Chip

I hate to say, since I have a bid in on it! Actually, I am not sure. I collect photos of unofficial insignia. The number very closely resembles the early war spiked helmet cover unit numbers. Due to the 200 series regimental number on the shoulder straps, I would guess it is an unofficial company designation. Chip

Beamtenstellvertreter - Kassenwesen.

Wrong section. This is a TR axe.

Are we on the Master's case tonight?

OK, OK, we get the point. Annoying ain't it? Don't forget .... "Can you translate this postcard for me?".

Hardy, Yes, I would like to have it. Thanks, Chip

Yes, I am positive that you will not ID it!

Dave, Nice private purchase officer's disk. You don't often see officer's disks made to look like the issue examples. Chip

Thomas, These are all fakes. The winged shell insignia are glued on and the numbers are fashioned from cord, rather than being chain stitched. They look great from a distance, but they are reproductions. Of course, the backing on a M15 should be feldgrau, graugr?n or residagr?n (badge cloth). Chip

Thanks Thomas, I am a J?ger enthusiast too. Being a reservist, he was likely to get anything that was available, especially in 1915, the year of great shortages and substitutes. I have seen a similar photo from a different soldier from the battalion and he is wearing the same Tschako and cover. Chip

Garde Reserve J?ger Bataillon. Chip

And some examples from the 7.J?ger. A M15 enlisted man's and a M15 Leutnant.

Chris, Here is a young member of the Res.J?ger Bataillion Nr.20 in January of 1915 on his way to Ru?land. Notice the large old style Tschako.

Very nice markings Chris! Here are some shoulder straps that the enlisted men would have worn. Prussian on the left and Bavarian on the right. Chip

Here is what the Obersteuermann insignia looked like. The Vizesteuermann board would be the same only without the crown. Chip

Rick, Here is the rest of the sentence quoted above, which describes the caps. "Die Vizesteuerleute, Vizefeuerwerker, Vizemaschinisten und Ingenieurasprianten tragen die Uniform der aktiven Steuerleute, Feuerwerker, bezw.Maschinisten, aber an Stelle des f?r Deckoffiziere vorgeschriebenen ?berziehers sowie der M?tze den ?berzieher der Seeoffiziere bezw. Marine-Ingenieure mit den Achselklappen der Offizierstellvertreter und die M?tze der Seeoffiziere bezw. der Marine-Ingenieure mit den f?r dieselbe vorgeschriebenen Abzeichen." The F?hnrich zur See would have worn a Seeoffizier M?tze with a 2cm wide band. The insignia was smaller. Claudius, The Deckoffizier shoulder insignia was stamped gilted metal. I have attached a picture of two different Oberbootsmannsmaat insignia from my collection. The one with the metal insignia is for the dress jacket and the one with the embroidered insignia is a private purchase piece for the blue wool jumper.

If you still need a picture of what the insignia would look like, just let me know and I will scan it for you. Basically, just a dark blue wool board with gilt metal, crossed anchors. Chip

According to Zienert's book, "Unsere Marineuniform"; "Die Vizesteuerleute, Vizefeuerwerker, Vizemaschinisten und Ingenieurasprianten tragen die Uniform der aktiven Steuerleute, Feuerwerker,.......". So, to me this means that they wear the uniform of a deck officer with the Laufbahn insignia on the shoulder boards without the Kaiser crown. Obersteuerleute, Oberfeuerwerker, etc. wore the branch device with the crown. Chip

Chris, A very nice Pa?. I especially like the Schneeschuh Batl. connection prior to the assignment to the J?g.Rgt.3. I have two Milit?rpa? from this unit, one from a kid that joined in the summer of 1918 and saw no real action and another to a guy like yours, who saw plenty of action, but was eventually wounded badly enough to be discharged. Mein Lieblingsregiment! Chip

Rick, I like that Karpathenkorps cap insignia in your first photo. Chip

...which is the Chiffre of Wilhelm II Rex - K?nig von Preu?en.

Good eye Dave! Odd isn't it?

Ooh, I wish I knew the answer to that one, but it's like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. At least you know it is probably a company that made other insignia items, as Junker did. Let's see if anyone submits a clue or two. Chip

dond, Many German manufacturers used just their initials to mark their goods. EKII makers, tent peg manufacturers, drinking cups, canteens and so many other things were just marked with initials. Are these the initials from the back of that MGSs Abzeichen? It might help to know what sort of goods the manufacturer made. For instance, some Gebr?der Bing items were only marked "G.B.N." Chip

Robert, This is a stardard (Bavarian) pilot's badge as you have discovered. The man is an Offizierstellvertreter. There were NCO pilots in WWI with ranks as low as Unteroffizier. By the way, I would be happy to triple your purchase price for this photo! Chip