Robin Lumsden

Robin, the 1st Company of the Reichswehr formation (Preussisches) Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 3, garrisoned in Küstrin, was the Traditions Unit of the Garde-Pionier-Bataillon and the Garde-Reserve-Pionier-Regiment.

According to the flamethrower regiment's death book, after the war Generalmajor Haenichen, President of the German Pioneers Association, tried to have the 1st Company of (Preussisches) Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 3 awarded a Totenkopf sleeve badge but was told by the Minister of Defense that this was not possible. It could be--of course--that some men of the Traditions Unit awarded themselves their own badge anyway.

Here's a member of (Preussisches) Pionier-Bataillon Nr. 3.

Thanks again, Thomas.

I wondered if the black TK could be some sort of 'traditions' badge from the Reichswehr.

Just another possibility...............which you've kindly answered as above.

:cheers:

This is maybe an off-the-wall thought..............but was there a Reichswehr unit that carried on the 'traditions' of the GRPR?

Just as the Reichswehr KR 5 carried the traditions of the Leibhusaren?

Thomas.

Thanks for your thoughts.............and all the time you have spent researching this. It is much appreciated.

Bob.

Thanks again.

Many thanks for your reply, Bob.

It's much appreciated. :cheers:

Hello Bob.

I'd value your opinion on the black skull badge I posted at the start of this thread.

I'm pretty sure it's contemporary (i.e. from the 1916-1920s timeframe) but I haven't a clue what it is.

Nice!

Interesting to see how they all turn their sleeves to 'show off' the TK patches.

A bit like these newly promoted corporals who put themselves into contortions to show off their stripes!

Really?! Never seen before. Do you have more informations about this guy?

By 'classic', I mean it's a 'great' photo..............I've never seen it before either.

Not an sleeve insignia, but has anyone seen this skull before? It is in form similar to a stickpin. The cap is marked inside, "St.B.XIV" for a unit marking and also has a Bekleidungs-Amt stamp of "B.A.XIII 1916". The cap was only lightly worn, so I am guessing the insignia is a postwar addition. The cap was brought back to the U.S. with this skull already on it.

Chip

If the skull is blackened, it could be from the Schwarze Jaeger Freikorps...............

Hey, Robin:

Dark Totenkopfen!

http://cgi.ebay.de/Real-Photo-No-52-Stahlhelm-Pistole-Totenkopf-Trauerzug_W0QQitemZ220473565079QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMilitaria?hash=item33553f9f97&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Looks like Reichswehr uniforms in the background.

Interesting! Thanks Thomas.

:beer:

More great pix!

The guy with the flying helmet is a classic.

And oddities can be found in the Weimar era, too.

The odd TK on the SS flag in the photo above bears an uncanny resemblance to the odd TK on the cuff badge worn by this Minenwerfer Sturmdetachment Heuschkel man..................

And who would think this thing was real............if it had been last week's 'dachbodenfund'. :whistle:

No..........it's original. Certainly not regulation, but original.

Here's an odd skull as an example. Fake?

Indeed... but surely you are not implying that if it is odd, it may be real? ;-)

Indeed I am!

Whatever it is, I'm still pretty sure it's 'real'. And that isn't just 'wishful thinking'.

Whether it has anything to do with flamethrowers is, of course, another question entirely.

One thing is for sure, though. Not all flamethrower badges were made in a single 'official' pattern............as all the pictures posted in this thread clearly show.

The longer I make a study of TKs, (I've been at it for longer than I care to remember)the more 'odd' variants appear in contemporary photos.

Time will tell, no doubt.

Great pictures, Thomas.

So many odd TKs.

It appears that officers were allowed to privately purchase badges in many designs.

Very interesting, Thomas.

Thanks for posting these photos.

Now all I need to see is an officer wearing a black one!

No idea! But a nice skull, congratulations!

Thanks.

Another 'mystery' skull!

Reverse..............

Robin likes skulls, this is a skull. I am happy he is happy with it. Personally I would not put it with my WW1 stuff.

I haven't put it with my WW1 stuff either, Chris........I've put it with my 'Prussian-style' TKs.

Here's another one I'm happy with, although I haven't a clue what it is either.

It came from Denmark with a group of WW1 German items posted on another forum.

Any ideas???

Mr Fox is Heiko Fuchs.

/quote]

The Fox has some great items for sale at the moment...........

http://cgi.ebay.com/Tasse-mit-Untertasse-und-Teller-Olympiade-Berlin-1936_W0QQitemZ290341108397QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSport_1?hash=item4399adbaad&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

I wonder where he finds it all.

Herr Fuchs has another one on eBay today!

Sold for 110 Euros.

As an aside, all doctors in charge of military hospitals were authorised to award the EK2 in WW2, without reference to higher authority.

All these hospitals had large stocks of EK2s on hand.

I don't think I have ever seen a photo of a holder of the WW2 Wound Badge in Silver who did not also have the EK2.

<!--quoteo(post=347890:date=Jun 7 2009, 11:39 :name=Rick Research)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rick Research @ Jun 7 2009, 11:39 ) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=347890"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I guess there was a formula for an EK II

It's my belief that every German soldier who was wounded in action (before the creation of the Wound Badge) received the EK2.

In WW2, the EK2 was mandatory for every soldier who received the Wound Badge in Silver.

First totenkopf collectors as well, from the look of the belts...........