Chip

Cnock, That second photo is outstanding! Congratulations. I have a M15 shako marked to the 108th with a field cover (without the nice unit numbers). Chip

The first four pairs are pre-1919, but they are so distant that any interpretation would amount to guessing. How about some closer pics? Regards, Chip

It looks like the W?ste in the background. Must be in the east somewhere. Not in Germany. Are those palm trees? Chip

They are wearing the shoulder straps and helmets of the Oldenburgisches Dragoner Rgt. Nr.19., X.A.K. See below for a better view of the strap. They are enlisted men, not officers. While I suppose this could be a wartime photo, I don't see anything in the picture that would indicate that it is. Other than the older pattern carbines, they are outfitted just like the line regiment. Chip

The Allies printed lists of the "known" Feldpost numbers and their unit affiliations. Such a list was included in the British "Index to the German Forces in the Field" which was printed in continually upgraded versions throughout the war. I have seen an October 1917 version and it lists FP numbers 1-2120. Any military mail could be called Feldpost and that was an indication that the specific piece was being sent postage free. This thread started off talking about Feldpost numbers, which is a different thing. These numbers were often handwritten in the "Return Address" of the Absender (Abs.). Not all pieces of mail included ink stamps that included these numbers, particulary mail that originated in Germany, for while it might be marked as Feldpost, to get the free mail status, it did not originate in the field and thus would not have a Feldpost Nr. Chip

Hello, I took a look at your cards and I am not sure what you are refering to as Feldpost numbers. Normally, a stamp like that would come from the field, and thus the name. All but one of these appear to have been posted inside of Germany. All of them do not have unit stamps either, so I am trying to find the common markings that you are talking about. I believe that these cards are collected for a number of reasons, such as, the stamp of the place of origination, unit stamps, Feldpost stamps,. Not sure what the big deal is with the latter however. Chip

Those individual 3-clip pouches were used by the navy and some specialty troops, including bicycle troops. I did not know that this type existed so early. The WWI era infantry pouches did not come out until 1909 for the the Gewehr 98 and so I suspect that they used the older patterns (M89 & M95) until then. Chip

Jesse, If you read the account of the action, you will know that the Germans were anything but asleep. York's flanking maneuver almost ended in disaster when the Germans started firing on him while he was holding his first group of hostages. His marksmanship was the only thing that saved his squad at that point. I think you can rest the remaining blame on one of the German captives, Leutnant Vollmer, who convinced all of the others they encountered to surrender (he didn't have much of a choice, as he most likely would have been shot otherwise). He was not too proud of his actions in later years and refused to say anything about it. Chip

Chris, This is the M01 winter tunic for members of the East Asian Occupation Brigade, in this case the 1st Regiment of infantry. I am not sure when these troops were recalled, so I can't give you an end date on the use of these. I am sure you can find their history on the Web. Chip

Especially if Alvin York was around! Chip

Georg, These souvenir belts could have just about anything shiny on them. The swirl buttons on your belt are just civilian buttons that struck the belt maker's fancy. The two small navy buttons could be the chin strap buttons for a naval visored cap. Chip

Chris, I don't see anything here that helps with the conundrum of his advancement path. I have tried to train myself to be able to read the old schrift, but it is difficult for me, at best. Rick is a thousand times more efficient and I believe has grown up seeing and maybe reading this form of writing. I appreciate the nice nod, but I bow to the master. Chip

Einjahrig-Freiw. Untffz. Friedrich Karl Hermann Nolte That annotation on the left of page 10 says, "3.Komp.Brigade=Ersatz=Batl.14, Nr. d.(er) Kriegs=Stammrolle 266". It looks like he was out of action from the time of his wound in 1915 until the first months of 1918, when he was again sent to a field unit. Chip

Could that be Creve (France)? Chip

Chris, Nice items. Actually, I don't think you see a lot of Chevauleger items out there. It seems odd, because Bavarian pre-war tunics are fairly common. With as many regiments of Chevauleger as there were, one would think that more items would surface. Personally, I have been looking for M15 straps from any one of these regiments for over 40 years and I have never seen even one! I think I may have a wartime photo or two of Chevauleger, but that is about it. I hope you get some other posts. I know there are collectors on this forum that have tunics. Chip

I am thinking they are some sort of cadets, wearing hybrid stuff that is supposed to look "military".

Johan, The middle board is a private purchase Beamter piece from a pre-1913 overcoat. The rank would be Unterzahlmeister (Kassenwesen). I suppose if you wanted to go for a stretch identification it could also be that of an Offizierstellvertreter from one of the See Bataillone. Since it was never worn, there is a possibily that the metal insignia was never attached. The left piece is a M15 infantry officer from the 237.R.I.R. for the Kleinerrock or Waffenrock. The right board is a nice (unissued) officer's example from the imperial navy. Chip

In my humble opinion, this helmet is a fantasy piece. The colors of the camo are more like what you see on postwar souvenirs and I have serious doubts about the MGSS insignia. No one has proven to me that this insignia was ever painted on helmets during the war. Regards, Chip

So only the last photo could have been taken in 1914, as he is an enlisted man in the first two. Could you imagine what these photos would have looked like if they had been in color! Still extremely nice.

I can't quite make out the middle unit number. Is it "370"? Chip

OK, now I think I have it. In studying the numbers further I recognize that they are a special "font" that was only used on two things. 1. the collars of Landsturm units. 2. the shoulder straps of reserve field artillery regiments. So there must be a cloth bomb between the metal numbers and the shoulder strap button. Here are some examples to show the difference between "normal" metal numbers and the special style numbers used for reserve FAR enlisted shoulder straps. The later were more rounded, less angular and were smooth without a center design. Chip

With the Swedish cuffs and numbered strap (is it a "24"?), I would guess he is a Prussian pioneer. Any other possibilities? Chip

Hey Garth, Nice to see your name again. Though I have not seen this particular armband before, I think the materials indicate that it is non-military issue and most likely from some sort of veteran's organization. Happy Holidays to you! Chip in KC

Allied intelligence listed the 106.b.Pionier Komp. as an independent company. Chip

Nice photo Chris! I especially like the Bavarian-style general's collar Stickerei. Chip