Uniform Identification

[Delius]

Hi, This is my first posting, my great grand father Ferdinand Delius is the subject in the attached photograph, can any body tell me what the collar patches mean as I have not been able to find another picture with the same type of patch, the epaulets are too indistinct to work out the Regiment which is a bit of a pity. (could be 12). He lived in Spanau-Berlin, so possibly joined a local regiment, any help would be most appreciated. Michael

[Thomas W]

He's in the Landsturm; the type of tunic he's wearing is called a Litewka, which had colored patches on the collar. It does look like a "12" on the shoulder strap. That ought to help someone with more knowledge on the subject identify his unit.

[Delius]

Thank you for the reply, my great grand father lived in Spandau, Berlin, in 1914 he is living at Ackerstrasse 40 so he must have joined at the beginning of the war. I have received from the German War graves commission the following record :- Name, Ferdinand Delius, Rank, Wehermann, Unit, 3 /Brig. ers. btl. 11, Buried Vladslo. 06/06/1915, this is the correct year of death, I take it that the unit is :- Koniglich Bayerisches Brigade-Ersatz-Battalion 11. Does the uniform and record agree ?, could he have been transferred during his service ?, there is a Landwehr Brigade no. 12 in Berlin.

[Ulsterman]

He was in a Bavarian unit from Berlin- "rot Spandau"??????

I wonder how that happened?

Hmmmmm...off to the OOB books.

[Thomas W]

Thank you for the reply, my great grand father lived in Spandau, Berlin, in 1914 he is living at Ackerstrasse 40 so he must have joined at the beginning of the war. I have received from the German War graves commission the following record :- Name, Ferdinand Delius, Rank, Wehermann, Unit, 3 /Brig. ers. btl. 11, Buried Vladslo. 06/06/1915, this is the correct year of death, I take it that the unit is :- Koniglich Bayerisches Brigade-Ersatz-Battalion 11. Does the uniform and record agree ?, could he have been transferred during his service ?, there is a Landwehr Brigade no. 12 in Berlin.

Correction: I was wrong that only the Landsturm wore the Litewka. All the other first- and second-line formations were issued the gray Litewka as a fatigue or barracks uniform. So, your great-grandfather didn't have to be in the Landsturm. Since his rank is listed as Wehrmann, he was in the Landwehr, not the Landsturm.

Königlich Bayerisches Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon Nr. 11 was part of 9. Königlich Bayerische gemischte Ersatz-Brigade, Bayerische Ersatz Division. Königlich Bayerisches Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon Nr. 12 was part of the same brigade, so he could esily have been transferred from one battalion to another.

Here is a photo of the Litewka worn in August of 1918.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Thomas W