Saint-Mihiel

[motojosh]

With the 102nd anniversary of St. Mihiel today I thought I'd share a few items related to the battle. This started with the purchase of the stylized eagle head kS98 and the collection grew from there. The bayonet was an honorary gift of the division to Vizefeldwebel Lührmann of the 1st Machine Gun Kompanie of the 94th Landwehr Infantry Regiment for bravery shown facing the enemy on September 12-14 1918. During this time period the 94th LJR was part of the 255th Division and fought at St. Mihiel under Army Detachment C from Metz Group.

I was able to find a bit of the circumstances of the action of Lührmann and the 94th LJR in the book Squandered Victory: The American First Army at St. Mihiel by James Hallas:

"Pressing the assault, the doughboys found the enemy had manned defenses in Dame and Villers Woods overlooking the valley. The positions, unknown and unsuspected, consisted of a double line of wired trenches reinforced with machine guns. The line was manned by Hanoverians of the 94th Landwehr Regiment. Ordered to hold the hill at all costs, most fought to the death, but when the shooting ended, the hill was American."

The other items consist of a Soldbuch and Militärpass for another man in the 94th LJR, photo of EM of the 94th LJR, captured MG08 water can used for war bond drives, Feldglas 08 and M15 strap of the 419th Infantry Regiment which fought at St. Mihiel under the 77th Reserve Division under Gorze Group-General Hartz, and lastly a captured model 1903 Zeiss binocular marked St. Mihiel Drive 1918.

If anyone has any items related to St. Mihiel feel free to post them. I'm also looking to purchase officers and enlisted straps for the 94th LJR / RJR.
 

[Chris Boonzaier]

That is a nice knife indeed!!! It is hard to read, are the Binos unit marked?

[motojosh]

On 11/11/2020 at 14:58, Chris Boonzaier said:

That is a nice knife indeed!!! It is hard to read, are the Binos unit marked?

Thanks! The feldglas 08 are marked to the 4th Komp of J.R.419

[GBL]

Fantastic items!