Unidentified Weimar Ordensspange / Regiments-Erinnerungskreuz DIFERNA 449

[j-sk]

Good evening Gentlemen,

Recently, I have bought a typical Weimar-era group of medals including a regimental commemorative cross sporting what it seems to me a very uncommon unit bar: "DIFERNA 449".

Usually, most of the "Regiments-Erinnerungskreuze" have an "Einheitsspange" indicating the regiment / bataillon / ship / and so forth the owner was serving in.

In this case, I have absolutely no idea what this unit bar refers to.

Does anyone of you have a clue?

Thanks for letting me know.

Cheers,

Jean-Sam.

[Guest Rick Research]

Divisions- Fernsprecher Abteilung 449-- a divisional telephone section. Bit hard to dig out where such platoon sized units actually were--not a division with that number....

This makes me think that these bars were obviously custom made to order and there could well be only ONE of such an outfit, since the vanity piece hd to be purchased. You could have a "unique" there!

OK, if 1918 British Intelligence was right (and after all, they DID win the war) 4xx series were in reserve divisions of the latter two numbers so = 49th Reserve Division's HQ communications unit.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Rick Research

[j-sk]

Thanks a lot for this explanation, Rick!

Cheers,

Jean-Sam.

[j-sk]

By the way, since we are dealing here with a member of an "Abteilung" (I guess it's the equivalent in strength of a bataillon), wouldn't it be more realistic to find a "Treu dem Bataillon" cross in this group instead of this "Treu dem Regiment" cross?

See also the following thread posted in GMIC by Claudio regarding a "Kraftfahr-Abteilung":

Posted 09 December 2007 - 14:50

A cute Frackspange (for civil attire / tuxedo):

? Weimarer Republik, Batallion-Erinnerungskreuz mit Spange ?Kraftfahr Abt.?, Niemann 2.02.22 b) + e)
? Weimarer Republik, Deutscher Reichkriegsbund ?Kyffh?user?, Kriegsdenkm?nze 1914/18, Niemann 2.02.34 a)

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Cheers,

Jen-Sam.

Edited September 5, 2013 by j-sk

[Dave Danner]

Rick and British Intelligence are correct. Divisions-Fernsprech-Abteilung Nr. 449 would have been formed in the 49.Reserve-Division after the December 1916 reorganization of signals troops. "Abteilung" here means detachment. They weren't battalion-sized, but more like a reinforced company. They were formed from the division's existing Fernsprech-Doppelzug, which was so named because it included two platoons, one for operators and one for line-layers. After 10 April 1917, they also included the Division-Blinkertrupp as a third platoon. Chris Boonzaier has an article about signals troops which discusses their organization here . He says they had a Stationszug and 3 Fernsprechzüge for a strength of 11 officers and 350 men, so I assume they must have been further reorganized.

The proper abbreviation is Divferna or Div.-Ferna, so Rick is probably right that the "Diferna" bar was custom made.

[j-sk]

Thank you all, Gentlemen, for your valuable and highly-regarded help.

All the best,

Jean-Sam.