Amazing Nassau Inf Rgt 88 group

[Chris Boonzaier]

It may well be that this is a family group, with at least two brothers. That may be why there were TWO of the pre-war blue tunics.

Nah, one was a private purchase, one an issue tunic. Both the same size, I think he just had enough bucks to buy a private purchase one.

None of the letters and papers mention any other family member in the service.

Possible that the other siblings were too young for WW1 and served in WW2.

That way older brothers stuff was in the basement and the rest of the families stuff was added later.

Stop the presses!!!!

Was there not a list of EK recipients including 1915... or did that stop earlier?

Any idea on the spike? did they all buy their own?

Best

Chris

[Chip]

Chris,

First, congratulations. What a coup! You know, the regiment was granted the royal cypher of King Konstantin of Greece on Sept.19, 1913, so these Dunkelblau tunics predate that or they are from the reserve regiment. Your feldgrau Waffenrock would have then taken removable boards with the cypher "K" and crown. I would have Eric recheck with the family, as these will be extremely difficult to find on the loose. The other news is that the Pickelhaube had a Wappen specific to this regiment since 1899 with the Auszeichnungsb?nder "La Belle Alliance", "Mesa De Ibor" and "Medellin". You will need to own a bank to purchase such an officer's helmet, if you can find one!

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

He did his year just before the 88 were "K'd" when he joined in 1914 (where the green tunic is stamped) it was with the 42nd Fels Bataillone which was quickly swalloed up by the 258 RIR.

So I need an OR Spike for the Blue (Or a blue cloth hat) and a regul?ar Haube for the Green jacket (if I understand right)

best

Chris

[Chip]

Chris,

Whether enlisted or officer, a helmet from this regiment will be difficult to find and afford! These regimental pieces bring quite a premium over those of the other "regular" regiments.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

if I skipped the helmet and thought in the direction of a Visor.... can anyone tell me exactly what I would need?

Thanks

Chris

[Thomas]

Hi,if I skipped the helmet and thought in the direction of a Visor.... can anyone tell me exactly what I would need? Thanks Chris

They wore a prussian cockade, so you would need one like in this link.

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/ht/farben/ir.htm

[Chris Boonzaier]

Well,

once I have recovered from my spending spree I will go out and look for one :-)

Best

Chris

[joerookery]

What a tremendous grouping! As chance would have it I have one of these helmets and I would agree with Chip that they are extremely hard to come by.

Any idea on the spike? did they all buy their own?

In general the answer to this would be yes because this guy was a one-year volunteer infantry Regiment number 88. so the picture you see of him wearing the helmet is a picture of a private purchase helmet that either he paid for or was given as a gift to him as was a common practice. He probably did his one-year volunteer time sometime before the war in Regiment 88. It looks as though he did not continue on or perhaps finish his requirements to become a lieutenant before mobilization. The picture you included of the two soldiers wearing the Uberzug of Regiment 88 seem to show him enlisted in the Regiment prior to transfer but post mobilization. Is the card dated? There is some indication that possibly these guys were provided issue helmets upon mobilization if they did not bring their own. That is not written in stone anywhere there are just bits and pieces of clues.

Then it seems as though he was commissioned. Do you have that date? fantastic stuff -- I'm very envious!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

According to his papers he was finished with the 88 in 1912-13. At mobilisation he was in Trier and came as Vizefeldwebel to the 68 IR, then a Feldbataillon, then his final Regiment. all well documented in diaries and letters. No contact with the 88 any time after mobilization so the helmet covers must have been worn in 1912-13 as well.

Here is a pic from March 1913 (unfortunately tiny so this is the best I get....

[Chris Boonzaier]

A studio pic....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Feldgrau

[joerookery]

the helmet covers must have been worn in 1912-13

Yes they were! Can you tell from the picture if those numbers were applied by cloth or with a stencil? From here it looks like stencil but I thought I would be sure. If

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hard to say, it could be stenciled. It looks to be the kind with hooks...

[Chris Boonzaier]

Maybe my imagination, but in this Feb 1913 shot he looks to have a different helmet on than in the three stooges photo above?

[joerookery]

he looks to have a different helmet on than in the three stooges photo above

I think you are right. The visor trim on the last picture seems to be thick. The three stooges and the studio picture seem to have a thin visor trim. This is pretty normal as these guys could well have a dress helmet and a service helmet. It is explained more in this article:

http://www.pickelhauben.net/articles/new%2...arVolunteer.htm

[Chip]

Those ?berzug numbers look like applied, die-cut cloth. Here is a green version. Reinforced on the back with a glued-on, thick paper.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I will be adding it to Kaisers cross with some pics, but here... bit by bit, is the diary of our man. It is a nice read, shows the spirit of the times....

[Chris Boonzaier]

TomY will correct the grammar and spelling by email with me, so just enjoy the diary and dont worry about howling errors :-)

Mobilisation

1)

It was towards the end of July 1914. Dark clouds hung over European politics brought on by the terrible crime that had been carried out in Sarajevo.

Austria had as a result made demands on Serbia in order to assure her national security. At first it looked as if Serbia would agree but at the last moment things changed. With Russia backing her Serbia refused the demands and Austria was forced to mobilise her troops.

For the rest of Europe the question was? would Russian stay Neutral? For anyone following the politics of the past few years the outcome was sure. The long expected, long dreaded world crisis was unavoidable. Only the na?ve and the spineless souls still hoped for peace.

As in the rest of the German Fatherland the spirit in the noble town of Trier was undescribable. The newspaper printers were under siege as the population waited eagerly for the message ?Krieg!?,

[Chris Boonzaier]

2)

I had already sent a message home requesting that they forward my Feldgrau jacket, boots and binoculars from my service days. On the 31st of July I was on my way to work with my colleague Lenz. As we passed the Paulinus Printing press we saw preparations in motion. I gave a loud ?Hurra!? mobilisation would surely follow in 2-3 hours.

A quick handshake and I left may friend as I hurried home. I changed into my Feldgrau and packed up my civilian clothes in a parcel to be sent home.. I waited for the mobilization call? it did not come. At midnight I lay down. All through the night I thought I heard the call ?Alarm?, but it was only my imagination.

The next morning, to my big disappointment, I had to put on my civilian clothes again. My landlady was waiting for me with coffee. The teasing and jokes made over my eagerness are best not mentioned.

The day passed slowly, I could barely work, I thought only of the coming war. From time to time I took out my Milit?rpass and reread the mobilisation instructions. ?Report as soon as the mobilisation order is given?. Indeed? but the order had still not been given. This day to passed by?.

[Chris Boonzaier]

3)

At 6:00 pm it happened. I hurried to the printers with my colleague Hoffamnn, there was till no news. On the marketplace, in front of the main post office, there was a throng of people. Here there was no news either. Suddenly, at 6:15 a ripple went through the crowd? ?Mobilisation!?

A sudden silence, then cries of ?Hurra!?

I said goodbye to Hoffmann and my colleagues and hurried to my lodgings. As I entered I called ?See! Mobilisation! I was right!?. They still did not believe me.

In the blink of an eye I was a warrior again and my civilian affairs were packed away. A quick goodbye and by 7:00pm I was at the barracks. I was posted to the 10./69 (10th Kompagnie / Infanterie Regiment 69) and I reported to the Feldwebel. The active regiment had already left to secure the border to Luxembourg on the 31st of July. Vizefeldwebel Adawitz and he Feldwebel were the only NCOs of the 10th Kompagnie that were still there.

I was ordered to see to the uniforms and equipment of the newly arriving reservists. Not a job I was keen on, but this was war and everyone had to do their job.

[Chris Boonzaier]

4)

Reservists flooded in the whole night long, they came from Trier and the surrounding areas. Tunics and trousers were tried on. Each man got a pair of underpants, 2 shirts, an overcoat and a hat. They got one pair of lace up boots, a helmet with its fieldgrey cover, a backpack with its contents, a Zeltbahn with tent pegs, a canteen, a Kochgeschirr (mess tin), a brotbeutel (Breadbag), belt, fat and coffee tins, a saltbag, a white armband and other smaller items.

The next morning the weapons were handed out. At 8:00 am came the news that the regiment was having problems in Luxembourg and all the reservists must get ready to move out. Each man received an Erkennungsmarke (dogtag) and bullets. We were ready t move out. At noon we were still in the barracks. We waited impatiently for the orders to move out.

At 5:00pm Leutnant d.Res Pley came to give new orders. The Unteroffiziere were given posts and men to guard them with. Mine was at the tobacco dealer ?Pfeiffer?. Anyone entering or leaving Trier by that road had to be able to identify themselves. Anyone causing problems would be arrested.

[Chris Boonzaier]

5)

With 6 men of the 11th Kompagnie I took over the post and installed myself in the guardroom (the laundry!). Soon the number of our post grew. One of the reservists lived within 500m of our post and his wife soon found her way to us. Whenever Reservist Soldirer stood guard his wife stood with him. On occasion she would take his rifle with its bayonet and stop people she knew. It was war, certain things had to be allowed.

There was no shortage of food. Frau Pfeiffer looked after us. There was little traffic on the road and it soon became boring. On the evening of the 4th of August I went to check my sentries and saw our relief arriving.

Smiling and singing the ?Wacht am Rhein? we marched back into Trier.

[Eric K.]

looking good Chris!! just think you only have 2 thick Diaries to translate. hows the sutterlin treating you?

Eric

[Chris Boonzaier]

looking good Chris!! just think you only have 2 thick Diaries to translate. hows the sutterlin treating you?

Eric

So far so good, the writing gets worse later on....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Thanks to Tom Young for helping on this......

Here is the first part of our mans war diary.... Western front 1914 up until his first wound...

http://www.kaiserscross.com/170622/170643.html