No, You Don't Need New Glasses 02

OK, OK... for you uniform guys: the Litewka fatigues triple chevrons used to indicate a Feldwebel do NOT belong on a M1915 tunic. But since Officer-Deputies could have been (and normally were) selected from the ranks of Vizefeldwebels, THIS proud artilleryman wanted the world to know that HE held a HIGHER permanent rank than the rest of his War's Duration comrades.

The "I G" devices on his Officer-Deputy straps indicate his close-support "Infantry Gun" duties.


Now, for the ribbon bar--

1) A Bavarian Military Merit Cross, frontline bravery ribbon. Notice that there is NO swords device on it. That was quite common for Bavarian wear. No clue WHY. But it makes an amusing contrast to the absurd saxon folly of wearing mini EKs onIron Cross ribbons, eh?

2) Prussian Iron Cross 2nd Class 1914 combatant. This correctly follows in second place for members of Germany's second largest Kingdom.

3) and 4). Hmmmmm.


A Bavarian career NCO would be expected to have a 1905 or 1911 Luitpold Army Jubilee Medal here (red with narrow green edges that would appear almost solid dark) and then, obviously, a Bavarian Army long service award (pale blue with two narrow white stripes at the edges).


But neither of those are what these two ribbons are.


My best guess? These are the laddered red and white generic Bravery awards ribbons of Austria-Hungary, with the white "flash" overpowering the narrow red stripes. He would then be wearing "War Awards Only" as in the "Modesty Becomes Him" scans.

But defintely? I cannot tell. That is one of the major problems with these curved, folded under ribbons in black and white period photos. MUCH easier to tell what a Prussian's awards are-- even if he is being seen through "Tricks Of The Light."