Wild Pic

W

Wyliecoyote

New member
This isn't a helmet, this is a postcard. The auction has ended. It appears to be a Stosstrupp Training Regiment. Check it out. I think it is 1916, I'll save my comments for later.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130081581328&ssPageName=STRK:MEDW:IT&ih=003
 
Cool photo. Interesting that the machine gun crews are wearing picks without the pick and the guys who may be cadre are wearing picks with the pick. I'd bet that the french helmets are explained by a shortage of M1916 stahlhelm at the time of this training.
 
I remember reading in Baer's "The German Steel Helmet' that German troops were given captured French Adrians to wear to get them use to the weight of wearing steel helmets in preparation for the issue of M16 stahlhelms. I have to look it up, my guess would be that the French helmets went to training Regiments until enough M16's were available for ALL German troops. My guess is late summer 1916.
 
Hi George: Very interesting photograph. I believe it cannot be earlier than 1918. If you look at the MG08/15 at the left of the photo it is fitted with the tubular steel bipod (no lower cross brace) that was introduced in 1918 along with the 13mm bolt action anti tank rifle. This bipod was issued with both the anti tank rifle and MG08/15's. If you have access to The Devil's Paintbrush, Sir Hiram Maxm's Gun by Dolf L. Goldsmith there is information on this late bipod on page 169.
 
R1

Great info, I would have found it hard to beleive this was 1918 otherwise. I have a photo of rekreuten from Oct. '18, so I would have expected that all these trainees would have all been issued stahlhelms by then. Great info, thanks.
 
Extremely interesting foto from my point of view. I have never heard of Germans wearing captured Adrians before. Any comments gentlemen on the uniforms? Looks like dunkelbalu on my screeen and obviously some sort of Garde unit with the litzen? Is this correct? I smell another learning opportunity here. Brian
 
Brian:

Based on the spikes vs. balls, Swedish cuffs and litzen I would think that this is a guard pioneer unit, although I'm sure there are other possibilities...

Dave
 
Some of he cadre have Feld grau , but this must be a training unit as they do seem to have a dunkenblau and REALLY SHINY buckles.
The cadre seem not to have the same Litzen. You would think they would removed the French badges.
Mark
 
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