A question to Joe

[911car]

I thought of Joe instinctively to answer this but of course, others may know too...
Referring to this name tag in a DR15 helmet recently auctioned on ebay, does it mean that the soldier was transiently at the Rekruten Depot, before joining Ersatz Btl, then the active unit (would they make name tags especially for this short period?.. I suppose no, and these should have been changed later anyway). More likely, was this soldier an employee of the Rekruten Depot, participating in the selection/early training of recruits?
Many thanks.

 

[ottodog8]

I believe the tag indicates a duty assignment to the Recruit Depot, as what we would call cadre or permanent party.

Steve

 

[joerookery]

I tend to agree with Steve. These tags were actually purchased at the sutler store. I once had a pack of them. Sort of printed like a modern day name tag. They came in two varieties apparently, cloth and paper. Now just to add a little fog, The recruit depot was one of the companies of the ersatz battalion. So logically it could have been put on relatively early but it was a personal expense. Money tended to be really tight.--- I am still looking for a lawyer to give me $130,000 to shut up :^o

 

[argonne]

Hi Gents,

I have a different opinion.

Let have a look to another exemple of name tag in a old R72 helmet:

This guy can be tracked and traced as he was later incorporated in the 3. Kompanie of the Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon 14 in which he was K.I.A. June 1915.

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/2250176

But he first moved with its 3. Kompanie on the 7.9.1914 from the Torgau Rekruten Depot of the EB LIR72 to the Reserve-Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon 14:

"Ersatz-Bataillon Landwehr-Inf.-Rgt. Nr.72 wurde in Torgau aufgestellt.
2. &. 3. Kp. traten am 7.9.1914 zum Res.-Brig.-Ers.-Btl. Nr.14.
Eine Komp. wurde als Ldw.-Ers.-Komp. dem Ers.-Btl./R.I.R. Nr.72 angegliedert"

As you can see, the 2 and 3 Kompanie of the EB LIR72 has formed the 2 and 3 Kompanie of the R.BEB.14 and then of the BEB.14.

I think that both Rekruten Depot and Ersatz-Bataillonen were the first step for new recruits to absolve their short military formation of a few weeks before they were sent to the front line. They had the time to mark their uniforms with those name tags. Those small pieces op cloth or paper were not a big financial thing!
One can compare those Rekruten-Depots and Ersatz-Bataillonen with the Feld-Bataillonen of some others units, which existed only a few weeks, before the guys were sent in a combat unit, no matter if active, reserve, Landwehr or BEB (Brigade-Ersatz-Bataillon).

Here another "well known" exemple of mine showing the name tag of a guy in the hessian FB70 which only have existed two weeks (end of November till middle of December 1914) before it was renamed in I/RJR254.





Philippe
:wink:

 

[joerookery]

I could not follow that. I don't think it is a big difference of opinion. Of course the recruit depot was a company of the ersatz battalion and it could be done then. As to how much they cost? I don't really know but something tells me I saw some for sale and some catalog. I don't know if paper was cheaper than cloth? The paper tags really look cheaper. They had a little bit of glue on the back and you could lick it and stick it on your helmet. Often times that glue seems very firm but the cloth ones seem to be a higher grade. The most interesting thing – I think – about your last example is that the rank is Gardist. which I believe is given to him based on his induction. While this is all correct and is borne out by the history of RJR 254, it gave some collectors pause.