I have some information about Reserve and Landwehr and after a discussion with Tony I‘d like to add them to this post. Hope it’s also interesting for some of you.
Glenn pointed out in post #16 the Reserve existed in 1813, however the institution of Reserve officers did not exist until 1868. Then as the references explain, first the Landwehr cross for Reserve officers was on the chest, then moved to the tail feathers in 1869 to allow the 'FR' on the chest to be visible. Why? It can probably be inferred, that the about-face from chest to tail feathers for the cross was to distinguish Reserve officers from Landwehr, even though the Landwehr officers were wearing the Tschako at the time. Which was quite convenient when the Landwehr again adopted the spiked helmet in 1881 as they went back to the cross on the chest.
As far as I know, the foundation of the reserve officer corps in 1868 was necessary because of the different military organizations of the German states in the „Norddeutsche Bund“. In order to harmonize the different military organizations this new reserve officer corp was founded. With the new corp, the reserve officers became younger and also took part in the maneuvers. They retained their expertise and so the Reserve/Landwehr regiments were significantly strengthened.
There were also Landwehr- or reserve-officers in the prussian army before 1868, but only in times of mobilisation. According the book „
Heereswesen und Infanteriedienst der königlich Preußischen Armee“, page 188 (by Arthur von Witzleben, from 1854), in the event of war there were elections by which Reserve- or Landwehr officers for specific units were chosen from among the active or inactive officers (reactivated) and assigned to Reserve or Landwehr regiments.
Glenn pointed out: "Both the Bekleidungsordnungen of 1896 and 1903 clearly state that “the men of the Beurlaubtenstande who are placed in a line (i.e. active unit) wear the uniform of the latter without the Landwehr cross”. Both editions do however state that “Reserve-Regiments” (i.e. exercise formation formed in peacetime do so) However, one must remember that reservists served with their original unit on recall for training”
So even as late as 1903, Reservists serving with their assigned Line unit were directed to wear the standard Line eagle Wappen with Fatherland Bandeau. That implies that any issued M1891 eagle Wappen (with threaded posts on the back) with a cross on the chest is Landwehr, as once again, Reservists were supplied by their assigned unit and would have worn the standard Line eagle Wappen with the Fatherland Bandeau.
This also suggests that it was the Landwehr who were first issued (supposedly) M1895 (loops on the back) Prussian Wappens with chest cross, and that issued Reserve Wappens are from 1896 onwards, but only for raised Reserve exercise formations. How often that happened is unknown.
I have translated the mentioned § 117 of the Prussian clothing regulations of 1896 and added some hopefully useful information about the conscription in the German Empire and also about troops who didn’t wear the Landwehr Cross:
And last 2 AKO’s and a newspaper article about the cancelling Landwehr Cross for members of the district commands (Bezirkskommandos):
(Source: Google Books, Armee-Verordnungsblatt 1896)
Translation:
I decree that the Landwehr Cross on the caps and helmets of officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted men employed at the district commands (Bezirkskommando) shall be omitted.
At the same time it is determined that the brigade numbers on the epaulettes and epaulets shall be made of silver-plated metal, or on white and yellow epaulettes of blue, on red and blue of white number cord. Furthermore, officers and enlisted men of the District Commands I - IV Berlin are to receive a "B" made of silver-plated metal, or white number cord.
The changes listed above also apply to the semi-invalids assigned to the individual District Commands of the Provincial Army Corps. For the semi-invalids of the Guard Corps, the Landwehr Cross is also dropped. These wear the Guard eagle on their helmets and, as before, the epaulettes of the 2nd Guard Regiment on foot without insignia.
The War Department notes the following:
1. The changes for the teams will be made from the district command's own funds, but care is to be taken that the Guard Land Guard cyclists of the semi-invalids may be reused for other reserve formations.
2. Samples are issued only as show pieces for the District Commands I - IV Berlin. The color of the blue number cord is determined by the light blue of the trim cloth.
(Source: Google Books - Allgemeine Militär-Zeitung, vol. 71 (1896), page 430: AKO Bavaria - No Landwehr Cross for bavarian district commands)
And about the Landwehr helmets from September 27, 1899:
Translation:
I decree that the Landwehr infantry regiments should wear helmets from surplus of the infantry. The rest of the Landwehr infantry keeps the shako. The Landwehr Cross made of nickel silver is to be attached to the helmet eagle as a badge.