Description:

THE GERMAN REICHSKRIEG FLAG CAPTURED AT THE FALL OF ST. MALO, FRANCE
A relic of great historic importance, the large German Reichskrieg garrison flag captured by American forces from the heavily-defended Citadel at St. Malo, France - the last bastion of defense of the very important 'fortress' St. Malo' which was ordered by Hitler to be held to the last man. The approx. 6 x 9 foot flag is of the size reserved for use as a standard to be flown over a facility of the importance of St. Malo. It is made of cotton with reinforcement along the hoist, of quality multi-piece construction, with the rarely seen embellishment of a metal wire ribbon added about the swastika, further signifying the flag's rarity and importance. The flag is a bit faded from exposure to sunlight, and a tear extends from the top of the fly end inwards. The bottom of the flag has two rectangular losses, one of which included the Maltese cross which is part of the Reichskrieg flag. These sections of this flag were undoubtedly given to other soldiers or officers as souvenirs, as is so often the case with flags taken as prizes. This important flag has a well-documented history. On Oct. 11, 2020 it was offered by Milestone Auctions in Ohio and purchased by our consignor. Milestone's description noted: '...This flag was brought back by Staff Sergeant Orton C. Misel Jr. of Company D. 329th Infantry, 83rd Division. ASN 35590591 and was captured at the Citadel at St. Servan [St. Malo]...This Kriegsmarine flag shows obvious heavy signs of wear but it still has a lot going for it. Such as hardly seldom encountered multi piece construction and being completely sewn verses being a printed flag. On the outside band of the swastika is a thicker and slightly metallic bullion thread to really make it stand out. Also with the listing is a handwritten note that S/Sgt. Misel wrote about where he captured the flag. The note reads as followed 'This 6x9 German Flag was taken from a military headquarters at the water's edge in St. Servan Aug. 13 1944 during the siege of the Citadel. Action described on page 44 of the 329th book'...' Regrettably, Milestone lost Misel's note of provenance though our research following ties the flag directly to him and St. Malo. Additionally, Milestone misdescribed the flag, which is a Germany Army flag, and not a Kriegsmarine flag. Our research, with copies of all relevant documents included, uncovered the following: 19-year-old Orton Cash Misel, Jr., born Sep. 25, 1922, was a salesman in a hardware store and enlisted in the Army on Nov. 11, 1942. He would serve in the 329th Infantry, 83rd Division, and was twice wounded in combat. He was hospitalized from December, 1944 to February, 1945. The official 'Journal, 329th Infantry for August 1944' lays out minute-by-minute action leading up to and including the capture of the Citadel. Also examined was the 'Combat Digest 2nd Battalion 329 Infantry', pp. 27-28 which places the 329th at the very forefront of the attack on the Citadel's fortifications. Most revealing, however, are Staff Sgt. Misel's own memoirs as transcribed by his daughter Penny Misel Paoliello in 2005 and located by us online where Ms. Paolliello placed them for access by family members and other interested parties. Starting on page 14, Meisel described his actions at St. Malo and how he obtained this flag, which was still in possession when the memoirs were written. He writes, in part: '...There was a Citadel out in the bay, the Gulf of St. Malo. We were trying to capture it, but the Germans wouldn't surrender. It was an old fortress, centuries old fortress...We got up in a school, about the third story. I had my machine guns firing on the Citadel trying to get them to surrender. I had my machine guns pointed out the window toward the fortress. I was around the corner on a window sitting straddling the window and with binoculars I was watching where the machine gun fire tracers were firing. While I was doing this a shell came in, an artillery shell came in the window below me and about blew me out of the window and it tore up the iron stairway. So, we got the machine guns out of there...A day or so later we decided to go down and check out the cliff that was over the water. We saw over the Citadel a white flag waving. We thought, 'Boy, they gave up.' So, we went down over this steep bank. Trees were growing on it, like small trees. You had to hang on to them to get down to the water's edge. Down there was a barracks, German barracks. So, we went in there and then we found a big Swastika flag. It was a German flag flying over this facility. It was a wood building, like a barracks. And there was a radio in there and Lentz got the radio. As we were looking around in there, they started shelling us. The Germans started to shell us from this island, so we took off...They were shelling us but didn't hit us. We finally got up to the top of the cliff, which was a long way up. Lentz kept hanging onto the radio and I hung onto the Swastika flag. (I still have the flag) When we got back, it'd be about a quarter mile or so up to where the house was, Lieutenant Adams jumped on us and said, 'I should have known you fellows were probably in trouble'...' No other surrender flag from St. Malo is known to exist. Staff Sgt. Orton Cash Misel, Jr. would continue to serve his country in the Army until October 4, 1945. An important historic piece.

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December 5, 2024 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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