Prussian EM M1895 & 1915 Belts

[RON]

Not too long ago I bought the following belts for a good price.

After doing a bit of research, I realized that the M95 model included a leather pull tab (gone on mine).

My question to you guys is: Did the M15 version also include a pull tab or was it dropped to save leather?

 

[Frozzer]

not all of M15 buckles has a pulltab

but about belts
I think belt with M15 bucke is WW2 german belt made afther 1940y
Belt in the right - is probably para-military organisation like DJ, HJ, SA etc belt

am I right ?

Best Wishes !
Michal

 

[RON]

Salut Michal,
I don't really know how 3r Reich belts looked like but the ones above look close to if not exactly like other WW1 models I've seen on reputed militaria sites... The ends have been field-shortened for both but in different ways:
While the M1895 was simply cut with the 'hook' placed back, the M1915 was cut, folded, sewn again and had its 'hook' put back.

 

[Frozzer]

Belt on left has a steel hook - typical for WW2 belts made afther 1940y
Maybe I'm wrong and WW1 belts has a steel hook to ?
but shape is typical for WW2 hooks


Is there any signatures on belts ?

 

[RON]

From what I've learned, the fittings on M15 headgear and fieldgear were made of steel to save on brass (M95) for the war effort. Like the M15 Pickelhaube for example, all fitting parts in an M15 belt were made of feldgrau-painted magnetic steel (buckle & hook).

As for the maker's signature, there's actually one on the tip of the hook of the M15 (see below, looks like 'a L c' or similar) but none on the M95:

But maybe I'm wrong again? :-k

 

[reservist1]

Ron: The buckle hook on the belt with your grey steel Prussian buckle is World War II vintage. Three things give it away.
1. the green paint.
2. the raised ridge in the center of the hook portion
3. the makers code of OLC in a diamond. This is a trademark for Overhoff and Company. Ludenscheid. Overhoff and company was a well known producer of various military equipment during World War II.

The buckle hook for M1915 belt buckles is steel, does not have a raised ridge in the center of the hook and has a grey finish. There are good photographs of a probe sample of a M1915 belt buckle and buckle hook on pages 592 and 593 of The German Army in the First World War, Uniforms and Equipment - 1914 to 1918. by Juergen Kraus.

Reservist1

 

[RON]

Hey R1, I can't really tell field green from field grey but it is definitely magnetic steel (not aluminum). However you all seem to concur that the fluted (raised ridge) style and that maker's mark are enough to make it WW2 era ... Well, at least the buckles are Imperial... and the price I paid for both was low enough anyway.

But this means I now need at least 1 Wehrmacht/3rd Reich EM buckle and 1 M15 Leather Belt! (the latter won't be easy to find )

As for the belt that came with the M95 buckle, after more scrutiny, I noticed a couple of marks carved on its back:
At the base of the adjustment tab (where the buckle sits) - Reads something like:
JV. AUSEG. 2
?ERSTELLER - Nr. 256
At the tip of the adjustment tab:
67 (or 29 if inversed) (which can't be referring to belt length which is 80 cm)

Here's a few closeups I just took (can't be better because it's past 11pm here and I had to use my flash):

 

[Chip Minx]

Ron,

That leather stamp is also post WWI. Both belts are postwar.

Chip

 

[RON]

Guys, this leather belt is being offered to me. I'm hoping you can help me read some or all the regimental marking despite the bad photos... The seller says the belt hook is steel so would the marking match my Prussian M15 Buckle so that I can finally have at least 1 complete WW1 belt?
I can read some of it: " B.J.A.III(?)Co. 2 f. " ??

 

[Lars13]

Hi Ron,

The B.J.A. means Bekleidungs-Instandsetzungs-Amt, and the III refers to the III. army corps, so it's a marking at army corps level. The "Co. 2 f" I'm not certain about; "Co. 2" could mean 2nd company, and the "f" suitable for use in the field (I thought "felddienstfähig", but in the link below it's referred to as "felddiensttaglich")

The BJA typically upgraded/repaired equipment/headgear/etc.

I've found a link referring to exactly the same marking: http://www.militaria-fundforum.de/showthread.php?t=396158, in German.

Lars

 

[RON]

And the III. Armee-Korps was based in Berlin, the old capital of Prussia...
Thanks Lars!