Shoulderboard question...

[Chris Boonzaier]

A Lt in the 258 res inf regt, period 1915.

Would the boards have been bright metal wire o subdued?

What colour would the underlay be? White?

and..... I have seen sone with black and white thread in zig zags... an some just with black...

Me be one confused littel boy.... does anyone have a pair to show (correct numbers not needed.

Thanks

Chris

[Chip]

Chris,

During the period before 21.9.1915, officer's field shoulder boards had either bright or a matt metallic finish. The later sprung up early in the war as a first response for the need to tone down the distinguishing mark of an officer. After the new regulations came out in September, the field pattern boards had subdued gray non-metallic cords with (for the most part) double Faden (darts) in the state colors. So Prussian boards had black/white, Bavaria had blue/white, Saxony had green/white, etc. The dress boards remained with bright metallic cords and the earlier single (for the most part) color darts.

The color of the underlay for the reserve regiments before 21.9.1915 was varied and is only known for the regiments up to number 248.

Unfortunately, I do not have an example of an infantry officer's board from this period. All of mine are the new pattern. I tend to concentrate on the enlisted stuff and my officer's selection is pretty much limited to subdued field boards.

The 258th I.R. was formed in December of 1914.

Chip

Edited April 24, 2008 by Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

looks to be a dark underlay... on the pics it seems black... so I assume a Dark red or dark Blue?

Best

Chris

[Chip]

Chris,

Yes, definitely not white. Could be yellow too. The trouble is that these boards only would have existed with this color piping from December 1914 until September 1915 (about ten months). Depending on the turnover of officers during that time frame, there very well could be just a handful of these boards (with this color underlay) that ever existed!

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

any idea what all the possible underlay colors for infantry were?

Thanks

Chris

[Chip]

White, red, yellow, blue, green.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Well,

The guy was originally in the 68th iR which was 8th Armee Corps district...

When the 78 RD div was formed the 258th came from 8th Corps area and the 259 and 260 from 10th Corps.

I assume he came over with the light Blue of the 8th Corps? The X. Corps was white, so we can see it was not one of them.

At an educated guess do you think light Blue is what I am looking for?

Thanks

Chris

[Chris Boonzaier]

This is an 8th Corps board...

[Chip]

Any guessing would be just that...pure speculation. This will require the right source material. I might have it, but it will take a lot of looking. Maybe I can do it after my Urlaub.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Any guessing would be just that...pure speculation. This will require the right source material. I might have it, but it will take a lot of looking. Maybe I can do it after my Urlaub.

Chip

Thanks,

I am hoping it is easy to find. The 8th Corps thing SEEMS to be the logical line for me but you never know.

[Chip]

Chris,

My semi-educated guess is that the color of the piping would be the medium blue of the infantry of the VIII A.K. A regimental history does exist.

Chip