Brigade-General Clarance L. Burpee
Presentation of a plaque with a German Reichsbahn-eagle and two affixed metal plates by Colonel W.S. Carr of the 708th Railway Grand Division to Brigade-General Clarance L. Burpee (commander of the Second Military Railway Service), at the German city of Bremerhaven in August 1945.
In the back standing a person with the wooden box to put the eagle into!
One of the engines was named to the commander of the unit as “COL. CARR SPECIAL, 1001” with the unit-number 708 RGD.
Mr F. A. Murphy
Presentation of a plaque with a RMB German Reichsbahn-eagle and two affixed metal plates by Major W.H. Hathaway to Mr F.A. Murphy. (1 May 1945)
Mr. G. Blyberg
This presentation eagle was presented by Lt. Col. John W Moe on 3 June 1945 to Mr G. Blyberg. The eagle was captured in Kassel on 9 May 1945.
Father J.D.G Rolling
This presentation eagle was presented on 1 June 1945 to Father J.D.G Rolling of the 708th Railway Grand Division. The eagle was captured in Bremen on 19 May 1945.
Klein-Auheim Presentation eagle
This presentation eagle originally had two plaques, however the one on the right containing the recipient details has been removed. This was done by the family of the recipient prior selling the plaque.
708th Railway Grand Division
This eagle was removed by the 708th Railway Grand Division at Hirson in France, September 3rd, 1944. It has subsequently been mounted on a wooden board with a presentation plaque. The eagle has been painted over in silver.
Note: A similar mounted GPH eagle is shown in the gallery here
Wagon-Lits presentation
This was purchased from a veteran who had been an Intelligence officer during the war. There was a train eagle as well as a train car insignia from the Wagon-Lits company. The Wagon-Lits wreath was broken in two pieces because as he couldn’t get it home intact. The vet said he had removed both items himself from a train and they were mounted together. It is composed of three pieces. The eagle is a 24″ (600) PS made eagle.
For more information on this eagle -> refer here
Train display samples
These displays were made post war to present the eagles in a unique style. More information on the 2nd one below can be found here.
Colonel S Carr
The below eagles were gifted to Colonel William S. Carr, commander of the 708th Railroad Grand Detachment during World War II. These eagles are 24 in. wingspan and 13.5 in. top to bottom, and are by the maker APAG. They have the ‘GAlMgSi’ and ‘A-P A-G’ stamp, and a still lighter ‘ZA 7 LH’ stamp on the reverse. According to a letter of provenance by a direct descendant, both eagles were taken from a train captured by Allied forces in Leige, Belgium in 1945. The eagles were later gifted to Col. Carr in August 1945, then gifted from Col. Carr to his descendant in 1946. The bolts on the reverse of these eagles were ground off, so they could be more easily mounted to plaques and presented as awards. Below are the images of the eagles and a direct descendant holding them. Additionally there is an image of William Carr with the train from which these eagles were taken (the train being marked ‘Col. Carr’ on the side), an image of Carr bestowing a similar award to a comrade, and others.
1st Eagle:
2nd Eagle:
Photos:
