Glenn J

Hi Rick, the Bavarian medical officer at post #34 can realistically only be one individual. If we assume that the medal in position one is a Bavarian Militär-Sanitäts-Ehrenzeichen and given it's position in the Bavarian precedence, that is all it can be.This photograph must have been taken sometime between 1871 and 1873 (when new pattern uniforms based on the Prussian model were introduced). Having trawled through just under 250 Bavarian medical officers, both active and Landwehr in 1871, then this is Regimentsarzt 2, Classe Dr. Julius Stein (1822-1908) of 6. Chevaulegers-Regiment Großfürst Constantin Nikolaiewitsch. Regards Glenn

Wonderful photos but for identification purposes the combination of an EK2 70w and a KDM 70-71 is just too generic on the uniform of a medical officer or subalternbeamte. I have a couple of suspects for #29 as the combination of an EK2 70w and an ME2 for an infantry officer is in fact rather rare. I want to dig around a little more on him. Regards Glenn

Chip, the Gorokhoff cavalry book is in English and Russian - great book. I sent you a pm Regards Glenn

Chris, looks like single litzen on the collar - Grenadier-Regiment Nr.3 If memory serves me correctly, the Guard did not wear numbers on the helmet cover. Regards Glenn

Easy one first: Oberstabsarzt Dr. Ernst Grimm of 4. GRzF. The Konstanz portrait is probably Oberstabsarzt 2. Klasse Dr. Jakob v. Kranz, Regimental medical officer of I.R. 114 in 1888. Regards Glenn

Hi Andreas, K(C)urt v. Plüskow, Known awards: KO4, EK1, HOH3X, HEK3aX, BM4Kr, MG3, JK5, PL5, TH Regards Glenn

Andreas, the photo was taken in Weingarten, presumably immediately after the announcement of his transfer back to Prussia but before the award of the WF2b a couple of weeks later, i.e. in February 1905. Here is a shot following his award of the WF2b. A couple of shots from the 1905 Rangliste and the notice in the 1905 Württemberg Militär-Wochenblatt announcing his placement zur Disposition. Thanks also Andy! Regards Glenn

Hi Andreas, never more certain. He assumed command of TÜP Neuhammer after handing over command of IR 124 ( a Prussian officer attached to Württemberg). Check the Rangliste of 1905 and you will see him listed at commander of Neuhammer with the uniform of FR 80 and with a WF2b. So in fact the photo is a little earlier. Regards Glenn

Chaps, this is Oberst Franz-Otto Nowina von Axt, commanding Truppen-Übungslatz Neuhammer around 1906. Regards Glenn

Dr Böhr (Boehr's) entry in the Stammliste of the Kaiser-Wilhelm's Academy. As can be seen from his entry and of course his medals, he was a veteran of both the wars of 1866 and 1870/71. It is fortunate that the good doctor's name was annotated on the rear as this combination of awards would have made an ID otherwise impossible. Regards Glenn

Unfortunately that will not help in identifying him. This particlular medal is not listed in the Prussian army lists and therefore he could be one of many junior Prussian medical officers with an EK2 on the white band. Regards Glenn

Given that it is in fact a BMV3b in last position and that our subject is neither a medical officer nor wearing the uniform of a military official and that the photograph was in all probability taken in the 1870s, then the combination is not common at all. Again, if we exclude Zeugoffiziere (he appears to be wearing an infantry officers' uniform), the field really narrows down to one or two possibilities. At the moment, I tending towards Seconde-Lieutenant der Landwehr Karl Wenzelmann. My only reservation, is that I cannot tie him to Berlin. Regards Glenn

Timo, sadly, I think the family are misinformed. Just like Mr. Burnside, there are no commissioned officers in the Prussian or Württemberg armies with the name Farmer in this time frame. I have checked from 1889 to 1914. Regards Glenn

Chris, Height stipulations were detailed in the Heerordnung. The maximum and minimum for the Jägers was 1m 75cm and 1m 54 cm respectively. Regards Glenn

Chip, black, white and red. Regards Glenn

Chris, Marine-Infanterie. Note the See-Bataillonen cyphers and litzen. The Matrosen-Infanterie wore adapted naval uniforms. In the case of SNCOs, also a peaked cap with the Kaiser Cypher and crown. Junior NCOs and ratings wore the sailors peakless cap. Regards Glenn

Chris, for all intents, the same. The Marine-Infanterie was formed from the See-Bataillonen and their reservists. These as opposed to the Matrosen-Infanterie, which which were land deployed naval personnel formed into infantry formations within the Marine-Korps. Regards Glenn

Chris, I have this book but there is nothing in the section covering the Garde-Jäger-Bataillon beyond April 1916, the last bit being a reproduction of the farewell notice from the departing commander, Hans v. Fabeck in that month. Regards Glenn

Timo, I think we can safely assume that this is not Robert Burnside. This chap very much appears to be a Leutnant in Grenadier-Regiment Nr, 119 and no officer of that name, either active or reserve served in the Württemberg Army Corps during the period 1894-1898 (or Prussian, Bavarian or Saxon Armies for that matter). Or as Chris says, Burnside in fancy dress. Regards Glenn

Herr Graalfs first appears in the navy list in 1895 as a Vizesteuermann der Reserve (Senior reserve officer aspirant) in the II Seamans' Division. He was under the military control of Landwehrbezirk (the military authorities for recruitment and reservist matters and control) II Oldenburg. He was commissioned as an Unterlieutenant zur See der Reserve with a Patent (seniority) of 18.6.95 B. Promoted to Lieutenant zur See der Reserve with a Patent of 16.11.98 F. The title of rank was restyled to Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve in 1899. He was promoted to Kapitänleutnant der Reserve with a Patent 17.5.04 K and transferred from reserve to Seewehr (2nd line) service in 1905/1906. He was never a career naval officer and would have been a "one year volunteer" in the navy to fulfil his military obligation before obtaining a commission in the reserve. It would appear from the naval "Ehrenrangliste" that he was a prisoner of war throughout WW1 having been interned in Havana. The LD2 was normally awarded for exemplary service on completion of the requisite time in service in the reserve and Landwehr 1st levy, in effect around ten years service. He already held the rank of Kapitän with HAPAG prior to the war. Regards Glenn

David, Herr Münchmeyer. Regards Glenn

Ingo, as a result of the deliberations of the Ordenskapital sitting om 30 December 1870, The King awarded Prinz Leopold the Ritterkreuz of the Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden on 7 January 1871 (effective 1 December 1870). The order was published in the Bavarian Militär-Verordnungsblatt No 6 of 26 January 1871 per order dated 25 January 1871. Regards Glenn

Ingo, the award of the EK2 was gazetted in the Bavarian Militär-Verordnungsblatt No 53 of 30 September 1870. Royal permission was given to wear the decoration by the King of Bavaria on 26 September 1870 and promulgated by an order dated 29 September 1870. The award of the EK1 was gazetted in the Bavarian Militär-Verordnungsblatt No 5 of 24 January 1871 with Royal permission to wear the decoration by the King of Bavaria given on 18 January 1871. Regards Glenn

Hello Hermann, Wilhelm v. Malachowski. Regards Glenn

Dave, it is something I am looking into but I get the impression that although one pretty much automatically earned the right to the continued wearing of uniform on retirement after serving the requisite number of years, the officer still had to formally apply, and I assume that he would choose the regiment he felt the most affinity towards. Regards Glenn