AOK4

Good eye Claudius! That's exactly what they are. Perhaps they are yellow and that is why they appear so dark. I have one yellow imperial armband in my collection, so they did use it. I even think there was an armband for clergy helpers that was purple!

Chip

A yellow armband was worn by Zivilarbeiter, but not by German soldiers. I think a purple one for clergy helpers may be more probable (if they existed, I haven't read anything about these yet).

177 IR on the helmet.

I'd say it is 127, IR 127 belonged to the 27th Infantry Division. (besides, no German soldier of a front-line unit was still wearing a pickelhaube in Flanders 1917)

You seem reluctant to believe me.

I checked the photobook from the 27th Infantry Division. There is a similar pic in it from wounded English prisoners at the Somme, a similar pic is also in the regimental history of the IR 127, so it is very probable that a few pics were taken of these POWs at the Somme.

I personally have several photocards from a series by the 27 Infantry Division which are in the division photobook and dated Flanders 1917. This series has an "F" and then a number.

Another hint is that I found number 25.S which is described as "Fins-Etricourt Strasse nach Pailly".

How do I know? I have seen plenty of German photocards (and i have quite a collection myself), among them these series. Other photocards from this S series are definitely from the Somme in 1916, so this one as well. Most of them even seem to be from the Manancourt area, as for instance S 27 as attached as well. The cards are regularly for sale on auction sites.

The Flanders series from Württemberg doesn't have a letter. If I find my list back, I'll post it here.

Don't always believe what is written on the back...

29.S is from the Somme, not from Flanders.

There are similar series from Flanders as well (just numbers, no letter). I think the pics were made by the Württemberg "Hofphotgraph" Stadelmann from Leonberg. I have a list of the Flanders pics, but not from the Somme pics.

You may find a list in the Württemberg Military Archives in Stuttgart though, since they have the complete series there as well.

Yes, but they are pre-war...

It caused quite a bit of problems for the units concerned in October and November 1914 as this headwear was easily confused with British headwear of that time. They received quite a bit of "friendly fire" as a consequence.

The same caps were worn by the Landsturm throughout the war.

And this is Oblt. Köbrich in detail.

This is the picture showing some of the officers of IR 176 late 1914 or early 1915.

Hello,

I have the regimental history.

Jan

Hello Gunnar,

I have a Oblt. Köbrich in the 10th Company of IR 176 on 1 August 1914.

There is a picture of him in the regimental history, showing him with EK2 and EK1. If you want, i can scan it.

No clue about his first name though (they just refer to officers with rank and name)...

Jan

Hagen died while serving with FA 16 in 1917.

According the Ehrenmal des preussischen Offizierkorps, a Hptm dR Richter of IR 54 was wounded with LdwIR 9 in August 1914 and died in 1918. This seems to be in contradiction with the Ehren-Rangliste?

Unfortunately, IR 54 has only half a regimental history (1914-16) with no list of casualties, so no help there. I checked but there is no Hptm. Richter mentioned in the officers of the regiment at mobilization.

It says: "Sieger im Armeegepäckmarsch - 12 Kl in 1 Std 38 Minut."

So this guy marched 12 kilometres with his rucksack and rifle in 1 hour and 38 minutes. Quite a prestation considering the very comfortable boots...

Hello Chris,

According to my knowledge, there is no regimental history for BRIR 22...

Even though I have several hundreds of regimental histories, I haven't managed to buy IR 84 ever (it sells for quite a bit of money usually)...

Jan

Thanks,

Can you see the roman numbers on their collar to know to which Army Corps they belonged?

Jan

Hello,

Could you post a scan of the front?

I would be very interested to see it as I live in that area.

Regards,

Jan

I think the few bids are more connected to the fact that the catalogue was only sent out very late. People need to be able to plan a bit ahead with their finances...

After a week and several e-mails there, still no news about the results of the auction...