Pickelhaube Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39

L

Lars13

Well-known member
My latest Pickelhaube purchase, from Füsilier Regiment 39. Not particularly special nor in a very good condition, but it is the regimental affiliation that makes it interesting for me. My collecting is (or should be, I stray at times) limited to what is visible on the First World War pictures/postcards in my Grandmother’s album, and the only Pickelhaube visible is from FR 39.

Due to the RIR 39 marking a reserve Wappen might be more appropriate, but the Wappen does fit the “ghost” visible on the helmet. The heads on the split pins that attach the spike to the helmet seem rather small. Frustratingly, imprints of Kokarden and even of helmet cover cloth are visible, which leads me to suspect that a previous owner might have used the Kokarden, chin strap, helmet cover and possibly Wappen on a higher quality helmet, so I don’t know how original the metalwork is.

Lars

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Joe, you're welcome to use the markings in your database if you want.
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Thank you very much Lars! That certainly makes it easy for me and is very kind of you. Is your name on the contributors list? If not could you PM me your full name and I will add it. Our current picture of FR 39.... sucks.

Due to the RIR 39 marking a reserve Wappen might be more appropriate,
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I do not agree. Most of the reserve formations did not have crosses. An additional step during mobilization that was seldom taken. I thought that you might enjoy this little section from Chapter 8 Great War Dawning. I know this is self-serving but I think this kind of information makes that reference book absolutely essential. But then again that is just me! 8-[

On mobilization, the Landwehr formations kept their own numbering system—based upon the active regiments mobilizing them; whereas, the numbering of the reserve formations was oriented to the numbering system of the active brigade to which the Landwehr area belonged. This system can be quite misleading and confusing as several authors called the reserve formations with same numbers “sister regiments” of the respective active regiment. This grouping was not always true because the reserve regiments were mobilized with reservists provided by the Landwehr areas and cadre personnel coming from active regiments. Sometimes they had the same number, but usually not. There was no correlation between active regiments and reserve regiments that had the same numbers. Similarities in numbering were coincidental and not systematic.

For example, the active 28 Infantry Brigade (Düsseldorf) of the 14th Reserve Division (VII Reserve Corps) comprised 9 Füsilier-Regiment (Niederrheinisches) Nr. 39 (Düsseldorf) and 8 Lothringisches Infanterie- Regiment Nr. 159 (Mülheim a.d.Ruhr). The 28 Reserve Infantry Brigade belonged to the 13 Reserve Division (VII Reserve Corps) and consisted of the Reserve Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 39 (mobilized in Düsseldorf in August 1914) and the Reserve Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 57 (mobilized in Wesel–Friedrichsfeld in August 1914). Weapons, uniforms, helmets, and other equipment of these reserve regiments were stored together with the stock of the Landwehr Infanterie- Regiment 53 (Essen) in the artillery depot in Wesel and in the sub-depot in Düsseldorf (sub-depot for reserve personnel called in to join active units). Although the personnel of these formations came from Düsseldorf, Essen, Mülheim, and other surrounding cities, the units were finally formed and entrained for deployment in Wesel and Friedrichsfeld.
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Gentlemen, thank you for your nice comments and information. Joe, my name is already on the contributors list.

I had forgotten to show the postcard that actually shows the Pickelhaube. It has taken me more than 10 years to figure out that the "building" visible on the left is actually the pedestal of a monument for soldiers from FR 39 that died in the Herero war in German South-West Africa during 1904-07 that was located on the FR 39 barracks-ground at the time (it was moved in 1935), which finally confirmed that the soldier in question belonged to FR 39.

 
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