Chip

There are so many different regiments represented with these that I don't think they would have just been for jubilees. My guess would be more like an association badge or reunion badge.

Jeff, I really don't see anything here that would qualify this as Saxon. The only things that are vaguely reminiscent of the Saxon coat of arms are the bars in the right-hand quadrant, but that is a common background in heraldry. I think you will need a real expert on this one. Best regards, Chip

News spreads fast! :whistle:

Unbelievable! Are they having a garage sale at Doorn? Chip

Thanks for showing some details of the sword. Is either it or the scabbard unit marked? I have one of these myself. Issued pieces are particularly interesting. Regards, Chip

Not really. Much smaller units had straps with their unit numbers on them. Take, for instance, the Mastfernrohr units with only one NCO and four men. Chip

Interesting that he is identified as a Pionier. One would have thought otherwise in a Fernsprech Abteilung. Chip

He was eventually assigned to the Schallmesstruppen. Chip

Chris, The 901st was an independent battery. Normally, the metal numbers indicated a reserve unit. Nice photo. Chip

Gilles, To my knowledge, they have not been reproduced. At least I have never seen a bad one. Of course, the front would be easy enough to copy, but the back would not be easy to get right. Anyway, I don't think this badge is widely known and there aren't a lot of examples floating around. Do you know something? I got my example at the Gunzenhausen show in 1984 for less than $10.00. I almost didn't buy it, as I was not sure at the time about when it was made. Fortunately, I didn't pass on it. Replacing it now would be difficult and expensive. Chip

Great stuff Chris! Shows what an advantage having some good artists in the regiment could be. Chip

...and a shoulder strap too. There was also a miniature that was worn on the ribbon bar.

Since this is an Ausmarsch photo (flowers and all), one would not expect a recent trainee to have one of those. Chip

Glenn, Thanks for remembering this. Very kind of you. Best regards, Chip

Many private patterns were just "faux" bayonets, strictly for show. Chip

Chris, I think this was more the case for the so-called "walking out dress", where more latitude was given. You don't see much in the way of field photos with enlisted men wearing these collars. You do see it a lot in studio shots where they are wearing their "good" tunic. Chip

Chris, I assume you are speaking of the Trichter and Haarbusch on the Pickelhaube? This was a parade accessory for the helmet of this regiment. Regarding the red numbers, I assume that they were just removed when the orders filtered down. My example has small holes, which when held up to the light show it had an "R" with a unit number beneath. I also have a Tschapka cover that has had a #3 removed. Chip

Chris, I am not a "medal guy", but I love the documents. Not only are they interesting from a military history perspective, but many of them display the outstanding graphics of the period. The artwork of this period 1890-1918 very unique, with it's mixture of "Jugendstil" and patriotic themes. Priceless. Chip

Chris, That is an unusual pattern of Überzug. There is another one shown on Joe Robinson's website in the article on field covers. Chip

It looks like he found a pair of Sterbebilder. Chip

M15 IR.114

...we salute you! The regiment took heavy losses in late June at Verdun. I have a bunch of Sterbebilder from that time frame. Chip

Chris, The cap is an enlisted issue visored M1908. It was normally worn by support troops, i.e., Sanitäter, Krankenträger, Train, Pionier, usw.. Chip

Robin, please elaborate! Thanks, Chip

To me, it looks like he just punched back the cloth on either side of the cockades, thus puffing up the top. Certainly, not the style at the time and the first time I have seen this unusual "blocking". Chip