My Pioniere

argonne said:
Yes Steve, thats always the reason why such helmets have to be regimentally stamped as it should be!

In this case, in addition, wearer named on the rear visor and tracked in the Württemberg Kriegsstammrollen . Adolf Bruhns from the city of Lübeck, born 19.3.1889, electrical technician in civilian life, entered the 2/PB13 on the 1.9.1912. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 7.4.14. He survived the war at the final rank of Feldwebel.

His military career first began on the 7.10.1908 at the Telegraphen Bataillon 2 (garrison in Frankfurt / Oder and Cottbus), till the 19.10.1911. Then he moved to the elsässiches Pionier Bataillon 19 (garrison in Strasbourg) before he finally moved to the PB13 in Ulm. Note that the helmet is also dated 1912, the year in which Adolf Bruhns moved to this unit.
Helmet was found May 2018 in North Germany in the context of a real estate succession.

Philippe

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Great helmet and special thanks to Argonne. Your post is very educational. A great job.
Zeb
 
Here is my example, the helmet of Friedrich Mahnke from Reserve-Pionier Kompanie Nr. 46 (RPioK 46). He fought only in Flanders and was killed during the battle of Saint Eloi on the 12th April 1916. He was on the famous craters. His unit was too used for the first gaz attack on the 22th April 1915.1.JPG2.JPG8.JPG9.JPG9bis.JPG
 
And the helmet of the Unteroffizier Karl Lange from Reserve Pionier Kompanie 54. It is one of 40 men made prisonner in the night of 23th to 24th october 1914 just before the great german attack on Besealere, this small group of pioniers and infanterist has to make openings in the british defensives fences and barbed wire net in south of Besealere but was lost and was made prisonner par the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots Fusiliers. This fact is mentionned in Military operations, France Belgium 1914 for the 24th October.

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festwagner said:
Here is my example, the helmet of Friedrich Mahnke from Reserve-Pionier Kompanie Nr. 46 (RPioK 46). He fought only in Flanders and was killed during the battle of Saint Eloi on the 12th April 1916. He was on the famous craters. His unit was too used for the first gaz attack on the 22th April 1915.View attachment 53128View attachment 53129View attachment 53130View attachment 53131View attachment 53132
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That is a great helmet and with a great history.
The condition is also excellent
Great research.
Thanks for the post.
Steve
 
festwagner said:
And the helmet of the Unteroffizier Karl Lange from Reserve Pionier Kompanie 54. It is one of 40 men made prisonner in the night of 23th to 24th october 1914 just before the great german attack on Besealere, this small group of pioniers and infanterist has to make openings in the british defensives fences and barbed wire net in south of Besealere but was lost and was made prisonner par the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Scots Fusiliers. This fact is mentionned in Military operations, France Belgium 1914 for the 24th October.

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I like this one also
Great work that you have done
Thanks for the post.
Steve
 
One pioneer helmet more...PB 16, garrison in Metz. Double named and tracked.

First worn by Vizefeldwebel der Reserve and Offizierstellvertreter Finck, 3/PB16, KIA on the 30.9.14 in the Argonne forest.
His mortal remains were buried by the side of a forest path with some fifteen of his men, and their helmets were returned to the Ersatz Bataillon in Metz. Interestingly, and quite uniquely, the visor bears the inscription of the second wearer who received the helmet two weeks later, Unteroffizier Gotthardt Mohs, 4/RJR236. The RJR36 was sent to Belgian Flanders (Ypres) in mid-October 1914. Unteroffizier Mohs was wounded and taken prisoner by the French at Langemark during a poorly coordinated German attack on November 7, 1914. The regimental history of RJR236 indeed mentions that the men of RJR236 had to be equipped with totally disparate helmets due to the great lack of equipment. They received pioneer helmets, dragoon helmets, guard helmets and even a hundred police helmets.
Philippe

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Verlustlisten 1. Weltkrieg, page 1835: Finck ()

des.genealogy.net des.genealogy.net

Verlustlisten 1. Weltkrieg, page 8151: Mohs Gotthard (Berlin)

des.genealogy.net des.genealogy.net

Offizierstellvertreter Finck ( his grave shows the name Fink, name transcription error during post-war exhumation to the german cemetery of Servon-Melzicourt, near the Argonne forest).

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Beautiful condition indeed and an incredible History to match! Thank you for sharing this.
 
It's a very emotional object for me, because since the age of 7, I've been walking with my father in the precise area of the Argonne forest where Vizefeldwebel Finck was killed and buried. In 2021, I specially returned to this area, which I know very well, and took this photo of the spot where Finck was buried on 30.9.14.
Philippe

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Finck was KIA at the Bagatelle Pavillon.
The 2 and 3/PB16 fought with the 3, 4 and 7/JR67. On the other side were 6 platoons of the french 120th and 128th infantry regiments...

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argonne said:
It's a very emotional object for me, because since the age of 7, I've been walking with my father in the precise area of the Argonne forest where Vizefeldwebel Finck was killed and buried. In 2021, I specially returned to this area, which I know very well, and took this photo of the spot where Finck was buried on 30.9.14.
Philippe

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Finck was KIA at the Bagatelle Pavillon.
The 2 and 3/PB16 fought with the 3, 4 and 7/JR67. On the other side were 6 platoons of the french 120th and 128th infantry regiments...

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This is a very emotional experience. Thank you for sharing this story.
Wojtek
 
argonne said:
It's a very emotional object for me, because since the age of 7, I've been walking with my father in the precise area of the Argonne forest where Vizefeldwebel Finck was killed and buried. In 2021, I specially returned to this area, which I know very well, and took this photo of the spot where Finck was buried on 30.9.14.
Philippe
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Wow Phillipe - what an extraordinary piece of history, and outstanding research and personal details. Thanks so much for sharing it!
 
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