Help needed to Identify soldiers

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Gents,

this has been posted on another forum, can anybody offer and identification of the unit?

which period, the seated man has a medal ribbon on his tunic, African service??

Kevin in Deva.

[Guest Rick Research]

Feldartillerie Regiment 201 from the man on left's shoulder strap. Pre-war uniforms like these were often in use for recruits in basic training well into the war. The man on right is wearing a M1915 2 ribbon bar,

all of which suggests this was taken circa autumn 1915- spring 1916.

If somebody knows when the 201st FAR was raised, that's obviously the "no earlier than" date. From what I can find, it was always the main field artillery unit in the 101st Infantry Division, which was raised in May 1915. The M1915 ribbon bars were not in common wear that early, so I'd still estimate a time frame as above.

Definitely therefore taken IN GERMANY around the middle of the war.

[Kev in Deva]

Hallo Rick,

many thanks as usual for your encyclopedic knowledge,

its just uncanny to us mere mortals how you do it!!

Kevin in Deva

[Chip]

Kevin,

My eyes are not any better than Rick's, but I think the regiment is the 70.FAR. The "1" I believe is a crease and the two numbers seem to be centered under the flaming bomb. Besides, there would be no Dunkelblau tunic with a wartime numbered unit on a full color strap. I have never seen this done. If the photo is identified as to location, you might be able to confirm my assessment.

Chip

[Naxos]

Agree with Chip: FAR 70

Hardy

[Guest Rick Research]

Could be. Nice sharp BIG closeups would certainly help. But any change in the unit numbering still doesn't affect the approximate dating based on the ribbon bar.

[Chip]

I know nothing about the dating of the ribbon bar. Just trying to help with the unit ID.

Chip