Lieut. Martin H Bluethner 5th CMR Cloth Badge & Dog Tags

**TOBRUK** · 12-13-2011, 09:49 AM

I thought i would share this find i made back in 1989, whilst touring Canada.
I ended up with a kit bag that belonged to Lieut. Martin Bluethner 602173 5CMR, which contained his photo album from WW1, papers, dog tags, postcards, buttons, and a very nice cloth badge. I would like to know more about this badge, as it is a work of art!
Martin is on the bottom right of this photo taken in France, Feb 10th 1918. (all men are named)
If there is enough interest, i shall post some shots of the other items.

**michael77** · 12-13-2011, 10:33 AM

Fantastic History

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-14-2011, 02:05 PM

The cloth badge would be for wear as a Veteran and worn on the blue blazer that many vets wear to this day.

I would like to see the other items.

Cheers, Ade.

**TOBRUK** · 12-17-2011, 10:08 AM

Here are a few clippings from the photo album, and another great item

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-17-2011, 10:47 AM

Thanks for showing these.

Have you looked up his attestation papers? These can be found online for free.

Cheers, Ade.

**J A Hart** · 02-18-2012, 11:50 AM

Tobrik, I have sent you a PM on Bluethner.

Interestingly, he is mentioned as a friend in my great-great uncle's correspondence, here: Uncle Car's Great War. A chap with 'Gun Digest 2011', p.36 available with Google Books online, has undertaken a bit of research on his post-war career. It seems he went back into banking but moved with his family to the New York area. He died in his 90th year in 1982.

Cheers, John

Here is an image, probably taken early 1916 in England. Its the 8th one down: Uncle Car's Great War: Photographs

**TOBRUK** · 02-18-2012, 03:14 PM

Hello John, what a small world. Here are a couple of scans from Martins photo album, that will be of interest to you. There are lots of photos and postcards that i shall inspect soon, with the hope some mention your great-great uncle.
Thank you for the info, and you have done a great job with your site.
The revolver story is fantastic, thank you for the link, a shame the bloke has passed away.

**J A Hart** · 02-19-2012, 05:22 PM

Wow, what a happy coincidence! Thanks for a look of the Bexhill photo. By the looks of it Martin was in officer candidate training and that would have been the period my uncle was at the Cdn Trench Warfare School in the town. In the next wee while, I will look out on any correspondence from that date on what they got up to that day.
I am intrigued by what came of my gr-gr-uncles mates in both the units he served in (34th & 5CMR). It seems that, hitherto, most of the letters I have transcribed contains one or more reference to Martin Bluethner. This is a bit of interesting background for you to complement the work done on Bluethner's post-war career. Please post whatever you can, I eagerly anticipate anything you can provide.
Cheers!
John
P.S. Also on my Photographs page is a Sgt Honey; later to be Lt Honey VC, DCM, MM (posthumous Sep 1918), another small coincidence.

**TOBRUK** · 02-20-2012, 11:12 AM

Hello John, what are the odds?
Here are a few more items that will be of interest.
Baker is mentioned in quite a few of Martins postcards and photos, have you any info on him ?

**J A Hart** · 02-20-2012, 01:36 PM

Again Tobruk, great to see these items. And the inscription on the back of the photo of the Sgts around the stove does shed a bit of light on someone's identity and its context.

Interesting to see the postcard of the 'California' as I am transcribing what appears to be Car's first letter in England (Bramshott Camp). In it he describes the passage on the way over (Car shared a cabin with Bluethner, Honey and Copperthwaite) and he also describes the journey to Bramshott and his first visit to the local church (he and Bluethner went together). I'll have that posted in a day or 2.

I have not heard Baker mentioned at all. I have downloaded a copy of the 34th Bn Nominal Roll for Nov 1915 and almost all of Car's references are to fellow Sgts. The only 2 Baker's in the Roll are Pte's. The chap in the photograph is wearing distinct Scottish uniform so he may either have known him in 5CMR (and both subsequently were commissioned from the ranks, Baker going to a different Regiment) or he knew him from the officer training school? I will keep my eyes peeled.

I can't recall whether it was mentioned in the Gun Digest article, but I know a wee bit of Bluethner's background. As I recall, his father was German and his mother was of Irish descent. Have a look at the old Vernon's City Directories here Vernon's city of London street, alphabetical, business and miscellaneous directory 1916 : Vernon Directories : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive. His father, Woldemar, was a music teacher.
Another odd coincidence is that I, like Martin Bluethner, am from London Ontario. Small world.
I'll keep posting stuff on my blog, so keep looking for updates. I won't be getting around to the meaty material, the Somme, for a few months yet though.
Cheers,
John