Bavaria, Kingdom. The Career Awards, Documents, And Flight Book Of Pilot Friedrich Geys

This is a fine grouping of the the flight book and career awards, some with the original award documents, as well as other lifetime documents belonging to Friedrich Geys, consisting of 1) A Bavarian Observer’s Badge, 2) A Clasp to the Iron Cross 1939 First Class, Screwback Version, 3) A Bavarian Order of Military Merit Fourth Class with Swords, with its award certificate, 4) An Iron Cross 1914 First Class, 5) A promotion certificate to Ensign, 6) An honour roll of the Munich University on occasion of Geys’ death, 7) Two large period photos of Geys’ graves, 8) Geys’ birth certificate, and 9) Friedrich Geys flight log book.

1) A Bavarian “Beobachterabzeichen”; constructed of silver (marked “silber” on the reverse); hollow construction with a breather hole below the catch; with an enameled square insignia consisting of white, black, and red enamels mounted to the center of the badge via two pins on the reverse; the square insignia placed within a bed of sun rays and a wreath consisting of oak and laurel leaves, and with a bow on the bottom, and a Bavarian crown on the top of the wreath; the reverse with a vertical pinback and a functional hinge/catch assembly; maker marked “C. Poellath, Schrobenhausen” on the reverse; measuring 44.74 mm (w) x 72.95 mm (h).

2) A Clasp to the Iron Cross 1939 First Class; Screwback version; Second Type; constructed of fire silvered tombac; the obverse in the shape of a national eagle with open wings, clutching a wreathed mobile swastika in its talons, with a base on the bottom dated “1939”; the reverse with a threaded stud, a vaulted backing plate, and a screw-nut; measuring 44.67 mm (w) x 30.75 mm (h); weighing 19.3 grams

3) An Order of Military Merit Fourth Class with Swords (Militärverdienstorden Kreuz 4. Klasse mit Schwertern); a silver Maltese cross with four arms in blue enamels, and flames between the arms of the cross; the obverse with a central black enameled medallion bearing a gold crowned cipher of King Ludwig III within a white enameled border in the form of a buckled belt with gold letters reading “Merenti” (Latin - “Merit”); the reverse with a central black enameled medallion bearing a silver crowned Bavarian lion within a white enameled border in the form of a buckled belt with silver numbers reading “1866” in gold; suspended from a structure composed of arabesques, with crossed swords attached, and a loop without its ribbon; marked “950” for silver content and “JL” for “Jacob Leser, Straubing” on the reverse of the arabesques; measuring 40.42 mm (w) x 40.46 mm (h); weighing 22.4 grams; the reverse of the cross with flaked enamels from wear. The Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords certificate states that on April 20, 1915 Heinrich Geys, Lieutenant of the Reserve of the Artillery on Foot has been awarded the Royal Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords. It is dated to May 18, 1915 and carries a signature of the Grand Chancellor of the Order, Otto Freiherr Kreß von Kressenstein. It measures 209 mm x 328 mm.

4) An Iron Cross 1914 First Class; Schickel Version; a cross pattée of multi-piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border; the obverse with a raised central “W”, with the re-institution date “1914” in raised numbering on the lower arm, and the royal crown on the upper arm; the reverse missing its vertical pinback, as well as the hinge and catch; measuring 43.15 mm (w) x 43.15 mm (h); weighing 15.2 grams.

5) The promotion certificate states that Fahnenkadett (Cadet) Geys has been promoted to Fähnrich (Ensign) in the 2nd Artillery on Foot Regiment. It is dated to July 7, 1911. It measures 210 mm x 328 mm.

6) The honour roll of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich is for the summer semester of 1917. It contains the names of men tied to the university who died during the war. Geys’ name can be found on page 4. It measures 176 mm x 239 mm.

7) The first picture shows a shrine or memorial to the German soldiers, presumably on the military cemetery Herrin. The second picture shows Heinrich’s grave, presumably on the cemetery of Annœullin. They measure 262 mm x 184 mm.

8) The birth certificate is dated to September 15, 1892 and is certified on July 23, 1902. It measures 211 mm x 330 mm.

9) The log book contains information of Friedrich Geys’ pilot training, starting in April of 1916, aerial combat practice missions, as well as combat missions on the Western Front between January 4 and March 1, 1918. This last bit is signed by Squadron Leader of Schutzstaffel (Protection Squadron) 23, Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant) Scherer. The book also contains three barograph clips. It measures 100 mm x 162 mm.

Footnote: Heinrich was born in Fürstenfeldbruck (Bavaria) on September 12, 1892. He studied medicine in Munich. During the war, Heinrich served as a Lieutenant of the Reserve and Observing Officer of the Bavarian Feldflieger Artillery Regiment 292. Heinrich was awarded the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class. He was killed in action on March 4, 1917 near Houplin (northern France) and initially buried on the military cemetery Herrin. In 1928, Heinrich was reburied on the German military cemetery of Annœullin near Lille. Friedrich was a Vizefeldwebel (Vice Sergeant) in the Bavarian Schutzstaffel (Protection Squadron) 23. On October 9, 1916, he collided with another German plane. As a consequence, he was hospitalized for almost 11 months, until September 4, 1917. In early 1918, Friedrich flew combat missions on the Western Front.