Chip

Just an FYI for future reference. I have this one. It is a short book with only 156 pages and it includes the history of the bayer. Infantrie=Gesch?tz=Batterie Nr.2. Chip

Thanks guys. I know what an Abteilung can be. I was just wondering if there was an REK with a different unit size mentioned. Now that I study Claudio's reverse picture, I see that his Abteilung bar is being worn in conjunction with a "Bataillon" cross. So now I need two crosses that have "Treu dem Bataillon". Jens, Anything seems to be possible with these REK ribbons, but I personally have not seen one on a bar with a solid color ribbon. I would think one of the ribbons seen on the medal bars above that are used with infantry unit bars would be more appropriate. Chip Shot at 2007-07-04

Cladio, I would be interested to know what it says on the other side of this "Kraftfahr Abt." REK, since this is not a regiment or a battalion. I too have an REK bar to an Abteilung. I wonder which medal would have gone with it? By the way, I am looking for a loose "Treu dem Bataillon" REK to go with a J?ger unit bar that I have. Chip

Way to go Rick! I am very impressed that you could come up with such a photo. Chip

Very nice Chris. That's three of these that I have seen and you have two of them. Chip

Charles, That is the way that I store most of my WWI era cloth. Plastic bags with most of the air removed, then inside a cedar chest. I don't do that with uniforms however. I store mine flat in a cedar lined Armoir. Old wool, like old leather, can be damaged by folding (broken fibers). An inspection every so many months is also a good idea. Moth/silver fish damage does not take long to happen and an infrequent check could help stop any activity before it gets too far. Chip

I don't know if any more enlarging of the insignia would make any difference, but being that the patch is round, it might be pioneer's patch (crossed pick and shovel). The Seebataillon pioneers wore such a patch in China. Other than that, I can think of nothing official. Chip

Dave, Thanks for the information. I appreciate the effort and the willingness to share. I really mean it when I say that the hobby needs more people like you and others here, who regularly give of their time, and often money, to help the community. Chip

Great stuff Chris. I'm sure this will be a great help to all levels of collectors. Have you considered translating the most common phrases used on EK documents? It might not be possible to cover them all, but the most commonly used citations might be useful. Chip

The earlier helmets were a lighter color green, I believe sometimes referred to as apple green. I can take a comparative photo for you if you would like a better understanding of the difference. Chip

Absolutely! It was that style. Chip

I guess that "technically" the Bavarians that originally came to make up the two battalions of the 3.J?ger Rgt. were not J?gers, but rather were "Skitruppen", who had their own distinctive uniforms, not J?ger uniforms at all. Chip

Chris, To afford those pieces of headgear you must have moved more than a "bit of nice stuff". I don't remember you offering me anything? Chip

Chris, As you can imagine, I am extremely jealous of your Bavarian J?ger headgear, as that is what my beloved 3.J?g.Rgt. (at least the two Bavarian battalions) would have been wearing by some time in 1917. All are outstanding pieces. If I had the money, I would have been fighting you for them. Such is life. Congratulations. Just stay away from the 3.J?g.Rgt. and I won't have to hurt you. Chip

Bob, If I am not mistaken, the Feld Pion. Komps. were companies that were detached from the battalion organization and distributed to various divisions within the corps. So, for instance, the companies of the 9.Pion.Batl. I & II were distributed thusly in the fall of 1917. The 1. and 5. companies were with the 17.Division, the 2. company was with the 18.Division, the 3.company was corps troops. The 4.company went to the 17.Res.Division, and so on. There were supposed to be two companies per division, but apparently that did not always happen. The platoons would have been farmed out to the regiments as needed. Chip

K.B.A.G. = Kriegs=Bekleidungsamt=Gardekorps That's what it means on military issue items anyway. The members who served in military functions (usually garrison and railway guards and military office personell) wore these items and were drawing them out of the Bekleidungamter. There is a picture of this very badge and a discussion of it and the other insignia worn by this group in Kraus, Vol.II page 825. Here is an armband from my collection, which has the ink stamp of a Bavarian artillery depot. Chip

Charles, You know darn well that in order to take full advantage of my family's tendency for longevity, there will be no items placed in my will for collectors. Not that I don't trust them. Chip

Chris, Here is another one that I personally took off of a period salesman's sample board. I was told it was worn by W?rttemburg mountain troops (thus the king's crown). I have only seen one other like it and that one was pinned on an early Reichswehr cap (the one that looks like a Prussian Einheitsm?tze with a cloth covered soft visor). The crown is a good indication, I think, as to the period it was worn, but I have no other information about it. Chip

Paul, OK, here's the reverse. Chip

For all you ribbon bar collectors, here is a unique piece. It's a Probe of the Kleine Ordensschnalle 1915 currently for sale on a German auction site (I have no connection with it whatsoever). Chip

Of course. All other J?gers wore graugr?n caps. Chip

Chris, I think it's a good thing that this strictly Bavarian J?ger style cap was made in M?nchen. Don't you? I think this lends more credibility to your theory. Had it been made in the XVI corps district, it would surely make one wonder just what was going on. Chip

Douglas, The single flamed bursting bomb insignia is that of a Richtkanonier (gun layer) of the foot artillery. His mounted troops style belt and sword, black piped Brandenburg cuffs, black cap band all verify this. He is a Bavarian Vizefeldwebel and is wearing the officer's pattern cockade on his cap and the Bavarian officer's pattern sword knot for foot troops. Chip

Chris, Is there a location on the maker stamp? Chip

Charles, Thanks for the additional photo. The inside looks OK, but I have to admit that I rarely see maker marks with dates. Usually, the only dates are those associated with the B.A. marks. Not impossible, just unusual. I checked my thirteen issue caps, of which only about five were maker marked. No dates. The placement of the mark is a bit unusual too... right in the middle. On all of my marked caps, the maker marks are off to the side, which I assume was done to leave space for the B.A. markings. Finally, once again, I find it unusual that the cap is marked by a maker in the same town that the regiment is stationed. This would seem normal for a custom cap, but I don't think that is what this cap is supposed to be. Most Saxon issue items were contracted in the main cities, Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz, and so forth. Anyway, just some observations that probably mean nothing, but food for thought none-the-less. Best regards, Chip