Imperial Germany - Prussia: 1863 Commemorative Medal for the Combatants of 1813-1815, in Bronze for combatants; Commemorative Cross for Service in the 2nd Guards Uhlan Regiment, bronze gill cross; Reserve and Territorial Army Service Award, 2nd Class, 1842-1913 issue. The second is believed to be extremely rare, and we can find no other reference to one existing. Possibly related to one recipient, all three awards are affixed to an old velvet covered board with a border, two flower form gilded hooks would the first and second mentioned awards, in between of which are the gilded pressed metal letters: ‘A’ and St’, possibly for the name of the recipient, and in addition at the bottom in a similar form is the date ’1860. An interesting item.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
The 1863 Commemorative Medal for the Combatants of 1813-1815 was instituted by King Wilhelm I on 17 March 1863 to mark the 50th anniversary of the wars against Napoleonic France and its allies that culminated in victory at Waterloo on 18 June 1815 and was awarded in bronze for combatants, as here, and in blackened iron for non-combatants and ladies.
The 2nd Guards Uhlan Regiment (Königlich Preußisches 2. Garde-Ulanen Regiment) was a cavalry regiment of the Prussian Army, had its origins back to 1819. It was formed at Potsdam and stationed in Berlin. The above Commemorative Cross is similar in form to the 1866 Commemorative Cross for War, but with differing obverse and reverse details, the obverse being the bust of Prince Friedrich, the other side commemorating service in the regiment and giving the date for 14 July 1878.
The Reserve and Territorial Army Service Award was created on 16 January 1842. On 4 July 1868, the Silver Cross was introduced, becoming the first class of the award and the existing Landwehr-Dienstauszeichnung became the second class. It was awarded for impeccable fulfilment of service in the Reserve or Territorial Army (Navy) to officers, medical officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks who participated in a campaign or as an exceptional reward for those who spent a total of three months on active conscripted service without leave. The Award was superseded in 1913.