Chris Boonzaier

I am of course a big fan of the Bavarian Leib Regiment. I have read arguments for it to be translated as "Body Regiment" ... but I think this is splitting hairs and trying too hard to make direct translations from German to English. Maybe the thrust should not be an accurate translation, but rather the spirit of the unit? The Bavarian Leib Regiment was a Guard Regiment. It guarded the Royal family and their residences... and the standard sentence on the Leib Regiment Reservist Beermugs is "The Regiment that calls itsef "the Garde"" . As one German reference wrote, the Bavarians had a big enough army to justify a Garde Division but the King chose to limit the function to the Leib Regiment.

For some time I have been meaning to get a wartime Bavarian Officers Pickelhaube... and thought I had found the perfect one..... Check out what happened when UPS damaged the box.... ? Does anyone know what I can to to prevent more splintering off the damaged area?

Hi, the only thing that worries me a bit are the shade of blue, but that is probably due to the lighting... can you take an outside pic?

Ahhhh... Thanks, for some reason the "W" threw me off.

Indeed. The helmet is not a one looker, but I am very certain of the name inside it... so I had turned down a number of one lookers over the last few years and tended towards this because it had a name to an (initially) obscure officer... I E-showed it to a guy who really knows his stuff to get all the pros and cons... We all know how it is... anything that could raise a question is bad in this hobby and I wanted to take everything into account. Here are the "things to think about" 1) The Helmet is for a regular officer and not reserve, ie. no Landwehr Cross. 2)The badge is also the variation that was worn up until 1914. 3) The chinscales are later M91 scales and are usually worn with posts, not rosettes, but with rosettes you do not really notice this unless you look really carefully. According to Colonel J..... The Landwehr Cross thing is not really an issue, they were very often not worn as the war progressed. The Plate worn up until 1914. The man in question was promoted in 1918, but Pickelhaube were expensive and for young officers buying "used" was not uncommon. Lastly, most importantly ... the chinscales. For me not a deal breaker, things break, things get repaired, things get replaced. Leib Regiment officers can be seen wearing their helmets at parades and funerals well into the 20s. They would normally raise a question but for me the origin of the piece takes away any worry that it is a recent addition. For me the helmet is an absolute keeper, so any worries about it being a red light if I ever wanted to sell it are secondary. So no rose without a thorn, but for me still a beauty...

haha... I was going to make a snide comment about your age if you recognise that... but I will go with "not that long ago"... thanks for the ID.

Hi, this is a really early pic... does anyone know if it is München?

Hi, can anyone guess Heinrichs family name?

Here you go....

Here is the mans WW1 history After graduating from Gymnasium he joined the Military as a Landsturm Rekrut Wartime volunteer. His first posting, on the 30.11.1915 was to the Schneeschuh Ersatz Abteilung as he was an experienced skier. While at the Battalion he took the course for qualifying as an Offiziers Aspirant (1.5.-20.6.16) run by the Bay. Gebirgs Infanterie Ersatz Bataillon. He finished top of his class He qualified with the Gewehr 98, M.G. 08, Pistole 08, Hand Grenade thrower, Zeis Entfernungsmesser and Military Skier. On the 22.6.1916 he was promoted to >Gefreiter and became a Reserve Offizier Aspirant 3.7.-8.7.16 he was on a Specialist course for handgrenade throwers at Lager Lechfeld On the 13.10.1916 he transferred to the Gebirgs Maschinengewehr Kompagnie 3.1. – 22.1.1917 Magine Gun Course at Hammelburg 19.03.1917 1. M.G.K. I.L.R. Took part in positional warfare on the Putna 19.03.-07.04.1917, positional warfare in Ober Elsass 17.6.-26.06.17 27.6.17 4. Komp. Ersatz Batl. I.L.R. 2.9.17 Unteroffizier 3.7. – 3.10.17 Course for Fahnenjünker and Offizier Aspiranten in Grafenwöhr 5.11. 17 1. M.G.K. I.L.R. 11.11. Vizefeldwebel Took part in the campaign in Italy including the advance from Tagliamento to the Piave 6.11.-11.11.17 and the positional warfare on the Piave/Mountain warfare in the venetian alps until 22.1.1918 then Positional warfare in Lorraine and the Vosges mountains from the 29.1.-8.4.18 Promoted 24.3.1918 Lt. D. Res Finally fighting in Flanders near Armentiers 10.4.-18.4.18 24.3.1918 Lt. D. Res 22.4.- 6.5. in Hospital with Flanderngrippe 22.10. Pneumonia in Hospital Belgrad, transferred to Hospital in Neustadt 19.11. Posted to the Ersatz Machinen Gewehr Komp. I. A.K. 03.12.18 released from Service Awards Bavarian Life Saving medal 25.7.1916 Iron Cross 2nd Class 27.03.1918 MVO 4th Class with swords 09.05.1918 Iron Cross 1st Class 22.08.1918

Although it does not have the Landwehr Cross, this actually belonged to a very young Reserve officer.... I have wanted a named Leib Regiment helmet for a loooooooooong time.....

Hi, he was originally from Ulm, I am guessing all his "normal" processions were probably back home during the war... I guess all his awards etc. are somewhere in Russia...

I like it and am feeling kinda jealous... ?

Hi, thanks, this is mystery era for me.... is the cap badge a normal one? I have never ever seen one like it....

ap badge

These pics obviously predate the 2nd Jäger Battalion moving to aschaffenburg.... does anyone have an idea what the Uniforms are?? And the interesting badge on the cap? Maybe the 14th Infantry Regiment which were in Aschaffenburg up until 1867?

This is an interesting disk, it ticks an amazing number of boxes for me 1) I love the beautiful Münster Valley and the area where 18th Bavarian Reserve served 2) I am a fanatical Leib Regt Collector 3) I am always after anything connected to Sturm Battalions 4) I collect anything related to WW1 units from Aschaffenburg 5) I have a small sideline of the 9th Bavarian Inf Regt as many of the locals landed up there The original owner served in all of them….. Infanterist Sebastian hammer was born in München on the 5th of October 1895 Hammer joined as a recruit on the 01.07.1915 and underwent training in the II. Ersatz Bataillon of the 1. Bay. Infanterie Regiment. 19. 10.1915 he was posted to the 9. Komp. Of the 18. Bay. Reserve Infanterie Regiment in the field near Landersbach in the Münster valley. 07.01.1916 he was diagnosed with Pneumonia and entered Hospital, returning to Germany. 28.03.1916, after his release from hospital, he was posted to the 6. Komp. II. Ersatz Bataillon of the Infanterie Leib Regiment. 08.09.1916 Etappen Inspektion A.O.K. 6 06.05.1917 Mobile Etappen Kommandanteur No. 37 04.07.1917 4. Komp. Landsturm Infanterie Battalion Aschaffenburg While with the Battalion he participated in positional warfare in Flanders 25.10.1917 10. Komp 9. bay. Infanterie Regiment With the Regiment he took part in positional warfare at Remenauville, Regnieville and Fay-en-Haye. During this period, on the 29.10. – 23.11.1917 he was posted for assault training with the Sturm Bataillon Nr. 14. The Regiment remained in the sector until the 31.03.1918. The Regiment took part in the battle at Kemmel from the 16.04.-29.04.1918 then positional warfare in Flanders until 03.05.1918. After a period of rest to the rear of the 4. Armee lasting from the 06.05. – 10.06.1918. On the 07.07.1918 the 4th Bavarian Infanterie Division was in the line in the Moolenacker – Merris sector near Armentiers. Sebastian Hammer was killed by a bullet to the head, there was not enough Action to warrant an entry for that day in the Regimental history.

Nice pic! Nothing says "Saviors of Freedom" more than standing on a podium giving a speach with a large set of concrete Bollocks hanging 1 meter above your head! ?

You lucky boy you! Nice find!

I would bet my kids no. I suppose there is a tiiiiiiny chance someone with an 1870 EK also had a KVM or KVK2 (Probably without swords)

Here we go... if it is not clearer I can try and darken it a bit more..... there are 4 separate photos

Hi , thanks for the info. I must admit the "offizier aspirant" was a new one to me...

Hi, can anyone explain what the difference is? Did the Offiziers Aspirant wear an officers Pickelhaube? Thanks Chris

" General-Major von Wichmann " hmmm... gar nicht übel für ein nicht bayerische Spange.....

I did a bit of googling... there is almost no mention of this tradition, just one guy asking if coin may be a witch coin.... the answer on that forum was rather negative. Lets not forget, back in those times, as in Africa, natives had coins... but no pockets.... some coins were minted with holes in the middle... some had holes made, and where then thread on a string. I saw a youtube video of metal detecting in the USA, they were searching for coins and on occasion turn up a coin with holes. the consensus amongst the coiners was for threading on a string.