ArHo

It's a shame that the picture is blurred here... I tried to do a little research but without books and expertise it is really hard. I would say that the upper one, with the eagle sittig quite high, looks very similar to military academy badges I saw online. For the lower one I would opt for a regimental badge, these seem to carry monograms quite often? But of course these are all just guesses, the search goes on... ? Cheers

What a most interesting Thread, took me some time to find it...! I own none of these badges but let me add two more pictures I like. Cheers

Bayern, thanks Circassian sounds interesting - I was irritated by the form of the handle I do not know from european bladed arms of the time. Russian was a "shot in the blue". Some caucasian arms I saw online looked very comparable. I will do some research, thanks again! Unfortunately this man is not in the Verlustlisten, and Prussian... Cheers

norwest78, what irritates me is the clear separation between the groups - Germans standing, the others sitting, no intermixture - i know a lot of "friends and allies" pictures but there they always intermingle - not here. Might be somewhere in the Hinterland where it was safe, this is why I would, opt, cautiously, for POWs, but I am open for any other explanation! Cheers

Well... POWs? Just my 5 cents Cheers

Hey all, just got this nice little picture - and I wonder what kind of knife this quite rough looking medic carries in his bayonet-sheath. It does not look official to me, more like a civilian (russian?) production? The card was sent from the Western Front on 24/8/15 by this man, Gefreiter A. Kettel of 12th company, Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 13, 13th Reserve-Division. Looking forward to any ideas! ArHo

Talk about barbed wire... ?

Hallo, the man's name was Emil Schleicher, born 24.1.1899, sorry but the picture in Uniform is not dated. It was taken by Jean van Daalen, Schwäbisch-Gmünd. There is definitely no number on the shoulder. I add more pictures. Cheers!

Dear all, today I found this picture, though I do not collect imperial russian pictures. I am very sure that this gentleman is wearing some quite high-ranking tsarist orders, I think the breast star is "Saint Anna" and the neck cross may be "Saint Stanislav"? But I am glad for any advice, especially on the badges. - and on the back writing. Unfortunately no hints as to his name... ? I have tried my best but there is no possibility to get a sharper picture. Looking forward to hearing from you! Cheers! ArHo

Just remembered this thread - today an enlisted man: Born 1899, picture taken towards end of ww1! Cheers

Dear all! First of all: please axcuse my silence - I was struck down by one of the arrows of pestilence currently roaming Germany... And thank you to all participants again for your valuable input - I really enjoy this piece of research! GreyC: Wow, thank you, that is a brilliant analysis and it really sheds some new light on this image - I would have dated the piture later but your arguments are very convincing, indeed! Glenn: If we now assume that this picture was indeed taken in 1872-1873 - and that the photographer did not use a stock of older cards - it cannot be Gustorf as he was listed as Hauptmann in 1874 (no medals ec. mentioned there but it must be the same man). Major (in 1874) von Gaza would be a good possibility! Oberst z.D. von Runckel - also possible but far, far away the other men did not hold the rank of Major in 1874 I will try and search through the lists, the earlier ones too, again tomorrow - for now: have a good evening, see you! Cheers ArHo

Bayern, you are right: some german regiments had by all means extreme losses - the regimental history of IR 74 lists a total of ca. 3023 dead (add the wounded...). But still this was not "very much" - in comparison FR 73 counted 3936 dead and IR 77 ("Heideregiment" - Celle) lost more than 5200 dead! Who knows their names?

Another info - the picture came from a small group that seemingly belonged to an officer of the IR 31, which was stationed in Hamburg-Altona after 1871. Cheers

And here we go! I would date the picture to around 1880 but am open for any other approach! Cheers

Everyone: warm thanks for all your interesting input! I am away for the weekend and have only limited online access (mountains... love and hate them...) but will around monday post full views of both sides and add my 5 Cents again! Thanks again and looking forward to keep trying to solve the riddle with you ArHo

Glenn I speak about the last man posted by Komtur - there is no Austrian or russian award so I am quite sure about him. Cheers

Bayern, he is a photographer (there are two more to the right). Cheers

Phew, the old colour problem... Just gave it another try with a little less yellow lamp... As a result, and compared to the little visible patch of the central red part of the ribbon of the Kriegsdenkmünze 1870/71, I would opt for yellow... Also, may the second decoration from right (viewers's point of view) be the Mecklenburg Militärverdienstkreuz? If it were, the yellow part, compared to the piping would also speak for yellow, would it? Laurentius: I think you are right - no Kronenorden here, should have seen that myself ? thanks! Cheers

Obviously not interesting enough to write any answer - schade, took me some time to figure that out ?

Hallo, digging though my collection I found this picture I got few years ago but - unlike others - I was never able to identify this man. As you can see he has at least the rank of Major, the Pickelhaube bears a line eagle. The picture was taken in Schwerin / Mecklenburg, presumably around 1880, perhaps a little later. He is a veteran of 1870/71 and 1866 with EK2 and red eagle 2nd class with swords (?) and (??) Kronenorden (??), the rest I cannot identify. Happy to hear any opinions on him! Cheers ArHo

Thanks Hugh and Bayern for your Feedback! Blinker, never heard about it before but very interesting. Guess I will have to read a little more than planned this weekend ? Bayern: yes they really look extremely young. If I remember correctly the picture is dated late 1918 so this would be the youngest of those available for ww1 service... At least their chance of survival was high at this point. IR 74 had suffered most of its horrendous losses in earlier years. Cheers

Hallo, for some time I have wondered around what kind of equipment these young soldiers from my "local regiment" are grouped. I have absolutely no idea and though the picture is very good in quality the text on the "machine unfortunately cannot be read. Grateful for your help!

New year - back to the higher numbers? (And to some snow at least in pictures?) ? Feldartillerie-Batterie (Field artillery battery) Nr. 896 (raised by 12th bavarian FAR), immediately before departure from Landau on 24.2.1916. Cheers

Thanks for your feedback! I am glad to hear that I was not wrong and this is really something not seen all too often ? Unformtunately this picture is the best I can do - tha badge is just too small even for a ver good camera... Cheers ArHo