Glenn J

Here is Graf Degenfeld. Regards Glenn

I think a better candidate is General der Cavallerie Christoph Graf von Degenfeld-Schonburg, commanding general of the VII. Army Corps in Temesvar between 1883 and 1889 and Inhaber of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 83. Picture to follow. Regards Glenn

Guys, I don't know who he is (yet) but I do not believe it is Freiherr von Šokčević. Take a look at this portrait from an Austrian Army album of 1889. Regards Glenn

Paul, No, retired officers received the pension of their substantive rank. Regards Glenn

Joe, I don't know how you dig these up!! This guy is driving me nuts. My initial thought was a Stabstrompeter from a Line Dragoon Regiment pre 1889; then I noticed the Brandenburg cuffs. For the life of me, I cannot think of a mounted unit which utilised Brandenburg cuffs but this chap is wearing a mounted personnel waist belt?? And then the trousers appear to be the same colour as the Waffenrock - most strange unless Bavarian infantry but that Portepee does not look Bavarian and still we are left with that waist belt. Regards Glenn

Dave, I imagine that would depend on what he was doing. Was he employed during this period in an established retired officers' post such as a Bezirksoffizier or Pferdevormusterungskommissar? Regards Glenn

Thank you Robin and Michael, here is the then Major v. Ketteler's entry in the 1914 Prussian Army list. Regards Glenn

Michael, Oberst Friedrich v. Kettler, Artillerie-Kommandeur 238. Regards Glenn

Joe, there is a bit of a problem with the old boy from Baden; His uniform is something of a mismatch. Although the Stabshoboist/Musikmeister wore the double cuff rings from 1889 to 1908, a special shoulder board was introduced in 1898. If this photograph is pre 1898 he should be wearing his sword suspended from a normal waist belt and following that he would be wearing the the special Musikmeister waist belt. His shoulder straps do not conform to any Baden Infantry Regimental pattern and as a Stabshoboist/Muskimeister he should really be wearing chin scales on the helmet. Regards Glenn

Dave, Hauptmann v. Rabenau's "Die deutsche Land- und Seemacht und die Berufspflichten des Offiziers" 1906, give a table showing various routes to a commission, both cadet and direct entry as a Fahnenjunker. Normally Fahnenjunker were promoted directly to Portepee-Fähnrich, whereas as ex-cadets usually utilised the rank of char. Portepee-Fähnrich. But generally speaking, a Fahnenjunker ultimately commissioned in August 1898 would normally have entered service on 1 April 1897. From the example quoted: 1 April 1905: Entry in the Army as a Fahnenjunker. 6 months service and Fähnrich's examination, followed shortly thereafter by promotion to Fähnrich. October 1905: Attend War School. Jume 1906: Officer's Examination, followed by regimental duty and vote by officer corps. Promotion to Officer in approximately August 1906. It seems the average for a direct entry non cadet from entry to commissioning was 15-16 months. Regards Glenn

Joe, Generalmajor Karl Leichtenstern, Commander of the 10. Infanterie-Brigade (renamed as 8. Infanterie-Brigade on 1 April 1901) from 2 June 1899 to 16 May 1902. The Commander's Cross of the Italian Order of Saint Maurice and Lazarus confirms the identity of this Metz based brigade commander. Regards Glenn

With Daniel's identification of Freiherr v. Loë, that narrows down the time frame considerably. The Grey Paletot was inroduced on 9 March 1893 and General der Kavallerie Frhr. v. Loë left command of VIII. Armeekorps in Coblenz on 27 January 1895. Here is a later portrait. Regards Glenn

Joe, I do not have a positive ID but possibly we could narrow this gentleman down to being either the General officer Commanding the VIII. Armeekorps or of the 30. Infanterie-Brigade or the Commandant of Coblenz. I would tentatively date the photograph between 1890 and 1900 (introduction of the General Officer's embroidery on the service tunic in 1900). Regards Glenn

Joe, he is not dissimiliar to Rittmeister Emanuel zu Salm-Salm. Regards Glenn

Dave, Andy having consulted the Stammliste of Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 111, I can confirm he returned to active duty on 20 May 1896 in Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 59 (i.e. the date of his appointment to Portepee-Fähnrich). Regards Glenn

Joe, this must show Major Arnold Teubel during the time he served as a Major in Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 27 between 26 October 1972 and 13 April 1876 when he retired as an Oberstlieutenant z.D. Regards Glenn

Hi Joe, Oberst Adolf Keutner (19 December 1836-20 October 1900). He commanded the 3. Pommersches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 17 between 20 March 1888 and 10 August 1891. He won his EK1 as a Premier-Lieutenant in Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 10. He was not originally a Prussian officer, commissioned in 1859 in the Austrian Army. He had served with the Austrian Volunteer Corps in Mexico. Regards Glenn

Chris, I would say 3. Garde-Feldartillerie-Regiment. Regards Glenn

Gary, Kapitänleutnant Rudolf Delius appears to have spent most of the war as a torpedo instructor.on SMS Württemberg although he was the recipient of the EK2. He is the only officer of that name who held the rank of Oberleutnant z.S. during the war, although he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on 13.1.17. Regards Glenn

In 1914, the 7. and 8. Kompanie of Eisenbahn-Regiment Nr. 1 were Saxon. Incidentally, the 4. Kompanie of Eisenbahn-Regiment Nr. 4 was from Württemberg. Regards Glenn

Dave, are you sure you have the right Bühring? Georg Bühring was a already a Zahlmeister (Bestallung from 1. 12. 63). Regards Glenn

In fact, let me clarify my above statement: the Zahlmeisters of the Mecklenburg-Schwerin Contingent (like the Saxons) additionally wore the white piping on the lower edge of the Waffenrock collar. Certainly up to around 1890 the Zahlmeisters of the Mecklenburg-Strelitz contingent wore in complete contrast to just about every other contingent (apart from Braunschweig), a dark blue, red piped Waffenrock with yellow buttons and epaulettes and Brandenburg cuffs. Regards Glenn

Andy's strength figures from "Vom Sterben des Deutschen Offizierkorps" tally exactly in respect to those as given in Appendix 197 of volume 5 of the official history - Der Deutsch-Französische Krieg 1870-71. The total losses as given in Appendix 201 are again pretty much in agreement, with the figure for NCOs and soldiers being the same, although the total casulty figures for commissioned officers are given as 6157 plus 81 medical officers, 4 padres, 3 Zahlmeisters, 1 Intendance official and 1 Provisions official. These figures are totals as at the beginning of the occupation and do not take into consideration any casualties after that. Regards Glenn

Interestlingly the Zahlmeisters of the Mecklenburg Contingent (like the Saxons) additionally wore the white piping on the lower edge of the Waffenrock collar. Regards Glenn

Laurence, I think what you may have been originally thinking about are the Heeresverwaltungs-Verfügungen : Erlasse aus dem Gebiete des Kassen-, Haushalts-, Besoldungs-, Verpflegungs-, Bekleidungs-, Unterkunfts-, Bau-, Kranken- und Veterinärwesens. These are listed in the MGFA catalogue but the Heeresverordnungsblatt mentioned by Gordon above may well prove very useful. I am visiting the MGFA in early March and will see what they actually contain. Regards Genn