... and proud of it! Help needed on IDing a sleeve badge

[Paranoid_Womb]

A small CDV made in Graudenz showing a soldier in a pre-war waffenrock with brandenburg cuffs (possibly white in colour). He has a S71 bayonet with private purchase company troddel. On his sleeve is a badge with the cypher E above 2. It looks very similiar to what is seen on Eisenbahn shoulder straps, but as far as I know, they didn't have any sleeve badges. Also, the cuffs are not correct for an Eisenbahner.

I'm sure someone can tell us what it is. Whatever it is, he wants it to be seen.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paranoid_womb/7204484920/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Chip Minx]

Joe,

This is one of those enigmas, wrapped in a mystery. Graudenz is in East Prussia inside the XVII A.K.. I don't see any units with these white Patten with piping. To confuse matters further, he is not wearing a Prussian cockade on his cap. The cap is an old style, one that you would think would have been long since put aside.The sleeve patch is reminiscent of the gray oval patches that came out during the war. I've seen other large roundish ones like this and they were unofficial, which I am assuming this one is. My only guess at present is that he may be a Pole that was given something to wear (it didn't have to match) and was put into a Eisenbahn Bau company. If he is a soldier, I cannot explain the uniform. It's too bad the shoulder straps can't tell us anything.

Chip

 

[joerookery]

Thanks Chip!

 

[Paranoid_Womb]

Thanks for your opinion Chip. I'd say it is identical to the E on Eisenbahn shoulder straps, so I'll settle for your Eisenbahn-Bau-Kompanie theory. Too bad we'll probably never know for sure.

Sam