Chip

Nice one Andy!  

GreyC,

That makes sense, just wanted to make sure it wasn't some larger tome that I needed for my library. I only have a few unit histories and collecting them is a lifetime occupation I have no ambition to try.

Chip

I think you still need this one too.  

Prussian,

Please tell us your source for the pioneer information.   

Thanks, Chip

I must have a hundred of these, not to mention several hundred more that I have copied from the Internet. They are a side collection to my shoulder straps.

Those "badges" appear to be the type worn by recruits when they depart for their initial training. The badges often have the name of the branch they are reporting to, such as "Infanterie", "Artillerie" and so forth.

Chip

The sleeve patch is most certainly not a metallic one on this work jumper. The color of the crown with ribbons and anchor have to be yellow, which indicates the branches that the Prussian has listed for golden.

Chip 

Hello Dante,

Very nice and early tunic! Do you mind telling me what the diameter is on those tombak buttons? I'm not sure when they downsized these plain buttons, but I'm guessing in the 1890s or around 1900.

Chip

I found one of my books "Artillerie Allemande - Les Projectiles", which has colored plates for most of the identified projectiles. Here is what they have on light Minenwerfer rounds.

1. Leichte Sprengmine (alter Art) - All gray body.

2. 1.Sprengmine M.16 (Lotte oder Erna) - Gray body with three black bands, red stencil "Lotte" or "Erna".

3. 1.Sprengmine M.16a (Anna) - same as above, but with red stencil "Anna".

Chip

I can only comment about the Nachrichten round, which I have an example of. The body of the round is painted feldgrau with four blue letter "N"s painted around it.

Chip

Thanks, I was beginning to worry...

Chip

Very nice examples.

Chip

Are you referring to all three of these or one in particular?

Chip

The Tresse is the so-called Garde pattern. It was only used for Garde type units, including non-Prussian Garde units, like this one. In German is it called "Gemusterte Unteroffiziertresse", meaning "patterned" as opposed to the more common "Glatte" or smooth pattern.

Chip

Also, there were no stand and fall collars (Klappkragen) with piping on the top edge. Only standing collars could have piping along the top edge.

 I believe the "St.A." refers to a "Stellungs-Amt". The marking is seen in many pieces of issue clothing and I think it refers to the manufacturing district office that the piece was shipped to the Bekleidungsamt from. The word following it is the name of the office location. 

The Landsturm wore plain blue shoulder straps in the prewar era. Is it possible that this was a Landsturm jacket. I know they normally wore a Litewka and that normally there would be a Kragenpatten with a unit number on the collar. But did they ever get dunkelblau Waffenröcke?

Chip

I have examples of issued shoulder straps made for the Friedensuniform. I also have private purchase examples. Though both follow the regulations, their materials and construction are obviously different. At least 50% of my issue examples have been removed from uniforms. I think the same thing held true as it did for previous uniforms, that is, if one wanted a nicer, more custom fitting uniform than the issued one, they could purchase it privately.

Chip

M16 Friedensuniform. Very cool. I wonder if it is an issue one or a private purchase piece?

Schwal?

The issue I.O.D. '89 is really nice. You see a unit marked one, for every 50 examples.

Chip

Perfect! Now I feel more like he is ready for anything.

Good luck trying to get that knife out of the scabbard quickly. 

Further information....I got my example in 1988. It is marked to a different manufacturer and has steel instead of the brass rivets. 

Chris, what is your good authority? These are at least 28 years old.

It's an preliminary EKII document. The unit is a small gauge railway unit. The awardee is a Vizefeldwebel and officer aspirant.

Chip

The American government had many of this pattern helmet that were brought to the States as war booty. They were handed out to state governments and used to raise money as premiums for war bonds purchases. I have the exact same Tschapka, unissued, but mine has a Gardestern and the Fangschnur toggle on top. Mine came without the chinstrap. Yours is very nice.

Chip

Great photo! You don't see 3.Jäger guys wearing a Bluse that often. He is wearing the Prussian style shoulder straps rather than the Hellgrün Bavarian ones. My guess that his Landeskokarde is a Baden one. One of the regiment's battalions was predominantly drawn from Baden.

Chip