1917 Combat fatigues IR139

[Naxos]

A photo dated March 1917 - on the the front it says: Please Keep - March 1917.

On the back is a letter from Arthur to his mother, dated July 23 1917. Arthur writes joyful that his friend Paul Riedel has joined him and is now with the 9th Kompanie Infanterieregiment 139. Arthur and Paul as well as Walter Junghans, Albin Bretschneider and Max Schuster (serving in the same Regiment) are all from the small Saxon village of Reinsdorf near Zwickau.

The photo in detail:

Note the M1910 tunic still worn in March 1917 by a frontline Regiment - Grabendolch and Seitengewehr-Troddel worn on empty

Bayonet frog

Note the trench chaps, unusual bayonet frogs worn by both soldiers and the leathers around the bottom of the boots

Regards, Hardy

Edited April 23, 2008 by Naxos

[Naxos]

Another picture from the first trench. Note the improvised helmet cover

Edited April 24, 2008 by Naxos

[Ulsterman]

Superb! Real front-line pics.

[Chip]

Yes, they are excellent photos. Notice that the close-up shows a Brandenburg cuff rather than the more typical German (Saxon) cuff.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Really classy shots!

[Naxos]

Thanks guys - I knew you would appreciate these pics. I like the every day frontline-trench look.

But what about those chaps - has anyone seen similar field made over-pants before?

Hardy

[Chip]

Hardy,

Would it be possible to get an enlagement of the entire photo? Not as big as your outtakes, but something bigger than the small initial inset. I wanted to get the flavor of the enitire compostion that the photographer made.

I have not seen this specific type of leggings, but many things were done. I am sure that you have seen waders. Our national WWI museum, here in Kansas City, has a pair of German leather boots on display that have the leather coming up to just below the knee and then waterproof canvas from there up to the crotch.

You can sure see why so many troops took Fu?schoner into the field. Without them, that clay would have your boots off in no time.

Chip

[Naxos]

Here you go Chip -

It looks to me that the leather straps around the and heels of the boots are there to tighten the boots around the ankles - so the mud would not suck the boots of the feet.

Hardy

Edited April 27, 2008 by Naxos

[KIR]

Very nice picture!

Thanks & best regards,

Jens

Bitte aufheben.

M?rz 1917.

"Vorgebaute Beobachtung"

Im Felde, den 23. Juli 1917.

Liebe Mutter!

Sende dir die herzlichsten Gr?-

?e aus dem Felde euer lieber

________________Sohn

___________________Arthur.

Sonst geht es mir noch

gut, was ich auch von euch

allen hoffe.

Ich habe am Sonntag den 22. Riedel

Paul getroffen. Er ist jetzt bei der 9.

Kompanie 139. Nicht mehr in Depot.

Nun hab ich wenigsten Riedel

Paul noch hier. Da Junghans Walther

und Bratschneider Albin in der Hei-

mat sind. Albin ist jetzt wohl auf

Urlaub. Habt ihr noch nicht mit ihm

mal gesprochen. Werde ich und Rie-

del Paul gleich Schuster Max besucht.

Er hat gespannt wie Paul kam. Da fehlte

bloss noch Walther und Albin hier. Da

sind wir 5. Reinsdorfer zusammen.

Schreibt bald wieder.

[Naxos]

Danke Jens

Gruss aus Kanada, Hardy

[KIR]

... no problem Hardy!

I take a closer look to the Name Bratschneider, I think you are right - it's Bretschneider!

And the unusual word "gespannt" - I think that's a old term for "erstaunt" (astonished).

Best regards,

Jens

[Naxos]

... no problem Hardy!

I take a closer look to the Name Bratschneider, I think you are right - it's Bretschneider!

And the unusual word "gespannt" - I think that's a old term for "erstaunt" (astonished).

Best regards,

Jens

Jens, great to have another forum member that can read S?tterlin

Hardy