EK 1914 Help with unit id on an EK2 Certificate please

[andy]

hi

Can anyone give me any information about this one?

thanks

andy

[andy]

stamp

[Tony]

Hello Andy,

It looks like Wilhelm Kr?ger of what might be called the Signals today (Fernsprecher) was awarded the iron cross on 27.1.18.

I don't know anything about the divisional signal company 233 (if that's the correct translation) though.

Tony

[Chip]

Divisional level telephone detachment of the 233.Division. On the date given, the division was in training, away from the front, so the actual event that caused its award probably happened earlier.

Chip

[bob lembke]

Divisional level telephone detachment of the 233.Division. On the date given, the division was in training, away from the front, so the actual event that caused its award probably happened earlier.

Chip

Chip's translation is quite correct.

As a tip to the non-Huns, the word "Abteilung" had, like many German words, several meanings. The general translation would be "detachment", and therefore could be of variable size, but usually suggesting a smaller detachment, company-sized, or smaller.

However, in regard to artillery units, an Abteilung was actually a battalion, usually of four batteries. Useage might be "II. Feldartillerie=Abteilung / FAR 24.", or "2nd Field Artillery Battalion, 24th Field Artillery Regiment".

Also, small elite MG battalions were formed, called "machine gun sharpshooters' Abteilung", a battalion of three small MG companies of say 110-120 men each, probably with 12 heavy MGs (MG 08) each, usually fitted with telescopic sights. (Did German MG companies go from 6 to 12 MGs each mid-war, or was it from 3 to 6? I think the former.) This usage seems to mirror the artillery usage of the word.

Bob Lembke

[Guest Rick Research]

27 January was the Kaiser's birthday, so a popular occasion for such presentations.

[andy]

Many thanks

Excellent info as always

cheers

andy