The Machine Gunners of Sturmbataillon 16

[Naxos]

The Officers, NCOs and enlisted men from the machine-gun company of Sturmbataillon 16 in the fall of 1917.

Unteroffizier Richard Bechlin of MGK S.B.16 sent the postcard in February 1918.

Edited September 9, 2009 by Naxos

[Naxos]

Detail:

[Naxos]

[Naxos]

[Naxos]

[Guest Rick Research]

SUPERB photo-- C.B. will want this for his project. How many men were in an Assault Battalion Machine Gun Company? How many guns? How many NCOs?

Uh---one view answer!

Notice how few of these elite "storm troopers" have gotten an Iron Cross? Suggests appalling turnover and lots and lots of FRESH replacemeent volunteers.

And that is the neatest left handed Sutterlin I've ever seen.

[The Prussian]

Hi!

If you have any infos about that unit, please hve a look at my photo and my post about that Batallion.

Thanx a lot in advance

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=39337&st=0&p=364254&#entry364254

[Chip]

Being an uniform and gear guy, what I find very interesting is the special MG shovel and carrier. About 3/4 the size of the regular infantry spade, it sported a handle only about 3 inches long. The leather carrier was similar to the carrier for the infantry shovel, only with a sewn-on loop for the bayonet to be pushed through. I have never seen it in a photo anywhere near this late date and had assumed that it had be dropped about the time that the special M01 single clip MG cartridge pouches were discontinued (1916). Thanks for showing this photo Hardy!

Chip

Edited September 10, 2009 by Chip

[Naxos]

Good eye Chip! :cheers:

[bob lembke]

I have a Militaer=Pass from a machine gunner from Sturm=Bataillon Nr. 5 (Rohr) , given to me by a kind e-friend, and my study of it indicates that this unit had its machind gunners supplied to it by some outside entity. Possibly a machine gun school that also acted as an Ersatz=Abteilung? Anyone have any idea on this? The question surely also bears on this storm unit.

Hardy, the photo is fantastic!

Bob