New shoulderboards

[Marcin L]

Dear All,

I just wanted to show you what came to me last Friday. I will do my own research on the units that should be assigned to below shoulderboards, but any comments are appreciated. The red one with W is just to compare with black one, as I guess they are the same irrespective of different colours.

Kind regards,

Marcin

Edited June 30, 2013 by Marcin L

[Marcin L]

So, as said before, I did some research.

The first shoulderboard with "O" is Grenadier-Regiment „Königin Olga“ (1. Württembergisches) Nr. 119.

The second one with "167" is 1. Ober-Elsässische Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 167

The third and fourth, both with "WR", are Infanterie-Regiment „Kaiser Wilhelm, König von Preußen“ (2. Württembergisches) Nr. 120.

The fifth with "W I" is Infanterie-Regiment König Wilhelm I. (6. württ.) No. 124.

The sixth with "W I" is Infanterie-Regiment König Wilhelm I. (6. württ.) No. 124.

Questions:

Are there only Mannschaften shoulderboards presented above? What is the model number of the shoulderboards?

Last one - why IR 124 had two different shoulderboards (i.e. one red, one black) ?

Thank you for help!

Marcin

[Chip]

Marcin,

That is a nice little grouping! I will try to answer your questions. These shoulder boards could have been worn by any enlisted/NCO rank. There is no distinction. We hesitate to put a model name with these boards, as most were worn for many years, going back to the Franco Prussian War and beyond. If you have to put a name to them, I would call them shoulder boards for the Dunkelblau Waffenrock. Some people call them M1895, as this was the date that the old blue uniforms were replaced with an updated model. The shoulder boards did not have any noticeable changes, however.

The black/dark blue shoulder board is from an old pattern 1892 pattern blue/black Litewka. The shoulder boards were of the same material as the Litewka and were without piping. They had yellow numbers or cyphers. These were replaced in 1900, when a new gray Litewka was introduced and which carried shoulder straps in full color as on the Waffenrock.

What is the backing material on the white 167 strap?

Chip

[Marcin L]

Hi Chip,

Thank you so much for your answers. As to the 167 strap, it is feldgrau I'd say, however it is somehow brighter than I expected.

And this "O" strap, the backing material is blue.

Kind regards,

Marcin