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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Kgl. Bayerische 5 Feldartillerie Regiment Konig Alfons XIII Von Spanie


Primary Source

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I recently bought a WWI officers sword with the following engraving on one side: Kgl. Bayerische 5 Feldartillerie Regiment Konig Alfons XIII Von Spanien. On the other side is a scene with many horses pulling artillery.

I have done some google searches and belive the regiment might have been part of the 3rd Bavarian Division later renamed the 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division. Other than this though I have learned very little, if only I understood German.

Any information on the regiment would be appreciated. I am speciffically interested in what areas the regiment was involved.

I have included 2 pictures. The fist one shows the regiment engraving and the second shows the horses pulling a cannon.

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This is a particularly fine sword. many thanks for sharing your photographs. You are right about KB FAR 5 being part of the 3rd Bavarian Infantry Division. (It was always known as that, by the way. It indicates that it was part of the active army and, therefore that it was not a Reserve, Landwehr or Ersatz regiment, for instance).

However, in addition to its 1st, 2nd and 3rd Abteilungen [battalion equivalents], this regiment also had a Reitende Abteilung, i.e. a horse artillery battalion designed and equipped to support the Bavarian Cavalry Division. It was the only unit of its type in the Bavarian Army and, like all other such horse artillery organisations, must have been a very upmarket outfit. I suspect, but do not know, that this sword belonged to an officer from the Reitende Abteilung. If we can get someone with expertise in the subject to confirm or deny this theory, then I can list exactly where the owner of the sword may have served.

Jack

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Nice sword, Primary Source – could you treat us to a photo of the whole thing

Mick

Sure Mick not a problem.

I spent a weeks pay on the sword so I plan to show it off as much as possible. I would provide better pics but the attachment size limit is a little restricting. Though I'm sure the size restriction is necessary.

Thanks for the help Jack and I would be greatfull for any more information people might have.

Justin

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Justin

Does it by any chance have a name or a set of initials embossedon it? Quite often these swords were individual custom made orders, so it might be possible to screw down who owned it.

Jack

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...and I meant to add that having seen it I am even more certain that it belonged to a mounted officer. That shape of sabre is designed for cutting downwards with a slashing stroke.

Jack

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Jack

I looked and the only markings I can find is the makers mark WK&C with the King and Knights heads. Where would the etching of the owners initials usually be?

It was sold as belonging to an officer of the Horse Drawn Artillery, so I believe your suspicion might be correct.

Thanks very much for the help. If I find out any thing else I will post it here.

I am glad I found this site and look forward to learning more about a War that is nearly forgotten in the United States.

Justin

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Justin

The owner's name would have been etched onto the ricasso (the unsharpened section of the sword blade nearest to the hilt). I am sure that you would have seen something if it had been there. At least we know where the sword originated. It was made by Weyerberg, Kirschbaum and Company, a major manufacturer of swords in Solingen, founded about 1880. Unfortunately it has no records dating back to the period of interest. They were all destroyed or looted during the Second World War.

What I suggest you do is to discuss the sword on a sword collectors' website, get someone to confirm if it is a horse artillery sword, then we can move on to where the relevant part of the regiment served.

Jack

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Jack,

It has been confirmed that the sword was almost certainly a horse artillery sword. Buying this sword has led to a lot of fun research and might possibly help me to narrow my area of collecting. Collecting and studying the whole war has been a bit overwelming.

Justin

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Justin

Assuming that the owner of the sword fought throughout the war with the Reitende Abteilung, this is an outline of the places where he would have been located:

Western Front

Aug - Sep 1914 Mobilisation, deployment and operations in Lorraine.

Oct - Dec 1914 Northern France and Belgium (involved in the 1st battle of Ypres, amongst other battles)

Jan - Mar 1915 Metz

Eastern Front

Apr - Jul 1915 Operations in Lithuania and Latvia

Jul 1915 - Jun 1916 Northern Russia

Jul 1916 - Jul 1917 Stochod (Ukraine)

Sep - Nov 1917 Sereth

Nov 1917 - Mar 1918 Romania

Mar - May 1918 Crimea

May 1918 - Jan 1919 Ukraine N.B. 1st Mounted Battery spent Jun - Oct 1918 in the Caucasus

Return to Germany Jan 1919 N.B. 1st Battery returned Dec 1918

I hope that this helps to flesh out the picture for you a bit and wish you good luck with your collecting.

Jack

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