Rick !

[Gordon Williamson]

What the ?????????

[Tony]

Looks like a Sch?tzenfest to me Gordon but Rick will probably know for sure.

Tony

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup, somebody's hunting club, or perhaps a private estate's hunting/forestry staff.

Obviously 1919-34, but what is strange is that NONE of them have their Iron Crosses MOUNTED-- they are just pinned on LOOSE.

Maybe guys who went into the same wartime Jäger unit together?

Note the Turkish War Medal star on the man at far left.

[Gordon Williamson]

What got me was the gorgets that two of them are wearing. Came with a pile of Polizei related photos. Is that a Bicorn hat the guy with the Gorget is wearing ?

[Mike Dunn]

Really interesting photo Gordon! I too wonder what the gorgets are for. Wonder if they were hunting related? Thanks for sharing this! Mike

[Guest Rick Research]

I have seen similar gorgets being worn on civil clothes by German rural constables before 1914, but the bicornes and the fact that the man in center appears to be wearing a two (or perhaps three) colored waist sash lead me to guess those indicated their status in this "pack."

[Bob Hunter]

Very interesting photo. I'm curious about what appear to be bull barrels or some sort of barrel or muzzle cover...Anybody have any insights? (No pun intended)

[Stogieman]

Hi Gordon, somewhere in the depths of the "Evil One's" archives is another cool pix with Imperial Gorgets....... ask him, go on, ask him.... he's just percolating over a chance to pop it out!

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes, but these are I. Armeekorps 2. Infanterie Division Feldgendarmes in March 1915. Nothing mysterious about them, except how individual policemen from allllll over got assigned to this sort of squad-- still wearing their civil police uniforms from Back Home, with army helmet covers.

[Gordon Williamson]

Love that photo ! Not so easy to find Imprial Feldgendarmerie pics.

Knowing absolutely zip about Imperial Army Uniforms, is there any way to tell from the photo which of the States this young Leutnant with sore head and freshly awarded EK2 is from ?

[Guest Rick Research]

That appears to be the Prussian eagle on the knuckle guard of his IOD89, and looks like a Prussian cockade on his cap, too.

He is wearing an ISSUE enlisted man's tunic (low collar, small cuffs) from one of many Guards units with the "Swedish" 2 button cuffs--

note that he has peeled off the NCO collar rank braid of of a Vizefeldwebel (dR probably, rather than a F?hnrich) leaving the weirdly placed single Litze up against his neck.

This must be a literally "make do" tunic-- perhaps the closest that could be found on hand while still in the hospital.

[Ralph A]

You're sure those are iron crosses? Looks strange.....

Edited May 26, 2005 by Ralph A

[Biro]

To add to Ralph's observation.....

Does the central black stripe on the ribbons sported by 'Gordons Brigade' look very narrow for EK2 ribbon....particularly on your guy with the Turkish WM...?

Marshall

[Guest Rick Research]

I think that is just the effect of the flash "flare"-- makes the white cotton gloves look like they are glowing with radioactivity, and so the white in the ribbon "spreads" and seems "larger" while the dark recedes into their coats as "smaller" because the white is flared out. I'm not sure how to describe the technical effects of spoiled focus, but that's the result.

[Biro]

......I'm not sure how to describe the technical effects of spoiled focus, but that's the result.

←

Nonetheless, you describe it very plausibly Rick!!

I never noticed the glowing gloves.... I guess we should thank our lucky stars none of them are SMILING!

Great pics...

Marshall

[Guest Rick Research]

Same effect from this little gem:

[dond]

Wow. If I could only get my whites that white! They must use Calgon.

Don