Jerry and infantry Regiment 31

[joerookery]

Jerry and I have been corresponding on a separate issue when he posed a question. I thought I would put the discussion here as at least to me this is very interesting.

QUESTION . Have a helmet Private purchase to an Offzestellv.Karl Otto LIR 31 and JR31- 1904 marked with all the bells and whistles. ( A real dandy) Can you tell me of the unit during the Great War? This guy must have been in for a while. I don't understand the acting officer part. Would he have been an E-9 or something and became an acting jack Lt?

First the easy part Offzestellv. Is pretty much like you have it. As there was no E9- this could come from a series of sources. The key point is that this was a wartime expediency. It did not happen in peacetime.

So a helmet marked 1904 was no doubt for infantry Regiment 31. This is where it gets interesting -- at least to me. JR 31 was entitled Infanterie-Regiment Graf Bose (1. Thüringisches) Nr.31 however this had nothing to do with Thuringia. After this title was awarded the unit moved to Altoona which is right next to Hamburg -- they kept the title. JR 31 was in VIII Corps. Normal units from Thuringia were in XI Corps. The guy in question no doubt moved to LIR 31. This is consistent with his age and transition into the Landwehr.

However to show you the frustration I live with constantly, LIR 31 had nothing to do with JR 31. LIR 31 was aligned with the Hansiatic regiments of which Hamburg had one. So he probably operated in the Landwehr district around Hamburg. JR 31 was aligned with LIR 32.

A Private purchase helmet marked to two units definitely needs photographs! E-mail them to us! Thanks for such an interesting set of units!

 

[Jerry Rehr]

Joe; Thanks for the information. I would like to know what the Offizerstellv. was as far as his duties and the like. He must have been an important figure in both Regiments. Also if this high ranking NCO/Officer is listed anywhere? It seems by the markings in the helmet he was this rank for quite awhile. I will be seeing Slim next month at a local show and will have him post pictures of this Helmet. The helmet has also the marks from a cover on the front and rear visors. Jerry

 

[joerookery]

The helmet has also the marks from a cover on the front and rear visors.

Interesting, a private purchase helmet with an issue Uberzug.

These guys were initially designed to fill the shortage of platoon leaders. However their use grew quickly and they could be found in all sorts of positions as acting officers.