joerookery
Well-known member
Based on where the x is this gentleman probably wrote the post card.
Robert can you read it?
Robert can you read it?
JR 25s own-black soldier
- Thread starter joerookery
- Start date
Wyliecoyote
New member
Now that is one heck of a cool picture, for more than just the obvious reason.
The cancellation is Coblenz. A "Wacht am Rhein" Stellung/Fortress. Situated on the side of a very tall hill, across from where the Rhein & Moselle intersect. Still a very quaint town.
I can read Rekruten Depot 9 Korporalschaft. There was a whole lot of Recruit training going on there. First time I saw recruits from Infanterie-Regt. von Lützow (1.Rheinisches) Nr.25 (Aachen) IX Armee Korps photographed there. Aachen is in the same region as Koblenz, close by Autobahn standards. I have seen also L.I.R 68, (Trier), and L.I.R. 25 (Coblenz). Coblenz was the home station of 6. Rheinisches Infanterie-Regt. Nr.68, IX Armee Korps.
Of the photos I have, 1914 - 1916, all recruits were armed with Gew 88 rifles, in this one we have Gew 98's in June 1917. This is the year is is generally accepted that Gew 98 production was catching up and Gew 88's were being withdrawn from service (again).
A very neat pic indeed!
Geo
The cancellation is Coblenz. A "Wacht am Rhein" Stellung/Fortress. Situated on the side of a very tall hill, across from where the Rhein & Moselle intersect. Still a very quaint town.
I can read Rekruten Depot 9 Korporalschaft. There was a whole lot of Recruit training going on there. First time I saw recruits from Infanterie-Regt. von Lützow (1.Rheinisches) Nr.25 (Aachen) IX Armee Korps photographed there. Aachen is in the same region as Koblenz, close by Autobahn standards. I have seen also L.I.R 68, (Trier), and L.I.R. 25 (Coblenz). Coblenz was the home station of 6. Rheinisches Infanterie-Regt. Nr.68, IX Armee Korps.
Of the photos I have, 1914 - 1916, all recruits were armed with Gew 88 rifles, in this one we have Gew 98's in June 1917. This is the year is is generally accepted that Gew 98 production was catching up and Gew 88's were being withdrawn from service (again).
A very neat pic indeed!
Geo
Wyliecoyote
New member
Good eye Robert! L.I.R. was home stationed at Coblenz.
So there were three Landwehr Regts. conducting recruit training (that I know of) at Coblenz Fortress. L.I.R.'s 25, 65, 68 (Trier).
Here is the earliest photo I have of recruits in Coblenz, men of the Ersatz Battalion, L.I.R. 65, 2nd Comp., which was also stationed at Coblenz. This photo was cancelled 11 Nov 14, ironically 4 years prior to Armistice Day. Youthful looking Landwehr men. They were armed with the Gewehr 88 rifle and Seitengewere 1871 bayonets.
Does anyone know why they wear these giant belt buckles instead of M95 buckles?
Funny thing about these old photos, as I was scanning this on, I noticed something new, in the photo right side, kneeling, a single recruit with a dienstmutze. Look at the shoulderboards, he is a OYV, and the Regt. number is 68. Why would an OYV be trained with regular troops, weren't OYV's trained separately, and why a L.I.R. 68 OYV photographed with men of L.I.R. 65?
So there were three Landwehr Regts. conducting recruit training (that I know of) at Coblenz Fortress. L.I.R.'s 25, 65, 68 (Trier).
Here is the earliest photo I have of recruits in Coblenz, men of the Ersatz Battalion, L.I.R. 65, 2nd Comp., which was also stationed at Coblenz. This photo was cancelled 11 Nov 14, ironically 4 years prior to Armistice Day. Youthful looking Landwehr men. They were armed with the Gewehr 88 rifle and Seitengewere 1871 bayonets.
Does anyone know why they wear these giant belt buckles instead of M95 buckles?
Funny thing about these old photos, as I was scanning this on, I noticed something new, in the photo right side, kneeling, a single recruit with a dienstmutze. Look at the shoulderboards, he is a OYV, and the Regt. number is 68. Why would an OYV be trained with regular troops, weren't OYV's trained separately, and why a L.I.R. 68 OYV photographed with men of L.I.R. 65?
Back from Mom´s and regreably I am still not shure about his name. It looks like his second name is "Blume". He may have signed the letter with "Greetings, Herr Blume" but the short word before "Blume" may also be an abbreviation like "Mag." or "Mgr." whatever it may mean.
What I thought was his full name on the side evidently means "Adr. [address] Landwehr in Rekr [or Reiter] Depot 9 Korporalschaft Inftr. Reg. 25 Landw. Ersatz Batl. Coblenz". His second name Blume is there too at the side, but not his first name.
I also forgot the second side writing on the left side:
"Then until Monday, Greetings to Schäfer (?)"
I just noticed..
it seems unnecessary to mark him with an X in the picture at all..
What I thought was his full name on the side evidently means "Adr. [address] Landwehr in Rekr [or Reiter] Depot 9 Korporalschaft Inftr. Reg. 25 Landw. Ersatz Batl. Coblenz". His second name Blume is there too at the side, but not his first name.
I also forgot the second side writing on the left side:
"Then until Monday, Greetings to Schäfer (?)"
I just noticed..
it seems unnecessary to mark him with an X in the picture at all..
joerookery
Well-known member
LIR 25 makes more sense. Interestingly, I have LIR 68 listed in Trier not Koblenz. And as there was no training center in Koblenz this really must be a recruit Depot thing.
I have made the statement that they were separate. But I am revising that thought in relation to the start of the war. I have several pictures now with a one-year volunteer embed it in the middle of a training unit of non-one-year volunteers. All of these are posts the commencement of the war. So my current thought is when the replacement started flowing in en masse they used the one-year volunteers simply as fillers. That is a real interesting thing in my mind because of the class differentiation.
I can easily see a 68 joining a 65 based on the Landwehr-Bizirke. All of this is very interesting to me.
I have made the statement that they were separate. But I am revising that thought in relation to the start of the war. I have several pictures now with a one-year volunteer embed it in the middle of a training unit of non-one-year volunteers. All of these are posts the commencement of the war. So my current thought is when the replacement started flowing in en masse they used the one-year volunteers simply as fillers. That is a real interesting thing in my mind because of the class differentiation.
I can easily see a 68 joining a 65 based on the Landwehr-Bizirke. All of this is very interesting to me.
Wyliecoyote
New member
All these recruits seem young for Landwehr men, No?
Yes, like I mentioned above, L.I.R. 68 seems to have had their Ersatz Btn. in Coblenz, even though they were stationed in Trier.
Here's two L.I.R. 68 men, both photographed in Coblenz.
This first fellow is a very interesting photo of Musketier Zimmerman. His shoulderboards identify him as a member of the 68th Inf. Reg. (Trier), from Nov 1914 to March 1915 still armed with a Gewehr 88. On the back of the photo his return address is listed as 65th Inf. Reg. II Reruten - Depot, canceled 8 March 1915. He wears a M95 pickelhaube, M95 waffenrock, and M95 ammo pouches and tornister. He wears leather gaiters with his lace up boots.
This second chap is Landser WK Lemmer cancelled 12 Dec 1916, Coblenz. Addressed to Willi Lemmer Jr. Armed w/ G 88 w/ mag cover, so trainees here were armed with Gew 88's from 1914 to at least Dec. 1916.
The 68 L.I.R originated from Trier (R.Stb., I., II., III.)( 31. L.Brig.), but the Ersatz Batl. was located in the fortress in Coblenz. Why?
Yes, like I mentioned above, L.I.R. 68 seems to have had their Ersatz Btn. in Coblenz, even though they were stationed in Trier.
Here's two L.I.R. 68 men, both photographed in Coblenz.
This first fellow is a very interesting photo of Musketier Zimmerman. His shoulderboards identify him as a member of the 68th Inf. Reg. (Trier), from Nov 1914 to March 1915 still armed with a Gewehr 88. On the back of the photo his return address is listed as 65th Inf. Reg. II Reruten - Depot, canceled 8 March 1915. He wears a M95 pickelhaube, M95 waffenrock, and M95 ammo pouches and tornister. He wears leather gaiters with his lace up boots.
This second chap is Landser WK Lemmer cancelled 12 Dec 1916, Coblenz. Addressed to Willi Lemmer Jr. Armed w/ G 88 w/ mag cover, so trainees here were armed with Gew 88's from 1914 to at least Dec. 1916.
The 68 L.I.R originated from Trier (R.Stb., I., II., III.)( 31. L.Brig.), but the Ersatz Batl. was located in the fortress in Coblenz. Why?
joerookery
Well-known member
Same old trap George. Landwehr regiments were not made of pure Landwehr men -- in this case it looks like a lot of Landsturm one or perhaps fillers from a later class. Remember the old great war forum discussions?
I have not looked this up but I would bet that maybe the leadership of LIR68 came from LIR 65. As your question why? Why not? Where was the Landwehr-Bizirke located?
joerookery
Well-known member
Robert,
I envy your visits to your mother. In the mid-90s I was taking a Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof near Hamlin. I found this picture in a junkyard.
I brought it home to the farm and asked the owner what the writing said. He admitted he could not read it but perhaps his elderly mother-in-law could. He took the framed photo to the mother in law who said she remembered this kind of writing from school but would have to ask her friends.
The following morning a parade of cars arrived dropping off elderly women at the farm. They gathered together for tea and to pour over the inscription. At the end of the day these ladies presented the interpretation. As it turns out the photograph was of the Kaiserin and her only daughter written in the hand of the Kaiserin. This was a huge event for the small-town -- all the ladies loved it. I'm sure they were all in their 80s and 90s. That's what started me collecting.
My mom is 89. I wish I could visit her with similar questions -- I'm really glad that you can-and do! God bless.
I envy your visits to your mother. In the mid-90s I was taking a Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof near Hamlin. I found this picture in a junkyard.
I brought it home to the farm and asked the owner what the writing said. He admitted he could not read it but perhaps his elderly mother-in-law could. He took the framed photo to the mother in law who said she remembered this kind of writing from school but would have to ask her friends.
The following morning a parade of cars arrived dropping off elderly women at the farm. They gathered together for tea and to pour over the inscription. At the end of the day these ladies presented the interpretation. As it turns out the photograph was of the Kaiserin and her only daughter written in the hand of the Kaiserin. This was a huge event for the small-town -- all the ladies loved it. I'm sure they were all in their 80s and 90s. That's what started me collecting.
My mom is 89. I wish I could visit her with similar questions -- I'm really glad that you can-and do! God bless.
Wyliecoyote said:
New photos of EJF wearing issued helmets, allow countless new hypothesis to spring to life. photographers props? I doubt it. As gifts from family to the man? Sure. EJF short on cash allowed to 'rent' Pickelhuabes or buy damaged issued ones from Quartermaster stores? Why not?
Wyliecoyote
New member
According to Helwig Busche:
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 68
Aufgestellt in Trier (R.Stb., I., II., III.)
Unterstellung: Festungsbesatzung Metz, 31. L.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Alefeld (I.R.Nr. 65)
I.: Major Barth (I.R.Nr. 69)
II.: Oberstleutnant z. D. Rostock (Bez.-Kdr. I
Trier) gef.: 7.9.14
III.: Major Weigel (I.R.Nr. 29)
Verluste: 15 Offz., ca. 300 Uffz. und Mannschaften.
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 65
Aufgestellt in Koblenz (R.Stb., I., III.) und Bonn (II.)
Unterstellung: 30. L.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Graup (Kriegsschule Hersfeld)
I.: Major v. Keiser (I.R.Nr. 28 )
II.: Major v. Weltzien (I.R.Nr. 28 )
III.:
Verluste:
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 25
Aufgestellt in Koblenz (R.Stb., I., II., III.)
Unterstellung: 30. L.I.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Erhardt (I.R.Nr. 173)
I.: Major Graf Vitzthum v. Eckstaedt (I.R.Nr. 28 )
II.: Major aus´m Weerth (I.R.Nr. 68 )
III.: Oberstleutnant z. D. Fischer (Bez.-Kdr. Andernach)
Verluste: 19 Offz., 370 Uffz. und Mannschaften.
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 68
Aufgestellt in Trier (R.Stb., I., II., III.)
Unterstellung: Festungsbesatzung Metz, 31. L.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Alefeld (I.R.Nr. 65)
I.: Major Barth (I.R.Nr. 69)
II.: Oberstleutnant z. D. Rostock (Bez.-Kdr. I
Trier) gef.: 7.9.14
III.: Major Weigel (I.R.Nr. 29)
Verluste: 15 Offz., ca. 300 Uffz. und Mannschaften.
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 65
Aufgestellt in Koblenz (R.Stb., I., III.) und Bonn (II.)
Unterstellung: 30. L.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Graup (Kriegsschule Hersfeld)
I.: Major v. Keiser (I.R.Nr. 28 )
II.: Major v. Weltzien (I.R.Nr. 28 )
III.:
Verluste:
Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 25
Aufgestellt in Koblenz (R.Stb., I., II., III.)
Unterstellung: 30. L.I.Brig.
Kommandeur: Oberstleutnant Erhardt (I.R.Nr. 173)
I.: Major Graf Vitzthum v. Eckstaedt (I.R.Nr. 28 )
II.: Major aus´m Weerth (I.R.Nr. 68 )
III.: Oberstleutnant z. D. Fischer (Bez.-Kdr. Andernach)
Verluste: 19 Offz., 370 Uffz. und Mannschaften.
joerookery
Well-known member
Thanks for looking that up George! Not clean is it? Two separate brigade areas. Hmmmmmm
Joe,
that picture is a great find! On fleamarkes there are often gobs of old pictures and I often thinkt there must be tons of treasures that nobody knows about.
Actually my mom is not that old, she was born in 1947 but still learned the old writing in school. We live in the same town 5 minutes apart.
that picture is a great find! On fleamarkes there are often gobs of old pictures and I often thinkt there must be tons of treasures that nobody knows about.
Actually my mom is not that old, she was born in 1947 but still learned the old writing in school. We live in the same town 5 minutes apart.