German and Russian Navy Items

[pjm]

Acquired this German per-WW1 era German Navy grouping at an estate auction in Wisconsin. It includes a named and dated cap, two photos, a pendant with sailor's portrait, a white sailor's shirt, an additional German cap band along with an Imperial Russian Navy sailor's cap band for the Curiser Diana.

The cap has a reservist's tally for the SMS Pelikan, a mine layer that was commanded by Graf Spee in 1902.

This sailor was a member of her crew circa 1909-10.

The other cap band for "5.II Matrosen-Division II.5." is seen on the cap in the other photo - its notation indicates he's the cousin of the other sailor.

The Diana was involved in a battle with the Japanese Imperial Fleet in 1905, the Battle of the Yellow Sea. It was damaged and managed to reach Indochina where it was interned until the end of that conflict.

In WW1 it did nothing of particular merit.

The riddle of why the Russian cap band was among a grouping of German Navy items was easily solved by google.

The ship was scrapped in Bremen in 1922. No doubt, the owner of the cap and shirt or perhaps a relative worked at the shipyard when the Diana was cut up, or had something to do with her transport to Bremen.

Included in the images is a postcard of the SMS Pelikan found on line. It's not part of the grouping.

[ironcross1]

Awesome finds mate ,cheers Raymond

[OKW]

Wonderful condition.