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Graf Spee Sailor Flag

Article about: My wife's grandfather was a WWII soldier for Canada. In 1944-1945 he served in Europe driving a Sherman (clean up duties) and after the war brought home a few German medals, a Nazi party pin

  1. #1

    Default Graf Spee Sailor Flag

    My wife's grandfather was a WWII soldier for Canada. In 1944-1945 he served in Europe driving a Sherman (clean up duties) and after the war brought home a few German medals, a Nazi party pin, a German naval dagger, and a few other token items. As he told my wife, he traded cigarettes for the items.

    While the other items are interesting, they are not as unique as this "flag". I don't know anything about it other than it looks to come from the Graf Spee and has sailor patches sewn on it. A couple of the sailor patches in the lower left corner are missing as the fabric on the "flag" in that area is not as faded. I can't find anything like it on the Internet and it sits in our basement.

    I'd like to know what it is and if its worthy to be in a museum. If others want to see it we would be willing to loan it to a museum in British Colombia if they would display it.

    Graf Spee Sailor Flag

  2. #2

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    Welcome to the forum,,

    This is not a flag from the ship Graf Spee but more of a collection of Kriegsmarine insignia that were attached to a piece of cloth. It may have been brought back by your relative. He may have traded some cigarettes' for this unique collection of Navy rates and insignia

    The Graf Spee and Bremen appear to be Navy Cap Tallies that would identify what ship a Sailor served on.

    it is quite interesting and could be framed and displayed.

    Best regards, stay safe

    Smitty

  3. #3
    RTH
    RTH is offline
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    Default

    Not knowing anything about the Kriegsmarine, I can't tell you about the flag itself, but from a quick research, the patches on the flag are (from left to right):
    Naval artillery, Light anti-aircraft?, Pharmacist, Motor transport?, Carpenter, Oberbootsmannmaat, Torpedo engineer, Signalman headquarters badge, Bootsmannsmaat, Storekeeper, Geschützführer flak (chief gun captain, anti-aircraft), Machinist's mate.

    KR
    RTH

  4. #4

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    Thank you!! I had no idea, but cap tallies are exactly what they are. I don't know who sewed the patches on the cloth, but it was before my wife's grandmother saw the items Dave had returned. She hated the items and didn't want them in her house. They we "stored" in a cereal box in their unfinished basement.

    Thank you again.

  5. #5

    Default

    This is a very interesting "Bring Back" grouping of souvenirs.

    Given that these are all Navy related it is safe to say that the Soldier picked them up around a Navy installation or warehouse facility.

    It is something that is quite unique.

    Thank you for sharing with us

    Best regards,

    Smitty

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