joerookery
Well-known member
Dave,
Great thought!
This goes back to my old question of which units wore which helmet Wappen? Bear with me for a minute as I expound on a thought. Active helmet plates are in general not a problem at all. References abound about which unit wore specific Wappen. Within that active unit there were officers assigned who had reserve commissions. Walter Bloem in his famous work "The Advance from Mons" was such an individual. They would wear a Landwehr cross on a bandeau.
They were also individuals who had reserve commissions granted to a specific regiment that had a bandeau -- these individuals would have a Landwehr cross over the bandeau.
Upon his request a reserve officer could be transferred to the Landwehr. In theory this should require a new Wappen for Prussian officers. We know that this was not adhered to all the time.
There were also individuals who came from regiments with bandeauxs who were assigned to regiments without bandeaux -- my understanding is that they would wear the bandeau. No rule ever seems to have been followed completely.
Okay we can shift from a generalized point on officers. But what about enlisted helmets? There is a dearth of both bandeaux and Landwehr crosses on enlisted helmets. They certainly exist but the numbers do not make sense. I cannot determine two things. Which reserve and Landwehr units were authorized to wear distinctive helmet plates similar to some active unit. The following question is -- did they actually wear them? Lacarde gives listings but does not give any specific references at all. I have been unable to reproduce what Lacarde said. I have no reason to believe he's wrong in relation to the authorization I just cannot reproduce the result. I know the units are authorized to wear a unique Wappen did not in most cases. Also Landwehr crosses were generally not applied -- but suddenly then there was one!
Currently I am chasing down BKA structure in the military districts. Maybe the answer is there?! So there you go my verbal dribble.
Great thought!
This goes back to my old question of which units wore which helmet Wappen? Bear with me for a minute as I expound on a thought. Active helmet plates are in general not a problem at all. References abound about which unit wore specific Wappen. Within that active unit there were officers assigned who had reserve commissions. Walter Bloem in his famous work "The Advance from Mons" was such an individual. They would wear a Landwehr cross on a bandeau.
They were also individuals who had reserve commissions granted to a specific regiment that had a bandeau -- these individuals would have a Landwehr cross over the bandeau.
Upon his request a reserve officer could be transferred to the Landwehr. In theory this should require a new Wappen for Prussian officers. We know that this was not adhered to all the time.
There were also individuals who came from regiments with bandeauxs who were assigned to regiments without bandeaux -- my understanding is that they would wear the bandeau. No rule ever seems to have been followed completely.
Okay we can shift from a generalized point on officers. But what about enlisted helmets? There is a dearth of both bandeaux and Landwehr crosses on enlisted helmets. They certainly exist but the numbers do not make sense. I cannot determine two things. Which reserve and Landwehr units were authorized to wear distinctive helmet plates similar to some active unit. The following question is -- did they actually wear them? Lacarde gives listings but does not give any specific references at all. I have been unable to reproduce what Lacarde said. I have no reason to believe he's wrong in relation to the authorization I just cannot reproduce the result. I know the units are authorized to wear a unique Wappen did not in most cases. Also Landwehr crosses were generally not applied -- but suddenly then there was one!
Currently I am chasing down BKA structure in the military districts. Maybe the answer is there?! So there you go my verbal dribble.
