The career medals, awards and decorations of the “Iron Commander” Leo Leonhardy, consisting of 1) A Pour le Merite. Instituted in June 1740 by King Friedrich II. (Issued 1740-1918). c. 1917. A silver gilt Maltese cross with thick blue enameled arms, with Brandenburg in each quadrant of the cross, the obverse inscribed “Pour le Merite” in gilt with a crowned F for King Friedrich on the twelve o’clock arm, the reverse plain, suspended on a double loop from a partial ring suspension, marked “938” for silver content and “FR” for “Rothe”, measuring 53.48 mm (w) x 53.45 mm (h), weighing 27.0 grams. Accompanied by a full length period original neck ribbon. It is accompanied by its miniature boutonniere, constructed of silver gilt and blue enamels, attached to a button attachment constructed of silvered bronze. 2) A Royal Houseorder of Hohenzollern, Knight’s Cross with Swords. Instituted on 16.1.1851 by King Friedrich Wilhelm IV. (Issued 1851-1918). A Cross with rounded arms constructed of silver gilt, with white and black enameled arms. As well as a green enameled oak wreath and crossed swords in each quadrant of the cross, the obverse with a central white enameled medallion with a black enameled eagle in the center, surrounded by a blue enameled ring circumscribed “Vom Fels zum Meer” (From the mountain to the ocean); the reverse with a white enameled center medallion with the crown cipher, surrounded by a blue enameled ring circumscribed “Den 18 Januar 1851” (The 18th January 1851); maker marked “W 938” for “Johann Wagner & Sohn, Berlin” manufacture and “938” silver purity, on a swivel hollow crown for suspension from its mounting, measuring 39.41 mm (w) x 58.59 mm (h), weighing 25.3 grams. 3) A Prussian Flyers Commemorative Badge. Constructed of silvered brass, hollow, the obverse with a standard pilot’s commemorative badge motive within a wreath consisting of oak and laurel leaves, a bow on the bottom with a Prussian crown on the top, the reverse plain, with a vertical pinback, a barrel hinge, and a replaced round wire catch, unmarked, but displaying the typical manufacturing characteristics of C.E. Juncker, measuring 45.14 mm (w) x 71.17 mm (h), weighing 23.5 grams. Accompanied by a matching miniature stick pin, constructed of silvered bronze, measuring 11.14 mm (w) x 18.38 mm (h), with a 47 mm long pin. 4) A Prussian Observer’s Badge. Constructed of silver, hollow, the obverse with a standard observer’s badge motive consisting of an enameled square insignia consisting of white, black, and red enameled superimposed in the center within a bed of sun rays, with a Prussian crown at the top of the badge, all within a wreath consisting oak and laurel leaves, the reverse with a sun-ray design, as well as a vertical pin, and a functional hinge/catch assembly, previously marked “C.E. Juncker” but redacted, measuring 45.62 mm (w) x 71.62 mm (h), weighing 32.1 grams. Accompanied by a matching miniature stick pin, constructed of silvered metal alloy, measuring 11.75 mm (w) x 18.38 mm (h), with a 51 mm long pin. 5) An Austrian Military Merit Cross Third Class, a silver cross pattee with red and white enameled arms and with a silver gilt wreath, the obverse with a central white enameled medallion inscribed “VERDIENST” (German - Merit); the reverse fully enameled in white, measuring 31.69 mm (w) x 31.60 mm (h), weighing 11.1 grams, on a double loop for suspension, with a period original ribbon. 6) An Iron Cross 1914 First Class, a cross pattee of multi-piece construction 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 plain, with a vertical pinback, and a functional hinge/catch assembly, marked “W.S.” for “Walter Schott, Berlin”, measuring 42.21 mm (w) x 42.10 mm (h), weighing 17.9 grams. 7) An Iron Cross 1914 Second Class, a cross pattée of multi-piece construction with a blackened iron core (magnetic) within a ribbed border, on loop for suspension, with its period original ribbon (previously repaired), 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 with a central oak-leaf branch consisting of three oak leaves, with the original institution date “1813” in raised numbers on the lower arm, a raised Prussian crown on the upper arm, with “FW” in equally raised lettering directly below measuring 43.18 mm (w) x 43.27 mm (h), weighing 23.9 grams. The Pour le Merite has a small chip on the obverse, with all other medals and awards displaying light signs of wear, but in overall very fine to near extremely fine condition.
Footnote: Leo Leonhardy was born on November 13, 1880 in Rastenburg (East Prussia). He joined the military in 1899 as a Cadet of the infantry. In 1901, he was promoted to Lieutenant. In 1910, while serving as an adjutant, he became an Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant). Leonhardy was always drawn to aeronautics, so in February 1914 he volunteered for flight training. However, he was involved in a mid-air collision with another pilot in training just ten days in, resulting in numerous injuries, including two breaks in his spine and a broken breastbone. His pilot career seemed to have come to an early end, but he was able to recover despite the odds. For the rest of his life he remained partially paralised and had to rely on a walking stick, yet fought his way back into the cockpit. During his recovery, Leonhardy was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) in late 1914. The next year, he began his service as an observer and distinguished himself on the Eastern Front in Galicia. Leonhardy went on to command several units, among them Feldflieger-Abteilung (FFA) 59, 25, and 74, Flieger-Abteilung (FA) 42 and 224, and most notably Bombengeschwader (BG) (bomber squad) 6. Due to his dedication and strong-mindedness, he was nicknamed “the Iron Commander”. Leonhardy received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Hohenzollern in 1917. On October 2, 1918, after having flown 83 bombing sorties, he was awarded the Pour le Mérite. Leonhardy retired from military service in the early 1920s in the rank of Major. In 1926, he published his memoirs under the title “Mit der deutschen Luftfahrt durch dick und dünn” (With German aviation through thick and thin). Leonhardy died of a heart condition, a consequence of his crash from 1914, on July 12, 1928.