Greetings Guys
This is my first listing of a Pickelhaube for your perusal and enjoyment and my apologies for its length and verbage but once I got started it just went on. The helmet itself is not all that new to our collection as my wife Terri purchased it for me as a Christmas present several years ago. Typical M1867 Infantry Officers helmet , at the time I noticed there was a name and regiment number written on the neckguard and thought, well, one of these days I'll try a bit of research on the fellow.
First hurdle was to try and simply read the handwriting, the 35 Rgt was plain enough, but the name was a bit tough with the first letter appearing to be a Y. It in fact turned out to be the letter J, for Junghans followed by a Roman Numeral II.
Next step was to research the regiment and its history during the 1870-1871 War in France. The British Government in 1874 entrusted Captain F.C.H.Clarke R.A. with the task of translating the official German General Staff report of the Franco-German War of 1870-71, which in turn was reprinted by The Battery Press in 1995. This is a five volume set which I purchased from Battery Press on Ebay, price I believe was $175, and for research potential it is a downright bargain. Using this marvelous tool it was a simple process to find the 35th Fusilier Regiment and its service history during the war by utilizing the indepth Appendices to be found in the rear of each of the five volumes. In addition to the OB's for both French and German Armies, it lists the casualty returns by name and regiment for every German Officer killed or wounded during the conflict, the enlisted ranks are numbers only. The returns for the 35th Regiment on the 16th of August 1870 listed two Leutnants named Junghans, Junghans I and Junghans II. Junghans I lost his life and the latter was wounded.
Step number three was purely by chance, I was doing some other research on Ancestry.Com and entered the words German casualties in the search box. To my amazement the single listing which was displayed concerned itself with the German dead and wounded during the Franco German War to include enlisted personnel as well as officers. Listed by date and regiment. I searched for Junghans I and II and there they were, Second Lieutenant Friedrich Reinhold Junghans II, 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Fusilier Regiment wounded in the chest and right arm and Lieutenant Junghans I (no first name given) 12th Company, killed, shot through the head. Were they Father & Son, brothers, perhaps twins? Who knows, at any rate it was a sad, sad day for the Junghans family of Berlin.
BATTLE OF VIONVILLE-MARS LA TOUR
On the morning of the 16th of August 1870 the 35th Fusilier Regiment (Colonel du Plessis) formed part of the 11th Brigade, 6th Infantry Division, III Army Corps commanded by Generalleutnant v.Alvensleben II. His orders that morning were to intercept what was thought to be the rearguard of the French Army retiring to the Fortress of Verdun. Subsequent events were to prove that the German III Army Corps engaged that day the better part of the entire French force on the road to Verdun, General Alvensleben and his men had the proverbial tiger by the tail.
At 930am the 6th Division was ordered forward in column of regiments with orders to move past Mars La Tour upon Jarny. At 1030am the Division received a change in orders to move upon Vionville, the Division wheeled by Brigades to the right with the 11th Brigade taking the road from Tronville. The 35th Fusiliers led the way, crossed the heights south of Tronville and with its 1st Battalion moved upon the village of Vionville. Deploying the regiment forward heavy casualties occured in the Second Battalion near the cemetary which resulted in the remnants of its 7th Company joining the 1st Battalion, half of which had advanced against the southern part of Vionville. The 3rd Company moved between the village and the cemetary but was unable to advance due to heavy losses. The Third Battalion held the right flank and found a secure position in hedges southwest of the village. It was here under the hurricane of French fire that the 3rd Company became seperated from the First Battalion and joined ranks with the Third Battalion. In Volume I page 373 the final assault to take Vionville is desribed thus, "In this advance over the almost bare plateau against the broad front of the French there instantly kindles an obstinate contest, in the blood-bedewed variations of which unity of command is speedily lost. The watchfulness of the subordinate commanders and the bravery of individuals take its place. Guided by the formation of the ground, the enemys sweeping fire and the momentary inspiration of the officers, the company columns at full intervals are moved hither and thither and intermingled. Stragglers join straggles and bear a hand in the fight to the best of their power. After a long and bitter contest the Prussians press forward about 1,000 paces, they succeed in wresting the position at the clump of trees and the adjacent heights from the enemy, the latter turns to retreat. A French gun falls at this period into the hands of the pursuing Prussian Infantry."
During the battle the 35th Fusiliers suffered the loss of 257 men killed and 602 men wounded. May their memory remain eternal.
This is my first listing of a Pickelhaube for your perusal and enjoyment and my apologies for its length and verbage but once I got started it just went on. The helmet itself is not all that new to our collection as my wife Terri purchased it for me as a Christmas present several years ago. Typical M1867 Infantry Officers helmet , at the time I noticed there was a name and regiment number written on the neckguard and thought, well, one of these days I'll try a bit of research on the fellow.
First hurdle was to try and simply read the handwriting, the 35 Rgt was plain enough, but the name was a bit tough with the first letter appearing to be a Y. It in fact turned out to be the letter J, for Junghans followed by a Roman Numeral II.
Next step was to research the regiment and its history during the 1870-1871 War in France. The British Government in 1874 entrusted Captain F.C.H.Clarke R.A. with the task of translating the official German General Staff report of the Franco-German War of 1870-71, which in turn was reprinted by The Battery Press in 1995. This is a five volume set which I purchased from Battery Press on Ebay, price I believe was $175, and for research potential it is a downright bargain. Using this marvelous tool it was a simple process to find the 35th Fusilier Regiment and its service history during the war by utilizing the indepth Appendices to be found in the rear of each of the five volumes. In addition to the OB's for both French and German Armies, it lists the casualty returns by name and regiment for every German Officer killed or wounded during the conflict, the enlisted ranks are numbers only. The returns for the 35th Regiment on the 16th of August 1870 listed two Leutnants named Junghans, Junghans I and Junghans II. Junghans I lost his life and the latter was wounded.
Step number three was purely by chance, I was doing some other research on Ancestry.Com and entered the words German casualties in the search box. To my amazement the single listing which was displayed concerned itself with the German dead and wounded during the Franco German War to include enlisted personnel as well as officers. Listed by date and regiment. I searched for Junghans I and II and there they were, Second Lieutenant Friedrich Reinhold Junghans II, 3rd Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Fusilier Regiment wounded in the chest and right arm and Lieutenant Junghans I (no first name given) 12th Company, killed, shot through the head. Were they Father & Son, brothers, perhaps twins? Who knows, at any rate it was a sad, sad day for the Junghans family of Berlin.
BATTLE OF VIONVILLE-MARS LA TOUR
On the morning of the 16th of August 1870 the 35th Fusilier Regiment (Colonel du Plessis) formed part of the 11th Brigade, 6th Infantry Division, III Army Corps commanded by Generalleutnant v.Alvensleben II. His orders that morning were to intercept what was thought to be the rearguard of the French Army retiring to the Fortress of Verdun. Subsequent events were to prove that the German III Army Corps engaged that day the better part of the entire French force on the road to Verdun, General Alvensleben and his men had the proverbial tiger by the tail.
At 930am the 6th Division was ordered forward in column of regiments with orders to move past Mars La Tour upon Jarny. At 1030am the Division received a change in orders to move upon Vionville, the Division wheeled by Brigades to the right with the 11th Brigade taking the road from Tronville. The 35th Fusiliers led the way, crossed the heights south of Tronville and with its 1st Battalion moved upon the village of Vionville. Deploying the regiment forward heavy casualties occured in the Second Battalion near the cemetary which resulted in the remnants of its 7th Company joining the 1st Battalion, half of which had advanced against the southern part of Vionville. The 3rd Company moved between the village and the cemetary but was unable to advance due to heavy losses. The Third Battalion held the right flank and found a secure position in hedges southwest of the village. It was here under the hurricane of French fire that the 3rd Company became seperated from the First Battalion and joined ranks with the Third Battalion. In Volume I page 373 the final assault to take Vionville is desribed thus, "In this advance over the almost bare plateau against the broad front of the French there instantly kindles an obstinate contest, in the blood-bedewed variations of which unity of command is speedily lost. The watchfulness of the subordinate commanders and the bravery of individuals take its place. Guided by the formation of the ground, the enemys sweeping fire and the momentary inspiration of the officers, the company columns at full intervals are moved hither and thither and intermingled. Stragglers join straggles and bear a hand in the fight to the best of their power. After a long and bitter contest the Prussians press forward about 1,000 paces, they succeed in wresting the position at the clump of trees and the adjacent heights from the enemy, the latter turns to retreat. A French gun falls at this period into the hands of the pursuing Prussian Infantry."
During the battle the 35th Fusiliers suffered the loss of 257 men killed and 602 men wounded. May their memory remain eternal.
