IR 70 Biographic Assistance Requested

[MJC]

Gentlemen,

I am assisting the grandson of this WWI casualty to piece together his family military history, and I am not well suited to this conflict, my area of "expertise" being the second conflict.

We have very little information, and a few blurry photos captured from a DVD. If any assistance can be offered, he and I will both be appreciative. In the absence of locating direct biographic information, I will provide unit and campaign data to illustrate his experiences to his family.

Friedrich Heinrich RUEFFLER

~born 12.5.1889 at Hausweiler, Saar

~went by the name Heinrich Rueffler

~presumably served with IR 70

~gassed at Verdun

~spent lengthy time in Lazarette

~died of wound postwar, with name added to War Memorial at Friedrichstal, SAAR

I know this is not much to go on, but I am hopeful that something in the attached images might provoke a comment or observation. Why he is wearing a Shako, for example? Any suggestions as to further research would also be appreciated. Clearer images are available in the near future.

Please let me know if you have any questions, and thanks in advance. I will happily reciprocate your assistance with any WWII NARA research you need to have conducted.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Mike Constandy

[MJC]

2.

[MJC]

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[MJC]

4. The caption states that this image was taken while in hospital recovering from his gassing at Verdun. Is there any significance to his wearing the Red Cross armband? Was this typical of a patient, or was he acting as an orderly?

Edited November 12, 2008 by Mike Constandy

[MJC]

5. War Memorial. Thanks very much for any and all assistance. Beer is on me at SoS or MAX!

Edited November 12, 2008 by Mike Constandy

[Guest Rick Research]

Well, he definitely served in IR 70 at some point-- from the number on his spike helmet cover.

It would appear that at some point he was transferred into a J?ger Battalion. I've got photos of infantrymen wearing their old 3 button cuff red piped tunics with J?ger headgear

which is very very weird from a uniform perspective.

The Red Cross armband was worn ONLY by medical personnel-- so at some point he became a medical corpsman in whichever unit he was in at the time.

It is virtually impossible to find anything on ordinary soldiers. Since he died after the war, he would not even be mentioned in the casualty pages of whatever units he had served in.

[MJC]

Thanks Rick :cheers: