Klaus P. Schad

Hi Prussian and Will, good job piecing together the postcard ! IMO, the card was sent on 8/17/1917 to Uffz. Billerbeck of the Flammenwerferzug regarding the 2nd k.u.k. Sturmkompanie being disbanded 5 days later on 8/22/1917. Maybe you guys are able to decipher the text, that would be great. Flamethrower platoons were an integrated part of St.-Btls.3, 5 and "17", all others were rotated in and out as needed. St.-Bt.17 went to 4th Army and was disbanded on 8/22/1918. Source : Die deutschen Sturmbataillone im Weltkrieg 1914/18, Deutsche Heereskunde 1965 by Major H.R.von Stein. Formationsgeschichte der deutschen Infanterie by Hartwig Busche Klaus

Hello Will and Prussian, Nice pics I like it. I checked the honor list of the G.R.P.R., there's no VFw. Schlodder. Apparently he was wounded but he made it. Storm-Btl.17 was formed on Jan.1st.1917 by Heeresfrontkommando Erzherzog Joseph and comprised out of the following units : 1. German Storm-Company, 2.Austrian Storm-Company, LMG-Trupp (9 LMG's), MWK, Flammenwerfer-Trupp. By 1917 the Austrian 2nd St.-Comp. was disbanded and the establishment of a German 2nd St.Comp. was disallowed by the OHL (German HQ) on Nov.12th 1917. (Source : Die Deutschen Sturmbataillone im Weltkrieg, by Hellmuth Gruss). RE your card. Apparently, Schlodder of 2nd Austrian Storm Company corresponded with Uffz. Billerbeck from the Flammenwerferzug. Note : Please remember me if you ever stumble into a Flammenwerfer photo with a death's head on a Luger-holster. I'll buy you a beer !!! Klaus Hello Prussian and Will, I didn't know you can order regimental history books on-line for 10 $. I guess I paid way too much for my books over the years. Thanks for the info anyway. Will, can you find out where your card originated from, please check the postal stamp. If it was sent from France then most likely it was mailed by Schlodder of 2nd Sturmkompanie G.R.P.R. Prussian, according to your research, the 2nd Sturmkompanie of the G.R.P.R. was not detached to the 14th Army in Italy, meaning, the card could have been mailed in Italy from Schlodder of the 2nd Austrian Sturmkompanie of St.-Btl.17 to Uffz. W. Billerbeck at the Flammenwerferzug. You Guys have a Happy Easter and many eggs. Klaus

Sounds good, see ya at the Hofbrau Haus. Thanks Klaus

Hello Gilles, thanks for your reply. I'm trying in vain to get a better picture but to no avail. I even found another movie on YouTube called "WW1 Footage" with the same trench scene but with the same miserable quality. The shadow could be the black underlay of the shoulder board. Please do me a favor and check the left arm just above the 3 buttons and Litzen. There might be another insignia. Best regards, Klaus

Correction : the Hight is 67 mm and the Weight I had to get from a Jewelry Store which is 17.8 Grams. Hope this helps. You owe me a beer for getting the Weight. I prefer Paulaner Hefeweizen. Best regards, Klaus

Here are the requested measurements; Height-66mm Width-44mm Thickness-2.5mm Best regards, Klaus

Hi Hartmann Lo, nice picture but no Totenkopf. Thanks anyway, Klaus

Hello Gilles, thanks for your reply. The Garde Schuetzen didn't have black shoulder boards, no death's head insignias and didn't make any Bufa-Films according to the regimental history book. Please see "here is some of my treasure" in Deutsches Kaiserreich. I've been trying in vain to get a better picture of the Lazy-S-DH on the holster but w/o any success so far. Best regards, Klaus

Hello Albert,, the title is Formationsgeschichte der deutschen Infanterie im ersten Weltkrieg (1914 bis 1918) by Hartwig Busche. The source of "Sturm-Bataillone" in that book originated from Hermann Cron in "Geschichte des deutschen Heeres im Weltkrieg 1914-1918" and H.R.von Stein " Die deutschen Sturm-Bataillone im Weltkrieg 1914/1918" in Zeitschrift fuer Heereskunde 1965, Seite 123. The source is mentioned as a footnote. Best regards, Klaus

The Lazy-S-DH Hi Guys, many pictures and films were made by “BUFA” for training and propaganda purposes all the way up to the end of WW1, according to contemporary regimental history books of Sturm Btl. 1,3 and 5. The many “week-end-movies” to entertain the “higher-up-dignitaries” at the training ground of Doncourt/France were rather unpopular, according to members of St.Btl.(5) Rohr. Please see page 37-39 Doncourt. Koenigl. preuss. Sturm Bataillon Nr.5(Rohr) by Graf Eberhard von Schwerin. Please check also “ Brandenburgisches Jaeger Bataillon Nr.3”by Friedrich Mueller, page 109 Rueckzugskaempfe im Verband der 3. Armee. By October 07, 1918, Major von Schenckendorff received the order by the “OHL” (Army HQ) to have his exemplary training exercises filmed with the help of a cinematographic film troop!!! Please note : That’s only 4-5 weeks before the end of WW1. Thanks Klaus

Hi, "Service Record Book". May I suggest "German Military Dictionary, German-English-English-German. Lancer Militaria, ISBN 0-935856-06-4. Best regards, Klaus

Der Flammenwerfer Totenkopf or Lazy-S-DH. Hi Guys, Last year I watched Doomsday World War I on “YouTube” and found a very interesting trench scene. The Pionier looking through the binocular is in my opinion a member of the G.R.P.R. He’s wearing the Garde Pionier uniform with Litzen and black shoulder boards I think I can make out a death’s head at the right upper holster lid . Unfortunately, the picture is very blurry and therefore hard to identify. The trench scene is staged and easy to recognize by the “training hand grenade” worn on the belt by the soldier to the right of the Pionier. I corresponded with the Berlin Film Archive and found with their help the same trench scene in two more documentation films, however, in a shorter variation. Other than that, they were unable to furnish a clear and crisp picture. Doomsday, WWI/extra long documentary Doomsday, the Battle of Nations, by Peter Hartl. Stellungskrieg im Westen (1937), EFG 1914 european film gateway. If anyone of the membership has a Flammenwerfer photo with a “Death’s Head” on the holster, would you please share it ? Maybe a portrait or a grouping picture ?.It would be highly appreciated. Thank you, Klaus

Hi Guys, more treasure. A dress bayonet with inscription to commemorate the centennial celebration of the Garde Schuetzen Bataillon. 1814-1914. This dress bayonet belonged to Willi von Nordheim of 3rdcompany and was taken from the Major of Linz/Austria during the surrender of the city by Sgt. Elkins of HQ.Company, 11th Armored Division. Please note, that Hauptmann Rohr served as CO of 3rd company of the G.S.Btl.‘till he took over the Sturmabteilung of Armee Abteilung Gaede in Oberrotweil am Kaiserstuhl by Sept. 12th, 1915. The St.-Abtlg. of A.A.Gaede became the elite and famous Sturmbataillon Nr.5(Rohr) during WWI. Furthermore, I would like to post the regimental history book of the Garde Schuetzen Bataillon and a 1913 Erfurt, all matching s/n except mag. Unit marked : “G.S.M.G.29.” = Garde Schuetzen Bataillon MG-Kompanie, Waffe Nr.29. Happy Thanksgiving, Klaus

Hi Guys, here is another treasure. A 1917 DWM, LP08 with all matching s/n including clip. Unit marked ; “M.W.3.154.13.” 5. Niederschlesisches Infanterie Regiment Nr.154, 3.Kompanie, Minenwerfer Abteilung, Waffe #.13. The 154. Regt. was part of V.AK, 18.Inf.Brg. and 9.I.D. War formation of I.R.154, 1918 18th Inf.Brg. with G.R.7, I.R.19 , I.R.154 and MGSSA 16 among other units. Battles at the Western Front only.