motojosh

Thank you GreyC, much appreciated.

Hoping to get some help with the last name, Grenadier Emil ?ädrich

Picked up this interesting postcard recently. With the leather knee patches, crossed grenades, and skull on the sign I believe these may be Bavarians of Sturm-Bataillon Nr. 6. This is the first time I've ever seen a non flying unit referred to as a Jagdstaffel.

Very nice postcard Andy and thanks for the help solving the mystery. Sterbebild for Unteroffizier Franz Reichwein of Sturm-Bataillon Nr. 1. In the morning of Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, after fighting on the Somme, fatally wounded by a bullet in the chest and died at the field hospital at Cambrai.

I'm thinking it's the town Regensburg since there looks to be some Bavarians in the photo.

Officers mess menu for Sturm-Bataillon 2 dated July 9, 1917.

MG08 shield marked Sturm Batl 4. 2nd M.G.K. Regensburg and taken at their training area at Oudenaarde in August 1917. I'm only showing that STB4 had 1 MGK so is this perhaps just a MGK that took their training course? Grave of Karl Jasper of the 2nd Kompanie of Sturm-Bataillon Nr.1

Just got this one in from Germany.

Nice buckles. I went this route for my Bavarian officer mannequin, saved quite a bit of money by not having to shell out for one of the subdued painted crown buckles. Here's a steel zweidornkoppel which shows up much less often in photos.

I agree most likely reserve. You sometimes see younger Landwehr guys though. Here's one of the 53rd Landwehr Regiment that I would've guessed were reserve if not for the sender info and postmark. Seebataillon MG 37mm Revolverkanone in use for trench defense.

Thanks Chris. Yeah, the 12th Landwehr was in an interesting sector especially in 1915 at the Hartmannswillerkopf. I'm thinking based on the date that Willi's EKII was for an action when they were at Guebwiller-Cernay. Here's another MGSS doc, EKII Besitz-Ausweis to Schützen Friedrich Mutschall of Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 46.

What looks to be the Bavarian 3rd R.J.R or L.J.R.

Thought I'd share some of the more interesting EK documents in my collection. I'll start with one of my favorites which is this Vorläufiger Ausweis (preliminary identification certificate) to Grenadier Wilhelm Graf of the 1st Kompanie of Sturmbataillon 16. Next is this Besitzzeugniz (authorization certificate) & EKII to Schützen Josef Karl of the Bavarian Maschinengewehr-Scharfschützen-Abteilung Nr. 1. He was authorized to wear his EKII on March 25, 1917 and the document was signed in the field April 19, 1917. Vorläufiger Ausweis (preliminary identification certificate) & EKII to Jäger Willi Beeck of the 2nd Radfahrer-Kompanie of Jäger Battalion Nr. 9. I'll add more documents to this thread as I get them photographed.

It's a weird variant for sure, a member of another forum referred to it as the Rambo knife of its time lol. The book covers both WWI and WWII knives and is well worth the purchase, there's a second volume as well. I'd also recommend Deutsche Kampfmesser 1914-1918 by Christian Méry.

Machine gunner of the Baden 114th Infantry Regiment. Saxon Radfahrer-Kompanie 58

Prussian model 1847 unit marked to the 1st Battalion of J.R.20. Naval / Colonial model 1895 Below are transitional buckles made in 1914 and 1915 before the introduction of the one piece steel stamped box/roundel models. Prussian with pewter box and roundel made by the Saxon maker H.E Peucker. Prussian with steel box and pewter roundel. A scarce Bavarian steel buckle by Wimmer using the 4 prong roundel attachment method. Saxon with steel box and soldered steel roundel made by GH Osang. Regiment marked to Saxon J.R.182

Bavarian Stum Batl 6. Sturmabteilung of the Bavarian 8th Reserve Division, sent from a man in B.R.J.R. 23.

This does look a lot like a circassian Kindjal, but this is actually a private purchase knife made by Friedr. Kottenhoff, Gevelsberg. They were a prolific maker of trench knives, bayonets, and grabenkeule during WWI. Page below from Deutsche Kampfmesser by Eugen Von Halasz.

Here's the sports car style badge owned by Jay Dickey.

Great photos Andy! I've got lots of Kraftfahrer photos, but have never seen the sports car style badge until now. There's a member of the WWI German Soldier facebook page that has a WWI souvenir belt with that identical badge on it, I've asked him to add a photo of it here. That style looks like a staff car so maybe for drivers for regimental staff? Or maybe just private purchase? Bavarians

Thought this was lost in the mail, but finally arrived. The front shows Pierrepont which was right near their base at Beuveille and has a nice early Sturm-Batl stamp.

Preliminary EKII identification certificate to Grenadier Wilhelm Graf of the 1st Kompanie of Sturmbataillon 16.

Hauptmann Richter first with the 10th Jäger Battalion and then to various Infantry Regiments. Ersatz Battalion of Fusilier Regiment 73 and then to the 1st MGK of Fusilier Regiment 40. 1st MGK of the Saxon 108th Schützen Regiment

Nice score Chris! Tough for sure, I've only managed to get a pair of major boards.

Thanks CCJ. Here's a few other interesting Kraftfahrer items in my collection: enlisted straps with two different styles of K and a 84/98aA marked to the Bayerische Ersatz-Kraftwagenkollone 2. If anyone has any Kraftfahrer items feel free to add them to the thread.