IrishGunner

I've found mention on the internet that LIR 40 was part of the 12. Landwehr Division and then the 7. Kavallerie Schützen Division. The 12. LdwDiv fought on the Hartmannsweilerkopf and Oberelsass in 1915-17 and then reportedly went on an expedition to the Baltic and Finland in early 1918; so, it would seem the LIR 40 stayed on the Hartmannsweilerkopf with the 7. Kavallerie Schützen Division, but I haven't found confirmation of this...

I primarily collect Sterbebilder (death cards) of artillery regiments; Sterbebilder are often over-looked, but I find them interesting and sometimes you get one that is very interesting. I grabbed this one because it's the first one I've seen with a Baden decoration. Leutnant Albert Kerbl, Führer (Commander) of the 2. Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompanie of the 40. Landwehr Infantrie Regiment; EK2 and badische Silber Verdienst Medaille. Killed 31 May 1918. His hometown of Pietsham is east of Munich. So, I wonder why a Bavarian received the Baden award, but no mention of a Bavarian award. Given the name and unit, perhaps others can provide more info can be found on the Leutnant from their references. KIA date might provide some additional interesting research. For Chris, I found a Wehrmann from the 40. Ldw. Inf. Regt., 8. Komp. killed on 5.3.18 "im Abschnitt Hartmannsweilerkopf" Was the 40. in the Vosgesen?

Well, it arrived a week ago, but I haven't gotten around yet to posting...but today is the day! See here: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/60439-sterbebild-leutnant-albert-kerbl-2-mgk-40-landwehr-infantry-regiment/

Jim, thanks for your comments. This is my only Navy/USMC Victory. So, from here on out it will be GO ARMY!

It's about time I've started adding some of my Victory Medals... I'm starting with this one with the "ATLANTIC FLEET" clasp. I've had this one for 7-8 years, but one thing I've learned as Mod of this forum, you guys know WAY MORE than I ever will about Victory Medals... So, what do you all think? For service in the Atlantic Fleet between May 25 and November 11, 1918; 43,185 issued. Fifty-five US Navy ships qualified for the ATLANTIC FLEET clasp.

Did the medal bar and EK1 come with the tunic?

I'm not an expert, but I do know that Polish orders are heavily faked and that eagle enamel doesn't look like very good quality to me... I'd be cautious unless it came from an incredibly reliable source, but even then, I'd probably pass on this one. And I'm fairly certain only a few thousand awarded in all 5 classes.

Always good to see photos with medals like Bartoš. And I bet he enjoyed a Budvar or two...

Well, isn't that the idea of the forum...to see some more? It's more fun when others post besides me!

Friedrich von Scholtz (24 March 1851 - 30 April 1927)

Rudolph Bodo Hans von Kirchbach (22 June 1849 - 23 July 1928)

Max Karl Wilhelm von Gallwitz (2 May 1852 – 18 April 1937)

Perhaps a photo...

The far end of the periscope

The horrors of war...

Artillerie Trommelfeuer / Leuchtgranaten

WWI saw the transition from purely observed fire to unobserved (or planned) fires... This card seems to be a gesture to that...

Befehlstand der Artillerie

An artillery observation post in the Hochvogesen; this card was posted by a soldier in the Kgl. Württemberg Gebirgs Battl. - Leutnant Manfred Rommel's WWI unit.

Telegraph Truppen supporting artillery observation with communications...

Speaking of periscopes... When I commanded an artillery battery in the early '80s, we still had something called a Battery Commander's Scope that looked exactly like this one in the photo...even though it was usually with the forward observers and not with the Battery Commander. It's legacy goes back to how field artillery was observed in the late 19th Century and the early part of WWI.

We've had some old threads showing periscopes; so, I thought I'd start on showing artillery observation techniques... I'm including this here because it's a good image of an artillery observation balloon supporting the guns - even though it's an artist representation.

This is the back of the card...if it is of any help.

Artillery command post...

Matrosen Artillerie Abteilung Kiautschou