My first shoulderboard

[sef1962]

Hello I have just got my first shoulderboard which I think is Infanterie-Regiment von Wittich (3.Kurhessisches)Nr.83 it is 5cm width and 15cm long. If the M07 is 5.5cm and the M15 is 4.5cm what type of board is this and when does this date from thanks Mark

[Naxos]

Original strap

but Inf.Rgt.Nr.83 should be a yellow strap with red number

[Chip]

Mark,

Yours is a custom purchase piece and is correct for the regiment that you mentioned. All of the infantry regiments of the XI.A.K. had red shoulder boards with yellow numbers. Here are examples from Inf.Rgt.Nr.82 of the same Korps.

Chip

[sef1962]

Thanks for the fast replys I think this is the first step in a very expensive interest thanks Mark

[Chip]

Mark,

There certainly are enough variations of imperial German shoulder boards to keep you going for a lifetime. But collecting the "prewar" boards is very affordable in comparison to collecting the wartime versions. The numbered straps are very inexpensive and the cyphered ones, though much more, are still in the range that I was paying for them twenty years ago.

Chip