Grandfather

K

Ken S.

New member
Here's a picture of my grandfather who served in the First World War. Aside from that, I know nothing about his service. A while back, I posted this picture on another forum and someone who seemed to be quite knowledgeable claimed that it was a pre-war picture. My grandfather was, however, born in 1899, so I highly doubt that the picture is pre-war. I'll hold off revealing for the moment what unit he suggested my grandfather served with, and would appreciate hearing what you guys think:


Thanks,
Ken
 
Hi Ken,
He seems to be very young in the picture, perhaps about 16 or 17 years old. As he was born in 1899, the picture is from the beginning of the war, of course.
Otto
 
Ken

Your granfather is wearing the other ranks uniform for Garde FAR Nr. 4, garrisoned at Potsdam. The shoulder straps are light blue with a red bomb insignia. It would also appears that his uniform and helmet are "private purchase" and the picture would be pre-war (1914).

Regards

Dave
 
Hello Ken: Welcome to the group. Dave is right on with his identification of the uniform. The 4th Guard Field Artillery regiment was initially assigned to the 2nd Guard Division and later in world War I the 5th Guard division. If you would like a short summary of those two divisions service in world War I send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will be happy to send it along.

Reservist1
 
Thank you all three of you for your replies. The 4. Garde-Felda.-Regt. is indeed the unit that I was told he belonged to. But as for the picture being pre-war, don't know what t make of it. Is is possible they could have been using pre-war uniforms late in the war just for such portrait pictures? If not, I guess he must have enlisted under-age.

Thanks again,
Ken
 


Ken is it possible you have the Birth year wrong or perhaps this is not your Grand Pa??????
 
Hey Guys,
We have seen many war time photos with young soldiers in Dunkelblau uniforms, why could this not be one of theose.
Gus
 
Looking at the start of the war. The active-duty soldiers were those who had turned 20 in 1912 and 1913, which were born in 1892 and 1893. The reservists, where the next five classes: 1891, 1890, 1889, 1888, and 1887.
Click to expand...
In September 1914 the class of 1914 was called up. This was a total of about 670,000 people and many were sent to Reserve Infantry Divisions 75 through 82. The class of 1914, was born in 1894.
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in April of 1915 the class of 1915 was called up early this was an additional 674,000 soldiers
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We are not near 1899 yet. So...... I don't think so. Great chase though!
 
joerookery said:


Ken is it possible you have the Birth year wrong or perhaps this is not your Grand Pa??????
Click to expand...

I'm fairly certain about his year of birth, and quite positive that that is him in the picture.

Ken
 
joerookery said:
Looking at the start of the war. The active-duty soldiers were those who had turned 20 in 1912 and 1913, which were born in 1892 and 1893. The reservists, where the next five classes: 1891, 1890, 1889, 1888, and 1887.
Click to expand...
In September 1914 the class of 1914 was called up. This was a total of about 670,000 people and many were sent to Reserve Infantry Divisions 75 through 82. The class of 1914, was born in 1894.
Click to expand...
in April of 1915 the class of 1915 was called up early this was an additional 674,000 soldiers
Click to expand...

We are not near 1899 yet. So...... I don't think so. Great chase though!
Click to expand...
Yes Joe, but later in the war they were calling up classes earler.
Gus
 
Yes all is possible but a haube w/plume seems pre-very early war. There were also young kriegsfreiwillinger..... but then a Gd. outfit...

So in this example, there were 240,000 individuals of the class between the ages of 17 and 20, whose assignment to the Landsturm was nothing more than paper. During the war, this representative group of people between the ages of 17 and 20 made up the majority of the war volunteers. Most of these individuals were funneled into Reserve Infantry Divisions 43 through 56 and the Bavarian Reserve Infantry Division, #6.
Click to expand...
 
In no-one going to comment that he is just a Kanonier (Private) but he is carrying a saber of an Unteroffizier mit Portepee (NCOs with the Officer's sword knot)?

I believe it is a misjudgment as Gus pointed out, to believe that on 01 Aug 1914 everyone was instantly in Feldgrau. I have many photos of soldiers in Dunkelblau uniforms posing with their EK (iron Cross). And many dated as late as 1917. So I see no reason why a parade plume might not have been worn for a photo or parade well into the war in the Garrison training Kaserne. Look at helmets from plumed regiments dated as late as 1915; the spikes still are made for a plume.

Ken, I envy you for having such a nice photo of your grandfather. Here is the Waffenrock he is wearing, more photos here>> http://www.kaisersbunker.com/dunkelblau/tunics/dbt20.htm

dbt20.jpg


And here is the helmet is is wearing, more photos here>>
http://www.kaisersbunker.com/dunkelblau/helmets/dbh22.htm
dbh22.jpg
 
This is the same pattern sword and portapee in the phtograph.

sabre5eo.jpg


The presence of the sword in the studio portrait may indicate that the fellow was in the Fahrende Abteilung of the 4th Garde FAR. Given his rank the portapee is unusual.

Reservist1
 
In no-one going to comment that he is just a Kanonier (Private) but he is carrying a saber of an Unteroffizier mit Portepee (NCOs with the Officer's sword knot)?
Click to expand...

I didn't notice it! Odd but cool.



I believe it is a misjudgment as Gus pointed out, to believe that on 01 Aug 1914 everyone was instantly in Feldgrau. I
Click to expand...

Yes of course. So it is possible that this is some later war studio photo hardcarton using dunkelblau exclusively of a very young guy in a gd outfit. Stranger things have happened for goodness sake look at the sword. Maybe it was all studio props! Great hunt! I wish I had a picture like that.
 
Thanks for the additional information and photos. It's interesting to see in more detail and colour what my grandfather's uniform--and the sword--would have looked like.

Tony, in looking through your excellent site, I notice that you also have pictures of a 5. Garde-Regiment zu Fuss uniform as well. I was told that my paternal grandfather may have served with this unit. The picture I am attaching is from a card that my late uncle printed from the original that my aunt received after my grandfather passed away. Several years ago, I finally visited my other aunt in Germany and she has a colorized version in the same manner as on your photos.


Ken
 
Ken

Your photo of your grandfather does indeed show him wearing the other ranks uniform of the 5. Garde-Regt. zu Fuss.

Dave
 
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