Garde Fusilier Regiment, 12th Company

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Hello everyone.

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Jody, I'm from the US & I collect mostly bayonets & firearms.

I've been working on some Gew 88s, 2 of which are nearly complete in restoration or rebuild.

I am hoping someone would be able to assist me with some research.

I posted this question on the Axis History forum & someone suggested that I post here that someone named George, or Mr 88 is the man to talk to.

I am trying to find out about a Prussian/Imperial unit.
One of my Gew 88 has a front band with the following regimental markings.

52mtjjm.jpg


On another forum somebody told me that in Jeff Knoll's book that is shows this is for Garde Fusilier Reserve Regiment, 12th Company, Weapon 240, to which someone later in the post replied that the 12th Company would be under the command of the Third Battalion.

I'm hoping to learn more about this & get some of the historical info on this regiment & where it's been, etc.. For a starting point, all I have are the above & the rifle's year of manufacture from Spandau, 1890

Also, note that on Axis History, it is suggested that it's not reserve but just Garde Fusilier Regiment, also called the 'Maikäfer' (Cockchafer) .


Anyway, I'd like to find out more about / on this unit & I'm hoping to someday have an idea on part of this rifle's life & possibly someday even trace it back to a specific soldier, but unlikely. I'll just be satisfied knowing more about the unit from 1890 & forward...

Thanks.
 
The unit marking on your GEW88 indicates weapon number 240 of the 12th company of the Guard Fusilier Reserve Regiment. I believe, but can not now confirm, that it was part of the 1st Guard Reserve Brigade in the 1st Guard Reserve Division.
 
Welcome to pickelhaubes.com!

I've seen this pic in ParallaxBill's site. What Plevna told you was on the money, Garde. Fusilier. Reserve Regiment. 12th Co. weapon 240. (G.F.R.12.240) G.F.R.12.240 would be for Garde Fusilier Regiment.

Garde-Füsilier-Regt. (Berlin) Garde-Korps founded 30 March 1826. I found this at A Pocket German Army :

http://users.hunterlink.net.au/~maampo/militaer/milindex.html

Another excellant place to look up Unit info is Kaisers Bunker:

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/gtp/New/infantry1.htm

Do Check this site out, but be prepared to have to pop your eyeballs back into their sockets, as there is plenty of eyecandy there.

As far as there not being a Garde Fusilier Reserve Regt, there must have been, as there is the Regimental in your picture that says there was. The statement on the other forum that there was NO Reserve Regt. for the Garde Fusilier Regt. is intriguing. I have no answer for that one, can anybody help us out with this?

You have an 1890 Gew 88, this was produced during the second year of manufacture. Prior to 1895, the Regimentals were placed on the lower band first. If & when a particular rifle changed ownership, the original Regimental would be X-ed out and the new owning Unit would place their Regimental on the Upper band. If there was a third ownership, the Upper band was X-ed out, and the regimental was placed on the Action, above the Gew 88 stamp. After 1895, regimentals would be placed Upper band, lower band, action.

Hope that helps!

Geo
 
Thank you everyone for all the interesting information.

I've been learning alot these last few days & all because of this rifle & its intriguing barrel band & I have learned about particular individuals who lived in times long past as well as learned about several occurences of WWI and even had the opportunity to see many photographs of soldiers, etc...


Since posting this, more info was posted to my question at axis history & I began googling pretty much all night.

I ended up downloading a pdf book named Das Garde-Fusiler-Regiment by FRANZ VON DER MULBE, Berlin. It's in german, you can download it free from google books.


During my searches for info, I have also learned that Garde-Füsilier-Regiment fought/attacked in The Battle of the Somme in 1916 & it was during this battle & fighting against this same unit that J.R Tolkien was inspired for the fighting scenes of his later published Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I have also learned that Garde-Füsilier-Regiment is among Prussia's oldest & is was an elite unit.

Yes, the rear barrel band is unit/regimental marked 1.G.R 12. .279 with a regular R & is xxx out. Previous to reading this thread, I assumed the xxxx were from turks but this is not possible on this particular gew88 as it was imported from the Netherlands in April 2007. (Unless of course they imported it from elsewhere into the Netherlands.. who knows)...

I probably will never nail down exactly what battles/events this rifle may have served, or pinpoint any previous owner, but the learning while trying has been interesting.
 
Geo,

As far as there not being a Garde Fusilier Reserve Regt, there must have been
Click to expand...

No such animal. The Gardekorps mobilised just two Reserve Infantry Regiments: 1. & 2. Garde-Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment.

Regards
Glenn
 
Was there a G.F.R. around 1890-95?

What we have to keep in mind with these rifles is that most of these regimentals were from Pre-War days, with the exception of the Landsturm regimentals. The Garde Korps started trading in their Gew 88's for the new Gewehr 98 in 1899, with the line units following after. As they were turned in, they were refurbished and given to the Reserves & Landwehr who were not already armed with them.

This is just one of those Imperial Mysteries. The Regimental is done correctly according to the regulations of 1909, unless some one used the wrong stamping die, seems unlikely though.

More than likely by 1914, this rifle was being taken out of storage for the Landsturm.
 
The M88's were used through out the War . Alot on the eastern front I have one refernce that states that certain Regiments were issued G-98's and had to change back to M-88's for service on the Eastern Front.
The Reserve Unit is closer to 1890's and onward I do not know if Garde unit's would of had this designation.
Mark
 
I believe, but can not now confirm, that it was part of the 1st Guard Reserve Brigade in the 1st Guard Reserve Division.
_________________
Geo
Click to expand...

George

Could you help us out and tell me when there WAS a G.F.R. so we can solve this mystery. Anybody? This is a very interesting situation. Evidently during the War there was none. Curious.

:?: ](*,) #-o
 
Ah Grasshopper I always need Glenn to check my work on this. Especially because the guard Corps was always different. Units that existed did not necessarily deploy -- for instance the guard Landwehr. In general there were no reserve units in existence. They were put together for exercises only. Not necessarily at the regimental level -- it was determined annually -- varied by corps -- and should be as confusing as I am.

Does this solve the mystery? No way José :cry: ...
 
Here's another curiousity I've just realized regarding the regimental stamp on my own Gewehr 88/05. 4.R.6.37. or 4th Reserve Regiment 6th Kompanie 37th waffe/weapon. When I went to look up info on this unit in Hartwig Busche's work, there was NO R.I.R.4. :-s Was this rifle placed into the mobilization-reserve for a unit that existed only on paper? Could it be the same for the G.F.R.12.240 rifle? Help Glennj! ](*,)
 
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