Hauben in Zonnebeke and question on IR127

chrispaulodale

chrispaulodale

Active member
Here's a nice photo I just saw-

Pickelhaube_mmp.JPG


Its from a Museum in Zonnebeke, Belgium shown on WikiMedia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pickelhaube_mmp.JPG

I especially like the Wuerttemberg steel helmet in the front left...

Which reminds me of something that's bugged me for a while....

IR127 (9. Wuerttemberg) was formed in 1897, years after IR128 (1881). From its formation date it should be numbered up in the late 170s...

Was there a previous IR127 in existence in 1881, to make IR128 choose their number?

Am I missing something obvious? :-?

Cheers
Chris
 
Chris,

The numbering conventions in the German army for regiments is very confusing. We are going to expand on this greatly in the next book. As a general thought there was this numbering system with blocks of numbers saved for various contingents. As the Army expanded these blocks of numbers were filled up and a new set of numbers had to be created. In addition, there was massive renaming.

Just taking a look at JR 127 it was from Würt.
Therefore, you would expect it to be in their numbers. When this contingent was added to the Prussian army lists on 18 December 1871 it only consisted of infantry regiments 119–126. The “open hole” of 127 was not filled until 1897. The next number used by this contingent was 180.

Meanwhile, JR 128 was from Danzig in the East Prussia. It was formed by an AKO in 1881. It was a Prussian unit and that is where of the numbering restarted. So prior to that time an open hole had been left for number 127 which belong to the kingdom of Würt.

Did that lousy explanation confuse you more! :sign5:
 
Did you know the quality of those helmets is rather poor?
Did you know they even have a replica in that cabinet? It's the saxon felt haube, just behind the Wuerttemberger...
Shame on the otherwise good museum...
Adler

PS sorry for the crappy pics...



 
The Saxon felt helmet with the leather visor edge looks very similar to the infamous scroll helmet. :eek:

Say...does that helmet in front of the Saxon have 3 vent holes in the shell, above the Prussian cockade?
 
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