"S" sleeve insignia - 56 Infanterie Division

drakegoodman

drakegoodman

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Despite the MGK 21 J.R. on the side of the wagon, the reverse indicates these British prisoners are being 'accompanied' by men of the 56 Infanterie Division, somewhere near Givenchy, July / August 1916. The 21 J.R. doesn't appear to have formed part of the 56th J.D.s order of battle.

Can anyone identify the "S" on the sleeve of the surly NCO on the back of the wagon?

Cheers, Brett


MGK 21 J.R. enlarged by drakegoodman, on Flickr


MGK 21 J.R. by drakegoodman, on Flickr


MGK 21 J.R. reverse by drakegoodman, on Flickr
 
As always, Brett: interesting photograph and an interesting question. Thanks!!!
Indeed in those times it was the 56th MGC, fighting as a component of the 56th I.D. at the Somme.

I am still working on it, but I thought the S on the sleeve stands for Schütze or Scharfschütze. Belonging to a machine-gun team, sometimes the guy who effectively fires the gun wears the S on the sleeve. If he was an “individual” marksman or sniper, the soldier could wear also an S on his sleeve.

If the S is on the collar pads, it is an different case; these are mostly members of Bavarian and Württembergische Schneeschu battalions, or ski battalions. The Garden Schützen weared an S on their Shako’s . This second and last fact I can complete later with some digital periods.
 
Cheers Pierre.

The S does bear some resemblance to the "snow-shoe" insignia, but I've never seen that anywhere except on a collar or a cap of someone from the aforementioned unit, and the common sleeve badge for MG marksmen, worn on the upper-arm is the only type of insignia for MG troops I'm familiar with.


:?
 
Pierre, here's the response from the Great War forum.

"It's an unofficial shock-troop or assault-squad badge, standing for any one of the following:

Stosstrupp, Sturmtrupp, Sturmtruppe, or Sturmabteilung.

Individual infantry companies formed shock troops of one to three infantry squads (nine to 27 men) augmented if necessary by one pioneer squad. The shock troops were armed with hand grenades, one machine gun, one light trench mortar, and one to two flamethrowers.

Since the "S" badge was unofficial, it had no specific pattern."
 
That answer even puzzles me more, Brett. Why should a member of an elite unit like the Sturmtruppe were, meant to attack fast and afterwards to withdraw to the original lines, be busy with the transport of only 2 POW's?
And what about the others in the picture? Were they stormtroopers too? I doubt it.
It is possible the sign on the chariot has nothing to do with the unit of the guys in it. the chariot could possibly have been left by another unit.
Btw, has anyone taken the opportunity to look at the faces of the women in the background? The Givenchy ladies are not happy at all with their occupiers.
 
He's a surly looking brute, it wouldn't surprise me if prior to the start of the journey those prisoners were uninjured. One of them might have had the audacity to enquire "Are we there yet?" #-o
 
Pierre Grande Guerre said:
// Why should a member of an elite unit like the Sturmtruppe were, meant to attack fast and afterwards to withdraw to the original lines, be busy with the transport of only 2 POW's?
//.
Click to expand...
Probably because he is wounded. Lightly wounded soldiers would escort PWs on the way back to the rear.
 
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