German Pickelhaube covers with numbers on them...

[Bob Davies]

Hello all, I am looking for some help please. German soldiers are often pictured wearing Pickelhaubes with a cover over them and on the cover is usually a number/letter. Can anyone tell me for certain what these numbers or letters mean? Regards, Bob.

[P.B.]

Hi Bob

 

In answer to your question, the numbers designate the unit of the soldier -in most cases this means the number of an infantry regiment, but in 1914 the use of numbers on the covers were extended to all units that wore the pickelhaube, so it could be the number of a pioneer, supply or railway unit as well.  Numbers were initially applied in red cloth which changed to green cloth in August 1914 and then were later applied as a stencil before all numbers were officially abolished/removed from covers by an order of October 1916.

 

Some very basic points about the numbers on helmet covers:

Guard regiments wore plain covers without any numbers.

Regular regiments wore the number by itself.

Reserve regiments wore a letter R mounted above the number.

Ersatz (replacement) regiments wore a letter E above the number.

Landwehr regiments (basically an older class of reservist) wore a letter L above the number.

Landsturm (basically an even older class of reservists) wore an Iron Cross shaped motif above the number on their covers from March 1915.

 

As an example, the photos below show two soldiers from the regular Infantry Regiment 54 with just the number on their covers, and a single soldier from Reserve Infantry Regiment 262 with the R on his cover.

 

Hope this has been of some help, all the best

 

Paul.

 

Edited 12 November , 2020 by P.B.

[Bob Davies]

18 minutes ago, P.B. said:

In answer to your question, the numbers designate the unit of the soldier -in most cases this means the number of an infantry regiment

Hi Paul, that answers my question well. So 33 or 66 will mean the 33rd or  66th Infantry regiment. Thank you for explaining that and taking the time to do it. Best wishes, Bob

[GreyC]

Hi,

Paul supplied a lot of information, and most of it is correct, but it is not as easy as that.

1.) There were more possibilities of numbers and letter combinations as Paul mentioned

2.) Not all Reserve Infantry Regiments  (RIRs) featured the "R" on the helmet. For example 203, 204, 215 on the helmet designate the RIR 203, 204, 215, not IR 203,204, 215, quite simply because there were no IRs of that number, so no danger of mixing them up.

3.) Not all the numbers were Arabic numerals, there were also Latin numbers, showing Army-Corps units.

4.) What units were meant by the numbers not only depended on the letter/number combination, but also on the form of the top of the helmet. So, a spiked helmet with a number 45 designated IR 45, one with a ballpoint top and the number 45 stands for Fieldartillery Reg. 45. L 4 would stand for a Landwehr-Regiment 4 with spiked helmet, L 4 with ballpoint helmet stands for Landwehr-Artillerie Regiment 4. A third kind of helmet was the Tschako. So a 14 on a Tschako does neither mean Infanterie-Regiment 14, nor Field-Artillery Reg. 14 but Jäger-Bataillon 14. And so on and on...

GreyC

 

 

Edited 12 November , 2020 by GreyC

[Bob Davies]

21 minutes ago, GreyC said:

Hi,

Paul supplied a lot of information, and most of it is correct, but it is not as easy as that.

1.) There were more possibilities of numbers and letter combinations as Paul mentioned

Thank you GreyC, I have little knowledge of the German army however I try to learn. Best wishes to you, Bob.

[GreyC]

Hi Bob,

there are too many variants to list them all. I forgot to write, eg. that helmcovers with a latin 6 (for example) and spiked helmet do not stand for the Prussian IR 6 (there was none, but for the BAVARIAN 6th Infantry. Also, there were helmcovers like +x12 which did not stand for Landwehr, but a Landsturm unit. You see, quite a few possibilities. To make it more visual I have attached a few examples from my collection:

1) 4th Reserve-Corps

2) 9th Landwehr Field-Artillery

3) 25 (Saxon) Reserve-Jäger Bataillon

4) 41st Landsturm Bataillon (yes, sometimes the + stood for Landsturm, not only for Landwehr)

5) 46th Reserve Pionier Kompanie (the long shovelhandle and the black rimmed collar give it away)

6) 14th Jäger-Bataillon (Mecklenburg)

Best,

GreyC

Edited 13 November , 2020 by GreyC

[Bob Davies]

1 hour ago, GreyC said:

there are too many variants to list them all.

Hi GreyC, thank you for these examples, instantly I see the Jager have a different shaped 'helm' under the cover. Much more reading to do myself, to understand the 'lay out' of the German army. Best wishes, Bob.

[GreyC]

Hi Bob,

well spotted.

Please note: L9 ballpoint instead of spike; R 25 a Saxon shaped helmet (only for Saxons) opposed to the 14 which is a "typical" Tschako.

GreyC

Edited 13 November , 2020 by GreyC

[Bob Davies]

7 hours ago, GreyC said:

Please note: L9 ballpoint instead of spike;

Hi GreyC, yes I see that now you mention it, thank you. I have a German soldier to research for a friend, very little is known about him so I am getting as much detail from them before I ask on here. I am sure there are some experts such as yourself I can ask. Best wishes, Bob.

[Hans k.]

Here are some examples of numbered covers, from early M1892 examples with the red cloth numbers to M15 (introduced June 28 1915) two piece covers with green cloth numbers and one with a stenciled green number. The last picture shows an unissued artillery cover with the number removed as per October 27 1916 regulations. 

 

Hans

 

3 Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 50

 

Infanterie-Regiment „Prinz Friedrich der Niederlande“ (2. Westfälisches) Nr. 15

 

2. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 99

 

2. Nassauisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 88

 

Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 77

 

Trierisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 44

Edited 16 November , 2020 by Hans k.

[Bob Davies]

Hello Hans, thank you for posting these pictures, that is quite a collection. Picture 6 what is the green number on that one and also what is the bag with the 'tins' in it? Very interesting to see them, over 100 years old now! Regards, Bob

[Hans k.]

10 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

Hello Hans, thank you for posting these pictures, that is quite a collection. Picture 6 what is the green number on that one and also what is the bag with the 'tins' in it? Very interesting to see them, over 100 years old now! Regards, Bob

Thanks Bob. I edited my post and added the Regimental information to each cover.

 

The bag with the tins is the first version carrier for the model 1915 Gummimaske gas mask.  The two small tins hold the filters. 

Edited 16 November , 2020 by Hans k.

[GreyC]

Great pictures. Thanks for posting!

GreyC

[Bob Davies]

9 minutes ago, Hans k. said:

The bag with the tins is the first version carrier for the model 1915 Gummimaske gas mask

Thank you Hans, something new is learnt every day! Regards, Bob.

[Bob Davies]

On 12/11/2020 at 22:50, P.B. said:

single soldier from Reserve Infantry Regiment 262 with the R on his cover.

Hi Paul, I have been looking over these pictures. Can you tell me what the whitish colour object is on the Reserve Infantry mans tunic, halfway between his collar and belt buckle. It must be fastened to his buttons somehow?  Regards, Bob.

[P.B.]

Hi Bob

 

The object in the photo is a small battery operated torch -many different varieties of these were available for private purchase, generally they are finished in field-grey or black paint and sometimes there is a brand or trade name like "Tarnkapp" embossed on the front.  Often they attach to the tunic buttons by either leather tabs or wire loops, and some models can be attached to belts as well as buttons.   I don't have one in my collection, but this photo shows an example held by the IWM.

 

All the best

 

Paul.

[Bob Davies]

2 hours ago, P.B. said:

The object in the photo is a small battery operated torch

Hi Paul, thank you for the reply and the picture. Amazing, I had no idea battery powered torches existed at this time. I thought it looks like a torch but decided, I'm sure they were running lights/lamps off carbide or oil. Regards, Bob.

[GreyC]

Hi, in Germany battery-powered torchlights were invented 1896 and patented in 1906.

Here two examples from my collection first a Bavarian, second a Prussian soldier:

 

Edited 16 November , 2020 by GreyC

[JWK]

Here's one "in action":

 

Willy Homann, from Düsseldorf. Ca August 1915, trenches at Auchy-les-Mines

[Bob Davies]

Thank you for sharing these pictures GreyC and JWK. Imediatley I am drawn to the 'hook speed lacing' on Willy Homanns boots. Calmly posing for the picture. An incredible picture. Attached is my badge button collection. Looks like I have a German army button there. To the left of the Staffs cap badge looks very similar to the Bavarian soldiers buttons GreyC. Possibly the one to the top right too may be German?

 

Edited 16 November , 2020 by Bob Davies

[JWK]

5 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

Calmly posing for the picture. An incredible picture.

 

Fritz Limbach wrote to his family about this photo he took:

"The soldier on photograph nr 41 is not an actor, but, if you allow me to introduce him to you, Willy Homann from Düsseldorf, businessman by profession, at present tired warrior."

[Bob Davies]

5 minutes ago, JWK said:

Fritz Limbach wrote to his family about this photo he took:

Thank you Fritz Limbach, for taking this picture and introducing us all to Willy Homann. Also to JWK for sharing it. Regards, Bob.

[AOK4]

9 hours ago, GreyC said:

Hi, in Germany battery-powered torchlights were invented 1896 and patented in 1906.

Here two examples from my collection first a Bavarian, second a Prussian soldier:

 

 

 

The second one is a soldier from Württemberg...

[GreyC]

Oops, sorry. It even says so in the file name. Got mixed up with this one.

GreyC

PS: Yes the buttons are Bavarian and Prussian in your collection.

Edited 17 November , 2020 by GreyC

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

looks like most if not all the variations are covered. I have also found that in some cases, helmets for reserve units did carry an R, yet some only the regimental number while others in the same company had nothing at all. I also note that some of the examples were red, others green. Red was used in the pre-war years and at the outbreak of war the color changed to green. Considering the whiolesale use of older equipment for the Reserve, Landwehr and Landsturm units you are amazed at the variety of uniform bits found in some of these regiments.