example a Saxon
father and son both received the St Heinrich Order for service
in East Africa during the First World War. Generalleutnant z.D. Kurt Wahle
became Knight of the St Heinrich Order on 19th.July 1917 and
Commander of the order, second class
on 29th October 1920 for his command of von Lettow-Vorbeck's
Western Front. His son Oberleutnant.d.R. Ralph Wahle received
the award on 12th March 1920.
Recommended
External Links - St Heinrich Order on Wikipedia, St Heinrich Order at MedalNet and St Heinrich Order for East Africa at the Gentlemen's Military Interest Club
Hamburg Hanseatic
Cross
The Hanseatic Cross ("Hanseatenkreuz")
with variations for the cities of Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck,
was instituted for all ranks in 1915, so no pre-1914 colonial awards were
made. However the crosses were commonly awarded to members of
the Imperial navy based at any of these city ports. For example
although Admiral Souchon spent the bulk of the First World War
based in the Black Sea he was awarded both the Hamburg and
Bremen Hanseatic Crosses.
Baden 1902 Jubilee Medal
The Baden Jubilee Medal ("Jubiläums-Medaille") awarded to
Badeners in service who had distinguished themselves in military or public
service to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Grand Duke Friedrich of
Baden's reign. It was mostly awarded to soldiers on the Baden
contingent of the Prussian army but also to Badeners serving in
the Schutztruppe, East Asian Occupation Brigade, Marine Infantry
and Navy. As the Prussian 1897 Wilhelm I Centenary Medal was
awarded to all members of the Prussian army and imperial units
(such as the Schutztruppe and Navy) but not to members of the
Baden or other state armies, veterans having both the Prussian
Centenary and Baden Jubilee medals would most likely have served
in imperial units.
Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross
The Military Merit Cross ("Militär-Verdienstkreuz") was awarded to Mecklenburgers of all ranks for distinction in
wartime. Awards were made in the Boxer Rebellion (medals dated
1900) and the Herero Rebellion and other colonial campaigns (undated medals).
For example the Mecklenburg naval officer Karl Nerger was
awarded the second class award for his part onboard SMS Iltis in
the Storming of the Taku Forts in China in 1900. During the
First World War he was awarded the 1914 award in both first and
second class for commanding the SMS Wolf on a 15 month commerce
raiding mission across the Indian Ocean.
Recommended Links- Mecklenburg Military Merit Cross at Wikipedia and Karl Nerger Biography at Pour le Mérite
Saxe-Meiningen
Military Merit Medal
The the only other state
medal that I am aware of having variations for colonial
campaigns was the Gold and Silver Saxe-Meiningen
Military Merit Medal for NCOs and other ranks, which could be
awarded with clasps for "CHINA"
(for the Boxer Rebellion) and "AFRIKA" (for the Herero
and Nama Rebellions). About 20 of the African clasp are known
to have been awarded.
Recommended External Link - Saxe-Meiningen Colonial Bar both
at the Gentlemen's Military Interest Club |
