GOETZ: Flanders, 1917

cacheman

K-197 FLANDERS (Flandern), 1917, Cast AE, 57mm.

Obverse: A British lion attacks a corrugated steel wall in vain as a German grenadier waits on the other side.

Reverse: A field of trenches and barbed-wire entanglements. In center, a snail on a milestone inscribed, “? KM” (How Far?). Inscription in border, “Siegespries” (Price of Victory).

elverno

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John MacRae

A cousin, though I'm not sure how many times removed...

harasha

cosmicdebris

Very strong statement!

theboz11

AuldFartte

Another great medal. The lion is a beauty

elverno

Another great medal of course. The list of superlatives has been exhausted prior to this but once again "great"!

Garneteye

It's always a pleasure to open the forum and see one of your posts, thanks again for sharing. The second post(in the tread) by elverno was a bonus.

Dan

boz

As usual, utterly amazing

SYRACUSIAN

Flanders as in Flanders from Belgium?

Askari

The "wall of steel" is reminiscent of the Roman shield wall; the thorns obviously connote barbwire. One of the rocks in the middle of the pile seems to be shaped like a skull -- is it?

PuddlePirate

Another Great Medal. the more I look at these the more I am intrigued with the way Goetz uses symbolism and the subtle irony he portrays in each peice.

wybrit

Thanks again for the great threads, Cache. This obverse is one of the better ones I've seen in the series.