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    Posted

    When stamped on equipment.... what exaclty is this?

    Beschafungs amt? Bekleidungs amt? Bayerische Armee Korps? I listened to 2 germans argue this for 10 minutes today....

    Hi Chris,

    I have always believed it stands for Bekleidungsamt and the K stands for Korps. It is usually found together with a Roman numeral, which corresponds to the army corps district.

    Does anyone (Chip!) have a written period reference for this?

    David

    Posted

    Hi Guys,

    B.A.K. = Bekleidungsamt Kiel

    Navy issue mark. Also, B.A.W. = Bekleidungsamt Wilhelmshaven

    Chip

    Posted (edited)

    Here is an ink marking (B.A.W.) on a navy issue gray canvas puttee. Not the best stamping, but I think you can make it out.

     

    Chip

    post-500-1160535774.jpeg

    post-500-1160535774.jpeg

    post-500-1160535774.jpeg

    Edited by Chip
    Posted

    Jens,

    No, it is BekleidungsAmt and then the corps number. There is no Armeekorps meant to be included in this abbreviation. I guess you could say that it is "understood" that the Roman numeral is the corps number.

    Chip

    • 2 weeks later...
    Posted

    I have not seen any individual field gear marked in this way, but I have seen vehicles with this type of marking.

    Chip

    • 1 year later...
    Posted (edited)

    Chris,

    I believe that stands for: Soldaten Brief

    That is correct. Here is a Stempel that spells it out:

    Edited by Naxos
    • 5 years later...
    Posted

    The Bavarians used the B.A. stamp in most cases, but at some point during the war (1915 I think), they came out with a Hersteller code, similar to the WWII German manufacturer codes. As far as I know (from the examples I have seen), this was only done by the Bekleidungs Depot of the III.b.A.K.. So what you see in the marking is a rectangle intersected in the middle by a vertical line. On the left half is the vendor code and on the right is "B.D.III" over the date. I've seen this on everything from Bluse, to Unterhose, to cartridge pouches and pretty much any other issued item coming out of that corps depot.

    Chip

    Posted

    So far, I have logged twenty different manufacturer codes spanning the years 1915-1918. I have no idea who the manufacturers are. Perhaps that information is buried somewhere in the Bavarian decrees or orders. There would have to have existed some index.

    Chip

    Posted

    I always thought it was a Navy thing. Look at this postcard -- your thoughts?

    Joe,

    That's pretty interesting. Certainly not a navy marking. In this case, I think the stamp means, "Proviant-Kolonne 6, II.Bayerisches Armee Korps".

    Chip

    Posted

    Joe,

    That's pretty interesting. Certainly not a navy marking. In this case, I think the stamp means, "Proviant-Kolonne 6, II.Bayerisches Armee Korps".

    Chip

    Sounds logical, there would be no need to have the Bekleidungs Amt on a letter.

    • 2 years later...
    Posted

    I have always believed it stands for Bekleidungsamt and the K stands for Korps. It is usually found together with a Roman numeral, which corresponds to the army corps district.

    Does anyone (Chip!) have a written period reference for this?

    Bekleidungsamt it is and as another person pointed out, this is a naval mark for Kiel: for the army it would be followed by the AK number (using Roman numbers). The DVE 185 regulations of 1909 and subsequently amended are the period reference you need. So, for example, it explains the marking "B.A.II.3.4." as "Bekleidungsamt des ...ten Armeekorps, Betriebsabteilung II, 3.Kompagnie, Waffe nr.4 - B.A.II.3.4."

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