Glenn J

Very interesting. The Tschako stuff: National (Feldzeichen or field badge) Bezug (cover) Futteral (case or box) Glenn

I don't think it was picked up in the original thread but note the size of the rank button; it is a Sergeants' button. This guy was an Obergefreiter, a rank at that time unique to the Fußartillerie. These chaps although belonging to the rank class of Mannschaften, wore the Sergeants' button and the NCOs' bayonet knot. Regards Glenn

Perhaps ammunition supply in large static locations? Glenn

Given the title, I would hazard the guess that they actually ran trains as opposed to being in the construction (Eisenbahn-Bau) business. Hermann Cron lists just four Festungs-Eisenbahn-Betriebs-Abteilungen (1-4) formed at mobilisation and this is confirmed in the Mobilmachungsrangliste 1914 der Deutschen Eisenbahn-Truppen although a further Festungs-Eisenbahn-Betriebs-Kompagnie (Nr. 1) is also listed in the latter publication. A further four Festungs-Feldbahn-Betriebs-Abteilungen are also listed. Regards Glenn

Chris, Thats a typo on the Bundesarchiv site; that is Oberst Wilhelm Heye! Regards Glenn

Rick, I think you are inserting in an extra rank. The Etatsmäßige Feldwebel and Feldwebel are one and the same. Excluding the Fähnrich and the other specialists, there were just four ranks: NCOs without the officers' swordknot (ohne Portepee) Unteroffizier Sergeant NCOs with the officers' swordknot (mit Portepee) Vizefeldwebel/Vizewachtmeister Feldwebel/Wachtmeister Regards Glenn

Indeed, without a really clear close up shot of the cockades, it really is impossible to differentiate between the two. Regards Glenn

Rick, that is not entirely correct: This is the insignia used. Unteroffizier (collar lace, no collar button, one lace stripe on sleeve) Sergeant (collar lace, collar button, one lace stripe on sleeve) Vizefeldwebel - or Vizewachtmeister in artillery terms (collar lace, collar button, one lace stripe on sleeve) Etatmässige Feldwebel - or der Spiess (collar lace, collar button, two lace stripes on sleeve) On the 1915 pattern Bluse, the cuff stripes were often not used. Your guy with the "vertical stripes", I believe is just wearing an "abbreviated" amount of normal braid but just on the leading edge of his collar. The difference between the Sergeant and the Vizewachtmeister would have been in the officer pattern cockades and Portepee worn by the latter. Regards Glenn

An order of battle as at 1 August 1916 still has 45 Division in the Gorizia (Görz) bridgehead in the Duke of Aosta's 3rd Army but now a component of the massive VI Corps alongside 24, 11, 12 and 43 Divisions. Glenn

According to the Austrian official history, the Italian 45th Division was formed in April 1916 from surplus troops in the Vicinity of the Görz (Isonzo) bridgehead which alongside the 4th Division, became components of the newly formed XX Corps. Glenn

I think much more likely that it is the Karlsruhe based Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 20. Regards Glenn

Paul, the letter from the Regimental Commander enclosing the EK2 is signed by Oplm winner Oberst Max v. Schlechtendal. Regards Glenn

Doktor Lieber's all too brief entry in the 1914 Prussian Court and State Handbook which shows him as a Rechtsanwalt practicing in the town of Rüdesheim. Although a Bavarian reserve officer, Dr. Lieber was a Prussian citizen born in the province of Hessen-Nassau. A Leutnant der Reserve since 11.2.08, the Court and State does not show his Bavarian Landwehr 2nd Class Long Service Decoration or the Prinz-Regent Luitpold Jubilee Medal seen in the photograph. Glenn

Andy, The pre-war Ranglisten used the abbreviation BMV4 for awards without the crown and BMV4mKr for awards with the crown. The abbreviation BM is for the Michael. Glenn

Looking at the map in "Der Weltkrieg", volume 14, I would surmise units of 30. Infanterie-Division (251 Divisions places them at Villers-Guislan also). Presumably a unit of 60. Infanterie-Brigade: 2. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 99 Kgl. Sächs. 6. Infanterie-Regiment König Wilhelm II. von Württemberg Nr. 105 4. Unter-Elsässisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 143 Glenn

What to do when even the Prussian Rangliste could be wrong? Daniel Krause and I were looking at this one the other day. Captioned as Major Schmoller in Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 5 in Joachim Hilsenbeck's "Deutsche Offiziershelme" Band 2. Ok, lets check him out and a quick check in the Army List to confirm shows said Herr Schmoller from 1910 onwards as the recipient of a Bavarian Saint Michaels 4th Class. Hmmm!! And still shown with a BM4a in Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 13 in 1914. Presumably Major Schmoller did not bother ever reading the thing! After trawling the Militär-Wochenblätter of 1909 with no success, fortunately I found that he was in fact granted the permission to wear the Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class as gazetted in the 1 January 1910 MWB. Friedrich Schmoller eventually commanded Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 13 and retired as an Oberstleutnant. Glenn

At the time of his pre-war awards, he was still a military official; veterinarians not being accorded the status of officers until 1 April 1910. And in fact as a reservist at this time, Herr Bertram did not convert to officer status until 16 June 1911 with a Patent as an Oberveterinär of 22.11.04 Glenn

Now that makes sense. There appears to have been a hideous mix-up in many of the period publications. Franz Albert Philibert Wilhelm born 4 July 1860 is listed as an Oberleutnant a.D. in the Gotha. Dr. Albert Philibert Franz born 18 May 1862 (the eminent psychiatrist) is unfortunately listed as a retired Schutztruppen Kompanie-Führer!!!! Regards Glenn

He is a bit confusing, this one. The 1909 Gotha confirms he was a medical doctor and former Schutztruppen Company Leader but the 1914 Reichsmedizinalkalender which shows him in München, lists no decorations and appears to show him qualifying as a medical doctor in 1888. The 1928 "wer ists" does not even mention any military service? Glenn

Chris, Then no. I have yet to come across a DAL that specifically lists reserve officers although DAL C lists "Kriegsoffiziere". I will have a look in the 1943 DAL C I have but it is unindexed and may take a wee while. Regards Glenn

Chris, do you believe him to have been an E-Offiziere at some time in the thirties? He is not listed in 1937. Regards Glenn

Watching this thread whilst on my travels but now back home and looking at a copy of Louis Adalbert Mila's "Geschichte der Bekleidung und Ausrüstung der Königlich Preußischen Armee in den Jahren 1808 bis 1878". Sub Paragraph 708: Interims-Frack Worn from 1808 to 1856. Same cut as the Parade-Frack (parade tunic) but lacking the embroidery on the collars and cuffs. Until 1814, two rows of buttons and from then on. one row of buttons. Regards Glenn

And considerably more. Unfortunately my silent and rapid overhead lightweight USB scanner had a major malfunction. However, it was during this trip that I discovered just how good the IPAD camera is for photographing pages from books. Glenn

Rangliste der Intendanturbeamten des Deutschen Reichsheeres.......1912. The list of the military logistics officials in all branches and contingents as at 25 May 1912.

Dienstaltersliste II zur Stellenbesetzung des Heeres 1943. Which lists basically the former supplementary officers (E-Offiziere), pretty much the reactivated imperial re-treads. A sample page showing veterinary officers in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel is below.