Shoulder Board

W

Wyliecoyote

New member
Can anybody identify this shoulder board?

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This fellow was photographed with a couple of kameraden in Zossen Ubungsplatz in September 1914.

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I'm thinking they're from Königin Augusta Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr.4 which had blue shoulder straps with a crowned A in red. It's kind of blurry but I think that's an A on the shoulder strap with a rather large crown above it.
 
Funny. Mike and I posted at the same time. Nice pic George. Wouldn't have anything to do with those bang-sticks they are holding hmmm?
 
You bettcha!

Thanks for the I.D. gentlemen!

Tony, everytime I see those straps, I am amazed again & again. They are fantastic.
 
4.G.G.R. looks like the ticket. Thank You for the close-up view. These are just gorgeous examples.

Would it be alright if I make a scan of the G.G.R.4. board to display with the photo?

Geo
 
Thanks T!

Here is another photo of photo of unidentified Garde Korps troops, cancelled Berlin SW, 6 Dec. 1914. All wearing GK pickelhauben, M95 waffenrocks, M95 / 97 pickelhauben with Garde Korps wappen. Ammo pouches are M95, with the exception of the M89 pouches worn by the NCO. The NCO at left has a marksmanship lanyard and appears to be wearing black boots while the other fellows wear tan. He appears to be short for a member of the Garde Korps.

Surprisingly enough, six of the eight armed men are armed with Gew 88's & only two with Gew 98 rifles. Appears that even Garde troops not at the Front turned in Gew 98 rifles for Gew 88's.

The GK were amongst the first troops to receive the Gew 98 in 1901. Note that of the Gew 88 rifles sold to Ecuador around 1904, most that have come into the US in recent years have been former Garde Korps regimented rifles.


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Can anybody hazard a guess for these shoulder boards?

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Looks like Kaiser Franz Garde-Grenadier-Regt. Nr.2 (Berlin) Garde-Korps (the red one in my photo).

I still have not found a M88 commission rifle George. Still looking after all these years.
 
Arggghhh... Damn you Schnurr, as you know you have infected me with dunkelblau schulterklappeitist! I must have, I must have das schulterklappen.....!!!! Anyway, that foto of your collection is another inspiration for my latest addiction.
 
I'll ask if he knows of any available.

Here's another shoulder strap in need of I.D. Crappy angle, but this is as good as it gets:

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Originally I thought this fellow might be a Garde Landsturm soldier who was armed with an 88, but it is a French Lebel rifle M1886/93, which has a muzzle adaptor for fixing German bayonets. This one has a a fullered EB# 3 ersatz bayonet fixed. An example of a ersatz bayonet that appears to be totally painted feldgrau. According to Anthony Carter in German Ersatz Bayonets Volume 1., there were adaptors made to fit Russian M91 Mosin-Nagants, French Lebel M1886 & M1886/93's, and Berthier M1907/15 & M1916 captured rifles, because there were not enough captured bayonets to go along with those rifles. Also note that the photo itself is tombstone shaped. Was this puposely done for a soldier who fell in battle, or just a coincidence? What regiment might he belong to?

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Adding to the above photo identified by Tony as the Kaiser Franz Garde-Grenadier-Regt. Nr.2, here is a rear band on a Gewehr 88:

K.F.R.8.178. - Kaiser. Franz. Garde-Grenadier-Regiment. 8th Kompanie. 178th weapon.

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This is attached to a SA rifle that was a former Ecuador rifle. No chance that is was in this photo or WWI, as it was most likely amongst surplus rifles sold to Ecuador circa 1904. The rear band number is not matching to the rifle, and the example that it is on, although in very good condition, is mainly what is known as a mix-master, good parts used to assemble a single rifle. Of most of the regimentals that have been collected from rifles imported at the beginning of this decade, most have been former Garde Korps regimentals.
 
Looks like your latest unknown strap is from an Eisenbahner. It's an "E" over the regimental number. You can't see the top of the "E", but the bottom could not be anything else.

Chip
 
George,

Another big hint is the cartridge pouches. This type was normally only issued to support troops, ie, Telegraphentruppen, Eisenbahner, Pioniere, etc. You usually see them in conjunction with a 98a carbine, but in this case, the weapon is even further down the chain.

Chip
 
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