4thGordons Posted 13 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 13 November , 2023 Just picked up another small lot of photos with some possibly interesting uniforms shown. Many of them are slightly damaged/faded Here's one - not sure I have seen this style of leather jacket (and trousers?) before. There appear to be insignia on the shoulder boards but I cannot really make them out, it could be a number (possibly 3?) or it could be a device/letter. Also collar patches present. I assume this is an official/issue garment? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 14 November , 2023 Share Posted 14 November , 2023 The guy in the leather uniform is a Kraftfahrer, hence the "K" on his shoulder boards. He wears the typical uniform for Kraftfahrer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle of loos Posted 14 November , 2023 Share Posted 14 November , 2023 good morning, I would like to know what this collar badge stands for : because I had the opportunity to find 1 of them in the field thank's michel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 14 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2023 12 hours ago, AOK4 said: The guy in the leather uniform is a Kraftfahrer, hence the "K" on his shoulder boards. He wears the typical uniform for Kraftfahrer. Thanks! much appreciated. It is very hard to make out but here is the reverse of the pic of the driver and in BW with contrast adjusted - doesn't help much seems to be a date ??/2/1917 on right side Looking through the pics while there are a number of quite interesting pictures there is nothing much remarkable about the uniforms that I have noticed so far - all fairly standard One with Shakos and some nice bayonets shown Detail: collar insignia appears to be 1 and 7 on opposite collars. I cannot make out detail on the shako plates but will attempt a re-scan and one with an interesting (to me! as in I don't know what it is! Armband) -- perhaps signifying the elite rabbit training battalion? One is M.L. the other appears to start with a Y and one obscured by crossed arms. Collar badges appear to be 3 over 11 Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 14 November , 2023 Share Posted 14 November , 2023 2 hours ago, 4thGordons said: It is very hard to make out but here is the reverse of the pic of the driver Vertical on the left „Der rechte ist mein Bruder ich möchte gern daß ich auf dem Bild allein bin“. - The one on the right is my brother I would like to be alone in the picture. Zum_______ Andenken an Deinen treuen Freund _________ - a ____souvenir of your faithful friend ________ Auf Wiedersehen hoffentlich? - till we meet again hopefully? Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 14 November , 2023 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2023 Thanks very much @charlie2 Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 On 14/11/2023 at 05:50, AOK4 said: He wears the typical uniform for Kraftfahrer. I dare to specify: The typical Sonderbekleidung (special uniform) for Kraftfahrer. „Sonder“ = special because they were only issued to those who actually steered/drove motor vehicles or those who sat next to the driver ready to take over. All the others in the Kraftfahrer- units wore plain fieldgrey uniforms albeit (mostly) with the „K“ on the flaps as already noted by Jan. GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 I was curious about the M.L. armlets (aka brassards) too. Thinking of what L might stand for in German. Militar Lazarette? Or would correct grammar render it Lazarette Militar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 24 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said: I was curious about the M.L. armlets (aka brassards) too. Thinking of what L might stand for in German. Militar Lazarette? Or would correct grammar render it Lazarette Militar? Hello, It's Garde-Landsturm-Infanterie-Bataillon Wartenburg (G/11), visible because of the "G" over 11 on the collar. Definitely nothing "Lazarett" (that's all red cross). The battalion was in the East, I would say Militär-... Usually those armbands would be for some police force. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 36 minutes ago, AOK4 said: Hello, It's Garde-Landsturm-Infanterie-Bataillon Wartenburg (G/11), visible because of the "G" over 11 on the collar. Definitely nothing "Lazarett" (that's all red cross). The battalion was in the East, I would say Militär-... Usually those armbands would be for some police force. Jan Thanks Jan, so do you mean ‘Militar Landsturm’ then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevB Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 I think the collar badges on the drivers uniform would originally have been an old style automobile in white metal : as below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 On 14/11/2023 at 15:58, battle of loos said: good morning, I would like to know what this collar badge stands for : because I had the opportunity to find 1 of them in the field thank's michel It doesn't have to be from a Kraftfahrer, other jackets had these as well on the collars. Jan 1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said: Thanks Jan, so do you mean ‘Militar Landsturm’ then? No, that doesn't make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 15 November , 2023 Share Posted 15 November , 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, AOK4 said: It doesn't have to be from a Kraftfahrer, other jackets had these as well on the collars. Jan No, that doesn't make sense. Thanks Jan, I didn’t think that was what you meant, but I wasn’t clear what you were saying. I understand your assertion that it doesn’t relate to Lazarette (Red Cross etc), but given the German language and the likely military contexts of that time, what do you think (i.e. your educated guess) that M.L. might be referring to? Edited 15 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 17 November , 2023 Share Posted 17 November , 2023 On 15/11/2023 at 19:11, AOK4 said: It doesn't have to be from a Kraftfahrer, other jackets had these as well on the collars. The only troops issued with this Sonderbekleidung were Kraftfahrer (Motorists) or Kraftrad-Fahrer (Motorbikers). Not all Kraftfahrer, however, wore the metal emblem on the collarpatch. GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 17 November , 2023 Share Posted 17 November , 2023 17 minutes ago, GreyC said: The only troops issued with this Sonderbekleidung were Kraftfahrer (Motorists) or Kraftrad-Fahrer (Motorbikers). Not all Kraftfahrer, however, wore the metal emblem on the collarpatch. GreyC GreyC, I was talking about the patch that was found by battle of loos. There's no way to be sure this was from a Kraftfahrer. There were other similar patches on other types of uniforms. The colour may also have changed after many years in the ground. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 17 November , 2023 Share Posted 17 November , 2023 Sorry, a misunderstanding. GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 23 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 23 December , 2023 It appears it was 9 years ago (almost to the day) that I was given a lot of photos which started this thread! 1) 9 years (and 87 pages) ?? how on earth is that possible and 2) I have just been given another lot of 50 or so German photographs by my wife so I can add some more. A quick look though shows that about half of the pics seem to be artillery related, however there are a few navy/marine ones and some interesting uniforms - most of them seem to be in decent condition. So I have scanned a couple that caught my eye immediately. First one -- what caught my eye here was the bayonet! (French!) and what appears to be a corduroy cap. No indication of unit at all here (no shoulder boards etc) Quite nice Shako detail on this one -- shoulder boards are hard to make out but look a little complicated Different style of tunic again but with Guard collar insignia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 24 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 24 December , 2023 Some variety and fancy get ups here! Chalked on the gun appears to be 5/FAR (5th Field Arty?) The building in the background appears to have Cyrillic lettering on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 3 hours ago, 4thGordons said: Some variety and fancy get ups here! The person in the centre of the front row is GFM August von Mackensen. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 Is a Seesoldat of the Marine Infanterie. The shoulder boards have crossed anchors surmounted by the imperial crown with a roman numeral I, II or III beneath the anchors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 if the facings and collar are black, which I think they are, Leib-Kürassier-Regiment Nr.1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn J Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 5 hours ago, 4thGordons said: Chalked on the gun appears to be 5/FAR (5th Field Arty?) Nice photo. That will be a field piece of a 5th battery of a field artillery regiment. The officers for the most part are of the staff of the 9th Army in late 1914. Next to the then General der Kavallerie von Mackensen is his chief of staff, Generalmajor Paul Grünert and the army Oberquartiermeister, Generalmajor Traugott von Sauberzweig. Also recognisable is the commanding general's adjutant, Rittmeister Kurt Krahmer, the hussar officer seated in the wagon with the death's head cap badge. Rittmeister Krahmer was promoted to Major on 28 November 1914 which would date the photo between von Mackensen's assumption of command of 9. Armee on 1 November and 28 November 1914. Regards Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 Some superb photos there, thanks to 4thGordons for sharing them and Charlie2 and Glenn J for the interesting information that adds context. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn J Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 9 hours ago, 4thGordons said: Different style of tunic again but with Guard collar insignia? Reichswehr in the early twenties I would opine. Regards Glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 24 December , 2023 Share Posted 24 December , 2023 45 minutes ago, Glenn J said: Reichswehr in the early twenties I would opine. Regards Glenn I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now