Chip

A friend has a tunic that is named to Hauptmann Franz Geßlein. There are three loops on the chest for badges and loops for a medal bar of approximately five ribbons. Can anyone steer him toward an answer regarding what might have been worn by this officer? Here is what we know so far. Geßlein was promoted to Hauptmann 11 March 1911. The tunic's tailor was located in Würtzburg and Geßlein was in the 9th Bavarian Infantry Regiment garrisoned in Würtzburg. He was promoted to Major 14 December 1917. He was born in 1873 and was 44 years old at this time. The tailor's label is dated 1917. He survived the war and was still in active service in 1926. Thanks in advance, Chip

Eric, I see extra prong holes in the enlarged picture of the collar. The "7s" are not of the normal Landsturm number pattern. The devices may be period, but as you know, the Bavarian units wore a "B" on their collars as of April of 1915. The marking inside is to the training battalion of the b.RIR2 and B.A.I., which doesn't really jive with the insignia. Chip

Super helmet. I can't imagine a guy having that helmet would be much inclined to negotiate. Where are you going to get another one? Chip

These early war issue tunics (pre-Bluse) have always been tough to find, but especially today. Compared to the numbers of private purchase tunics and Bluse, finding one is like finding the Hope Diamond. The overwhelming majority of this pattern tunic were either worn out in the field or buried with their wearer. Chip

Rick, We seem to get mostly combat related items here. I've never owned a personalized sword myself, primarily due to the usually inflated cost of such things, but also because I tend to prefer issue enlisted items. Chip

Adler1, Here is an example of what I was talking about. M07 foot artillery straps had white piping. M15 foot artillery straps were all yellow. So, this is some tailor's idea at what to do with the straps on a tunic that has buttons down the front, but is made after the new regulations of 1915. In my estimation, these were made specifically for walking-out-dress and that is why they survived the war. I've seen these hybrids in foot artillery, field artillery, pioneers and some cavalry unit's straps. Chip

Well, I have to admit that the memories last 50 years of collecting are starting to get somewhat gemischt.

Marcin, As I understand it, the recruits received basic training in Germany. The time varied in length as the war progressed and events in the field caused these periods to be truncated. At Beverloo, one could get further basic training, trench warfare training, as well as other specialized training courses. From Beverloo, infantry troops could be sent to any field unit that needed new drafts. It could be a line regiment, a reserve regiment, a Landwehr regiment, etc.. Chip

Wow! The prices on these have gone through the roof! It wasn't all that long ago that you could still buy them for under $100. I'm surprised, with all the fakes that are out there, that the price has not come down. Quite often, when items become heavily faked, you can find some bargains if you know what you are doing. Chip

Karel, Welcome to the forum. Your wonderful collection photos are always a pleasure. Chip P.S. And for Rick, I might add that it is always good to display or store your Pickelhauben in such a way that they are not resting on their visors. The weight of the helmet will eventually break down the stitching.

It's also possible that this shoulder strap is a private purchase hybrid. I have seen similar foot artillery straps that have the 1915 crossed shells on a field gray strap with yellow piping. They are always private purchase pieces. This would make the red piping on your tunic make sense. But I still don't think it can be the line regiment without the crown and cypher. Chip

Karel, Is your artillery tunic marked inside? FAR.62. had a cypher on their shoulder boards and (in that they are from the X.A.K.) they should have the corps color white piping. There was a Res.FAR.62, so perhaps that's what your tunic is. Chip

If there are any clear shots of a shoulder strap in the overall photo, we might at least be able to pin down the battalion he was from. This was the only regiment where two different royal cyphers were worn, one for the I & III battalions and a different one for the II.battalion. Chip

Beverloo was a Belgian military camp that was taken over by the Germans and was used primarily as a training center and acted as a reservoir for the supply of drafts to the Western front. It had a permanent training establishment (Infanterie-Ersatz-Truppe) consisting of 11 battalions. Recruits were sent from this camp as required, either directly to the units in the field or to the field recruit depots. The troops of the battalions wore shoulder straps with a "B" and the arabic battalion number underneath. There was also a field artillery Schießschule situated there and its Lehr-Abt. wore a yellow metal "B" on the front of each side of their tunic collar. Chip

Interesting one year volunteer piping, that I believe was abolished for wear when the war started. This photo was obviously taken after the MGSSA badge came out in 1916. The kid is from s.I.R.106. Chip

Thanks Chris, Once I had the date, I realized that I have seen this SB before. I have it marked in my unit history. I put a little pencil "tic" mark by every example from the regiment that I have seen. That's a particularly nice one, for a fellow that obviously served in the regiment from 1915 until he was killed, only a month before the armistice. Chip

As far as I am aware, the gorget was the same for most units in the Prussian army. This one could be infantry as well. Some were unit marked on the back. Without that, there is no way of knowing what kind of unit the wearer belonged to. Chip

Chris, That last one you have shown is the first one of these that I have seen that has writing on it. Like your other ones, my two are unsent. I wonder how many there were in the series? I had a chance years ago to buy several of them and only took two. Kicking myself now. Chip

Here are two.

Eric, I've got some pictures of original rucksacks, from various sites on the Internet. As you say, there doesn't seem to be one standard pattern. I have one example in my collection. It is not unit marked, but there is a leather goods manufacturer's stamp and a wartime date. Chip

As always, extremely interesting story and top research. So, you're really back? Chip

Hi, Could you please show the Ulan markings? Thanks, Chip

Chris, What is the name on the officer's Sterbebild and his date of death? Nice passes. I have two from the regiment. Interesting that Grühle became a Feldhilfsarzt in 1918. Chip

Hi Andreas, I thought something similar, but it was odd that it was offered in the same lot of the items from the 3er Jäger. Perhaps a collector added it to the grouping at some point, thinking it was 3er Jäger. Chip

There was also a subdued (Feldachselstück) M15, which I would have bid on had I not already had one. I was perplexed by the other board, which had green darts on a bright board with green underlay. There were no Saxon battalions in the 3.Jäger Rgt., so all I can figure is that this Prussian guy decided that he wanted the darts to be green like the underlay. Anyway, I did not bid as I didn't know what I was looking at. Chip