On 22nd October, we prepared and participated in the RCST Investiture events in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
At long last came to fruition what we had already planned for a long time, the Investiture to Grand Cordon Rank of two of our most cherished friends.
From left to right:
H.R.H. Prince Frederick of Bourbon-Bhopal,
H.R.H. Prince Balthazar Napoleon of Bourbon-Bhopal and
H.R.H. Prince Adrian of Bourbon-Bhopal
We have selected the graves of Alfred Jackson, Seneca (Iroquois Confederacy) and Ernest, Son of White Thunder (Sioux), to be representing all young men who are resting in this cemetery.
An initial get-together in front of the historic (haunted) Gettysburg Hotel, from left to right:
Master Max Hardman; the author; Chaplain (Cdr.) Dr. Gregg A. Hardman, M.D., a very good and longtime friend of the Ducal-Princely House Gulgowski-Doliwa; H.E. RCST Grand Prior Ulisses Count Rolim;
H.E. Gaye Davis, Baroness of Adama and H.M. Lhagyari Trichen Namgyal Wangchuk, King of Tibet, from now on always referred to as The King of Tibet.
The wonderful and delightful couple we must abundantly thank for having invited us to attend the RCST Investiture in Carlisle.
H.S.H. Susan Riley Leppard Duchess of Leix and H.S.H. Dale J.J. Leppard Duke of Leix,
General Prior RCST, USA.
Young Master Max Hardman was this day blessed and initiated as RCST Squire.
His Mother Diane, his Dad and the Grand Prior are rightfully proud of him.
This travelogue is basically beholden to a three-pronged approach:
The Gettysburg Civil War Battlefield, the RCST Investiture and the Carlisle Indian Cemetery.
Consequently, we are happy having found the above monument which features a proud Native American Warrior.
This gives us more than ample reason to herald on this page the great military achievements of two insurmountable great battlefield generals, who have fought for the Union and the Confederacy, respectively.
Brigadier General Ely S. Parker, Lic. Eng. (Seneca), Senior Adjutant to General Ulysses S. Grant (USA) and
Brigadier General Stand Watie (Cherokee), Commander, First Cherokee Mounted Rifles (CSA).
THE AWARDS CEREMONY
took place on 14 October 2022 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Present were the bereaved widow of the late Baron Davis of Adama, Gaye, and their daughter
Victoria Hope as well as many of their loyal friends from near and far. The actual awards' presentation was appropriately performed by HMSH Duke Paul of Lower Silesia, befittlingly attired in his Kentucky Colonel uniform. HMSH Heide, Duchess of Lower Silesia assisted by publicly reading the translated awards certificate and correspondingly handing it over to the widow of the nominee. At the moment of actually receiving her late husband's prestigious Golden Cross decoration, she held it warmly against her chest, broke out in tears of gratitude, pride and joy, while spontaneously and affectionally hugging and kissing the Duke on his right cheek.
The Duke's spoken words at the moment of this heartwarming occasion were:
"In and by itself, this is a very small decoration;
still to a European Police Officer it means a lot;
however, to you, dear Gaye, I am sure, it will mean the world."
Then, she fastened the Golden Cross to her attire, allowing the many friends to admire it, while receiving their heartfelt congratulations and words that sincerely meant admiration.
Concluding, may the record show that
H.E. Sir Knight Jean-Claude Carladous, Major of the Gendarmerie of France was appropriately and reverently mentioned during this moving ceremony, as the one and only individual who ultimately had made this coveted award possible through his contacts in the Continental European Police Administration.
Nearly 20 other exceedingly praiseworthy individuals were also either admitted or promoted in RCST,
among them Ladies Victoria Hope Davis and Samantha Joy Davis of the Barons of Adama.
We wish all of them all imaginable best for now and the future.
H.E. Robert W. Baron Davis of Adama, GCST (J)
The reliable, good, patient and gentle spirit behind everything that required to be planned or executed;
i.e. Transportation Captain, Battlefield Historian, RCST Investitur Marshal and
Aide-de-Camp to the Chiefs of the Princely/Ducal House Gulgowski-Doliwa.
*Kindly note commemorative entry at the end of this webpage +
Young Squire Max Hardman here documented in the company of
H.I.H Princess Saba of Ethiopia.
Both are positioned near a beautiful tapestry depicting the Greater Coat-of-Arms of the Ethopian Empire.
This unforgettable journey was greatly impacted by the following personages, not necessarily recorded in the order of having met with them.
H.S.H. Dame Heide A.M. Princess Gulgowski-Doliwa
The Duchess of Lower Silesia (Schlesien-Glogau)
(Photographed 2016 in Gettysburg, PA)
The Rt. Hon. Gaye Davis, Baroness of Adama with her daughters the Ladies Victoria Hope and Samantha Joy.
The Chief of the Ducal/Princely House Gulgowski-Doliwa wearing his premier United States Volunteer Life Savors' Commodore uniform (with more than 3,000 of on-water operational hours) displays a smile, which reveals that he is up to something good and Mrs. Diane Hardman in the background knows exactly what it is.
Beyond the gates leading unto the grounds of the Carlisle Barracks, the Indian Cemetery marker mournfully greets our long overdue visit.
While great sorrow invades our hearts, we also experience a quiet joy which emanated from the warmhearted visitors that paid tribute to this humble yet sovereign monument of remembrance, which we found decorated and ornamented with countless coins of all denominations and hand-crafted toys and flowers.
Gettysburg, October 2016
The early shift receptionist is already on duty ....
... and so is Prince Paul as he awaits the arrival of Princess Heide.
The Count of Bahir Dar's impressive assembly of United States Army decorations, including the Legion of Merit and his Aviator Wings.
Principal Photographers:
We are grateful to our friend the Baron of Adama for having made the visit to this monument of great and sad historic importance possible.
Cocktail party photographs explained clockwise:
1. H.I.H. Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, from now on called Prince Ermias and The Rt. Rev. Bishop William Martin Sloane, Count of Shoa.
2. Princess Saba of Ethiopia and Baroness Gaye Davis of Adama immersed in lady-to-lady conversation.
3. The General Prior, the Grand Prior and The King of Tibet exchanging pleasant thoughts.
4. Princess Heide and Prince Paul sporting their ethnic Silesian attire, proudly wearing their RCST Justice Neck Decorations.
Sincerely,
Their Most Serene Highnesses,
The Duke and Duchess
Dr. Paul W. Prince Gulgowski-Doliwa and
Grand Dame Heide A.M. Princess Gulgowski-Doliwa
of
Lower Silesia (Glogau)
Sultan Luc flanked by Bhopal Royalty.
Thirteen of the grave stones are marked with the same worrying and uninformative word "UNKNOWN."
The First United Church of Christ in Carlisle stands ready to host our Investiture.
Baroness Gaye Davis of Adama is prepared to call RCST postulants to the altar.
Chaplain (Vice Cdr.) Dr. Gregg A. Hardman, M.D., Receives RCST Knight Grand Cross of Merit Honors.
Their Imperial Highnesses Prince Ermias and Princess Saba.
As one stands in front of and is compelled to suddenly overview the entire area of this Native American children and young adult cemetery, one thing becomes immediately clear:
Those buried here are now and today abundantly better treated and respected than they were during their attendance at Carlisle Indian Industrial Boarding School (1879-1918). This institution was the first of its kind that initiated a turn-of-the-century episode of forced assimilation and cultural destruction. "American Indian children from virtually every Native Nation in the United States were taken from their homes and transported to Pennsylvania."
About 10,500 students attended, 500 died or fell ill and were sent home to die, 758 students graduated and 192 students who died while attending the school are buried in this cemetery.
"The Carlisle experiment initiated patterns of dislocation and rupture far deeper and more profound and enduring than its initiators ever grasped."
(Source of quotations: Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Indigenous Histories, Memories, & Reclamations, Edited by
Jacqueline Fear-Segal and Susan D. Rose, University of Nebraska Press, 2016)
H.H. Sultan Luc Said Mohamed Cheikh de la Grande Comore
(Photographed 2010 in Portugal)
Under the sustained applause of a distinguished and most appreciative RCST audience, the Commodore bestowed upon Chaplain (Vice Commander) Dr. Gregg A. Hardman, M.D., GCST, the USCGA Commendation Medal for having heroically saved the life of Mr. Rob Knight, Professor at the Sarasota Military Academy.
Much too soon and as a total shock to all, our LORD GOD received into eternal rest and final resurrection our highly respected, greatly beloved and appreciated fellow noble friend
H.E. Robert W. Baron Davis of Adama, Lieutenant (PPD, Hon. Ret.)
For his gallant services to his family, friends, community, nation and his church,
the European Public Corps of Security and Defense (Police) awarded him their highest honor:
CROIX D' HONNEUR du POLICIER EUROPEEN, ECHELON OR.
**THE GOLDEN CROSS OF HONOR OF THE EUROPEAN POLICE**
Our highly esteemed and greatly respected Grand Prior
together with his newest Grand Knight.
Dr. Hardman is attired in his
USCGAUX Vice Commander's uniform. Thereon
he proudly displays, among other awards,
the US Army Expert Field Medical Badge and
its Federal Republic of Germany equivalent decoration .
19 January 2020
And last but not least, let it be known that H.H. Dale John Joseph Leppard, Duke of Leix
seized the opportunity to completely orchestrate this immensely important awards' ceremony with all tasks associated for such an undertaking. For that reason it is only proper and fitting that he be pictorially honored by the photograph below.
Dr. Gregg A. Hardman, M.D.
Emergency Medical Physician
Ordained Chaplain
USCGA Vice Commander
Cold War Veteran
We just cannot convey to our esteemed readers how indebted we feel to our most special friends, the Hardmans and the Michaels for breaking bread and being with us during this so very unique RCST Investiture.
H.M. The King of Tibet Receives the RCST Royal Chain of the Knight Grand Cross of Justice.
Our highly revered and respected Grand Prior, H.E. Ulisses Count Rolim, couldn't help himself but to assume onto himself the presentation of the appropriate award's documentation to this new Grand Knight Order recipient.
23 October 2016, a special and yet mournful day during our Carlisle/Gettysburg visit.
The Lady to the right is Dr. Barbara Baroness Michaels, JD, wife of Baron Michaels and a longtime and cherished friend of ours.
Next our photographs will concentrate on RCST guests congregating and socializing at the Investiture Gala Dinner dining room. Where or when appropriate other individuals will be introduced.
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Miller, Esq., enjoy conversing with the author and The King of Tibet.
The undeniable truth in life is that all good things must come to an end. There is nothing anyone can do about that, except celebrating such an occasion with a great meal at a rustic, cozy Thai restaurant.
Good bye dear and trusted friends until we meet again.
The gentleman to the left in his charismatic national regalia is H.H. Luc Said Mohamed Cheikh de la Grande Comore, since nearly ten years one of our proudest friends in RCST and trustee of our highly respected Grand Prior.
The warmth of the banches' extensive outreach seems to characterize the intent of this tree to shield and embrace all those resting beneath it in their earthly slumber.
Already our bus ride to the RCST Investiture city Carlisle proved to be delightful, interesting and most informative. The other passengers on the bus saw to that.
H.E. Avn. Capt. Dr. James A. Baron Michaels, DDS, Receives RCST Knight Grand Cross of Justice Honors.
Crowns are much more than those who are entitled to wear them.
They are a symbol for the entirety of a cultural whole and the idea
of enlightened statesmanship.
Dr. James A. Baron Michaels, DDS
Master Aviator
Dental Surgeon
Chief Operating Executive and Director,
Wisconsin Dental Assistant School
Our Visit to Historic Gettysburg and Carlisle in Conjunction with Our RCST Investiture Event 20 - 23 October 2016
By
H.S.H. Prof. Dr. Paul W. Prince Gulgowski-Doliwa,
Duke of Lower Silesia (Schlesien-Glogau) and
H.S.H. Grand Dame Heide A.M. Princess Gulgowski-Doliwa,
Duchess of Lower Silesia (Schlesien-Glogau)
The 21st of October was a deeply moving experience for us, in our imagination participating in the heroic battles fought on Gettysburg soil and, later on in the day, solidifying old friendships and making new ones. We shall enshrine the primary battlefield memory of this day in our minds by connecting it to the Civil War monument that we pass every day en route to our post office in Delafield, Wisconsin.
Anyone with heart and soul can sense the pain and sacrifice suffered by Confederate and Union soldiers alike on this hollowed and mystic ground that still to this very day exudes compelling beauty and grace. The landscape of this historic terrain is studded with many small and large yet deeply impressive monuments of remembrance and national pride and admiration.
The RCST Investitur Party expects the first postulant.
The images of the graves of Lucy Prettyeagle from the Sioux (Lakota) Nation of the Rosebud Reservation and Mattie Occumma from the Cherokee Nation are representative for all young girls who are resting here.
DUCAL/PRINCELY HOUSE GULGOWSKI-DOLIWA
The gentleman on the extreme left is
Chev. Manos E. Megagiannis and the gentleman on the extreme right is the
Rt. Hon. Alvin John Bedgood, Count of Bahir Dar.
The Dr. Gregg A. Hardman Family here photographed
with His Majesty, The King of Tibet