Sturmtruppen photo...

[Chris Boonzaier]

These guys will scare you off!

[Naxos]

Great image ... love the hip parasol

[Sergeant 08]

Some guys kill with the rifle, others with the parasol !

Edited November 5, 2009 by Sergeant 08

[Chip]

Seeing that these guys are carrying carbines, I am guessing they are Telegraphentruppen. Not to dangerous.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Seeing that these guys are carrying carbines, I am guessing they are Telegraphentruppen. Not to dangerous.

Chip

You sure? I would have guessed they were pioniers?

The Ammo pouches and spades with carbine makes me think Pionier.

Also, they all have relatively early jackets, so maybe at a time when not REAL front line units had steel helmets?

[Eric Stahlhut]

the kneeling fellow on the middle seems to have been wounded

[Chip]

Chris,

Of course, it it possible that they are pioneers, but normally, pioneers were issued Gewehr 98s.

Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

going through some postcard photos of pioniers, the Carbine seems to have been the rule... like this dude...

[Chris Boonzaier]

If he is the classic Pionier, the Telegraph guys that I can identify in a couple of pics, one has an old 1870s carbine, and the other a lebel.

I assume once the war was on, the 98 carbines were too good to waste on telegrapg troops.

Guy above is a pionier in a MW Abteilung.

Best

Chris

[Chip]

Chris,

I am just going by the tables that list the arms for the various types of units. Perhaps it is a prewar list. I'm sure Sturmpioniere would have had carbines. If you take a look in Kraus or Führer durch Heer and Flötte, both list the Gewehr 98 as the arm for pioneers.

Chip

[Schießplatzmeister]

Chris,

I am just going by the tables that list the arms for the various types of units. Perhaps it is a prewar list. I'm sure Sturmpioniere would have had carbines. If you take a look in Kraus or Führer durch Heer and Flötte, both list the Gewehr 98 as the arm for pioneers.

Chip

Hello all:

The carbines would certainly make sense for assault troops such as this. Even if they were not always issued, I am certain that they were favored if they could obtain them. For assault troops the range/accuracy of the GEW98 was not as critical. In most cases the rifle became secondary to grenades, pistols, entrenching tools, etc. once the gap was closed during an assault. The carbine was lighter and therefore easier to carry. It was also easier to manouver with in an enemy trench if it had to be utilized (or even once it was slung).

Best regards,

"SPM"