Leutnant d.R. Kessler

[Naxos]

I got his Soldbuch, Kleiderkarte, shoulder boards, a picture but no first name.

Leutnant d.R. Kessler, 2. Batterie, Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr: 247

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2013/post-1062-0-63449200-1375390894.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2013/post-1062-0-31898200-1375391603.jpg

Edited August 1, 2013 by Naxos

[Guest Rick Research]

What an irritating bunch those Germans were, with their obsession to NOT list first names!!! I cannot identify a Keßler as commissioned in that regiment, or killed in it. Not to suggest he wasn't commissioned in some OTHER regiment--or killed in a third one.

Remarkably, there really weren't that many Keßlers...

[Naxos]

Thanks Rick,

appreciate your help.

[Guest Rick Research]

I couldn't find what division FAR 247 was in. Can you tell from the photo what his second ribbon is?

[Naxos]

Here is more:

You can see the three digit Regimental number starting with a "2" (for 247)

Mecklenburg perhaps?

Here are additional pages from the Soldbuch

FAR 247 belonged to the 29th Landwehr-Division

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2013/post-1062-0-00440400-1375417440.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_08_2013/post-1062-0-48348000-1375417488.jpg

Kleiderkarte XIX. 2. Königlich Sächsisches Armee-Korps

and these odd pages

Edited August 2, 2013 by Naxos

[Guest Rick Research]

Might be an Anhalt Friedrich Cross, from the apparently single narrow edge stripes. I looked in both Mecklenburgs: 14 Keßlers in -Schwerin and only 2 in -Strelitz. No matchs there.

[Chris Boonzaier]

What a nice little set!

[Chip]

My source gives the FAR's regimental affiliation with the 29.Landwehr Brigade, which in the fall of 1917 became the 29.Landwehr Division. The 29th spent the entire war on the Eastern front.

Chip

[Dave Danner]

I don't have my field artillery reference with me, so I can't check what regiment(s) formed FAR 247.

There was a Franz Keßler, Unteroffizier in FAR 46, who received the Anhalt Friedrichkreuz. This was an early award, shortly after the cross was created, though I don't have a date - December 1914 or early 1915. I don't see any other field artillery Keßlers.

Dave

[dinha]

Hello,

first of all, I am no english native speaker, but I hope, I could be understood....

I am looking for information on FAR 247 ever since....

My grand-uncle got killed as a Lieutenant 8Leutnant der Reserve) in this regiment in July 1918.

As far as I can see 247 served with the 29th up to spring or early summer 1918 on the eastern Front. There is evidence that they chipped in at the siege of Jakobstadt f. e. Afterwards they are then to be traced on the Western Front.

My grand uncle was reported KIA in July 1918 in the Champagne area. He died at the age of 27. His grave ist still there. I'll go there next week for a visit.

The regimental Commander got KIA in September 1918 in the Champagne area.So were some other officers.

One single officer died in 1916 in Romania ( near Sprungul). maybe, the regiment was destroyed or disbanded after September 1918.

There is no regimental history nor anything to find in the National War Archives.

I am thankful for ANY information on FAR 247....

Thank You from Germany

dinha

[Naxos]

dinha, thanks for the post and welcome to the forum.

I also would like to find out more about the history of FAR247. Do you have a picture of your grand-uncle?

BTW, Your English is great

Hardy

Edited November 28, 2013 by Naxos

[dinha]

Thanks, Hardy, for Your reply.

It was only by chance that I discovered my grand-uncles' Unit. And his grave of course. I have neither a photo nor is there anything else left.

In an old family chronicle I found an entry "Martin, died in France 28.06.1918". But that was wrong, as I came to discover. As was the spelling of his name on his marker - it took me very long to find this grave....

An entry in official papers I got from the Krankenbuchlager in Berlin: He volunteered in August 1914, served with a light ammo supply unit. Soon he broke a leg while serving on the Western Front. In 1915 he went back to service with Garde-Füsilier-Ersatzbatl. And that's it. I owe a copy of "Ehrenmal des preußischen Offizierkorps", a very rare book, there his entry is given as: Nithack, L(ieutenant) d(er) R(eserve), FAR 247, died 18.07.1918 Orfeuil/ Champagne. So this is, where I started my research.

From "250 Divisions of the German Army", I learned the above mentioned facts, saying FAR 247 served with 29th Landwehr. In another book, I came across FAR 247 taking part in the siege of Jakobstadt on the Eastern Front.

A friend sent me some maps of the Mèry-la-Bataille area, Northern France, from June 1918. There one can find some of the Regiment's Firing Positions. I searched the book "Ehrenmal...." for any other officer's names and found some. (I have them listed anywhere on this ****-computer...) All of them died in the summer of 1918 on the Western Front on the East End of the Champagne Front. The Regimental Commander amongst them. (Except for one person who died - not KIA - in Romania 1916). The German Militärarchiv in Freiburg have no entry on 247 in their records. And in another book I found "created were FAR 240-246 and 248-250" or so. No hint of 247. A Ghost unit???? I doubt it.

There is only a little time left for now - got some things to do.

I will look for these maps and data of the KIA officers and I'll find a way to send them to You. But it'll take some time. Tomorrow, I leave for a couple of days in France....

Regards from Germany

dinha

[The Prussian]

Hi dinha!

The regiment was not a ghost unit. The FAR 247 was set-up may, 25. 1916, it became mobile june, 4. 1916.

It was under command of:

4.6.16-4.5.18: 29.Ldw.Brigade

5.5.18-22.6.18: Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz

23.6.18-8.7.18: Feldart.Truppenübungsplatz Maubeuge-Fontaine

9.7.18-4.11.18: Heeresgruppe Deutscher Kronprinz

5.11.18: 1.Armee

The 29.Ldw.Brig. was at the eastern front, the Heeresgruppe Dt. Kronprinz was at the western front.