POWs under the care of the Redcross - what nation ?

[Robert Noss]

I hope that it is not the wrong place.

A group of Redcross men and a group of wounded POWs ( I presume )

Details:

My question:

What nationality are the wounded men ?

As always, thanks a lot for Your time and infos.

Kind regards

Robert

[Stogieman]

Looks like a real mix to me. You have a Bavarian red Cross Officer and what appears to be a mix of French, Italian, British & American POW's!!

[Guest Rick Research]

It's hard for me to say, since they have deliberately stripped off most of their insignia. Only the NCO with his left arm in the striped sling still has a shoulder board on. NCO rank on the lower sleeves-- man at far left next to the bayonet is, I think, a Corporal, while the other with metallic sleeve rank is a sergeant of some type of cavalry. Everyone else is infantry, and in the dark blue of 1914.

The cavalryman has what appears to be a lighter colored tunic and forage cap which MAY be French horizon blue" if not a colored pre-war uniform. Otherwise I cannot tell if they are all French, or Belgians. I think Belgians had much higher caps in the first months of the war, so I would say these are all French soldiers, who have removed their regimental numbers from their caps and tunics.

Mixed in we have German railway men (the one in the last scan behind the happy wounded prisoner and the teenaged Red Cross kid is from Baden) in the caps with winged wheels over one cockade, an officer of the commissary branch (with sword) to feed them, and very well fed Bavarian Red Cross personnel.

[bigjarofwasps]

My money is on French, purely because of the facial hair, they just look really French?

[Kev in Deva]

My money is on French, purely because of the facial hair, they just look really French?

I am with you, BJW on this,

no British or Americans in sight

Kevin in Deva.

[Daniel Murphy]

I would say French and/or Belgian. It is hard to tell whether those are French kepis or the Belgian "Yser" uniform hats c. 1915. The two with the khaki visor caps with "wings" are obviously Belgian. The visors came out in 1916, so I would say you have a early 1916 photo. I can hear the German s now "OK, smile like you enjoy being in captivity and are being treated well, OR ELSE!"

Dan Murphy

[Chip]

All of the prisoners appear to be French to me, at least that is what the uniforms and caps say. Yser caps had no chinstraps and had buttons in the front. I don't see anything in this photo that would date it any later than 1915.

[Douglas Jr.]

Nice picture!

The rifle that appears on the left corner is the second-line weapon Gewehr 88 (a.k.a. Kommision Gewehr) still fitted with an old long ld style bayonet (model 1884?)

Douglas.