field marshal batons

[Paul D]

Got it now Ade , i think i need glasses

[colt45]

guess who carried this?

[colt45]

[martinc]

go on then who did carry it ????????????????

[stuka f]

Popey?

[zwerge]

Donitz ?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Donitz: It says his name on it.

Cheers, Ade.

[martinc]

and which museum is that one languishing in ????

[colt45]

Dear Mr. Gregory,

Since sending you my reply re Doenitz baton, I have had a look through our
records on the subject.
I find that there was in fact a PROTOTYPE of Doenitz's baton i.e. design
model - which was exactly the same as the finished product except that it
did not have the U-boat motif which Doenitz insisted on. This may well have
been in Hitler's possession - for his approval.
This prototype turned up in Eastern Europe and is now in the possession of a
British collector, who brought it here to compare with ours (I have this
from one of our older staff here - I was not working here then); we have
this collector's address etc. Our data protrection laws do not allow me to
give them to you - but if you wish, I can ask him to get in touch.
It is highly possible that what Mr. Hart's father found in Hitler's house
was the prototype baton which this British collector now has.
As I said in my last e-mail, there is no question of "our" baton having been
out of the ownership of Churcher from April 1946, when he received it in
Flensburg; one would expect it to have been in Doentiz's possession.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Duckers
Curator



Dear Mr.Gregory,

That is correct : Churcher received the baton as part of the surrender
process.
In his own (unpublished) account, Churcher tells how General Rock and he
personally (with other Staff Officers of his brigade) invited the remnant
government led by Donitz to a meeting in Flensburg (where the Germans
thought they were about to discuss joint administration etc - Donitz hoped
to be retained in office) and then "seized" Donitz, Speer etc. - to their
considerable surprise - and placed them under arrest. This was on May 23rd
at 9.30 a.m. - not April as I said!
The baton was part of Donitz'z personal possessions in Flensburg - as one
would expect; it was never in Berchtesgaden.
I will forward your details to the current owner of the "prototype" or
design-model, who lives in Uk. It is THIS baton which I believe may well
have been in Hitler's home - he presumably would have had it as a "proof"
to approve the design etc.
Please bear in mind that the current owner (who visited this museum some
years ago to compare the two batons) may NOT want to publicise his address
etc.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Duckers

[Adrian Stevenson]

The Museum of the Shropshire Light Infantry here in the UK.

Cheers, Ade.