German NCO's Tunic.

[P.B.]

I thought I'd share these photographs of my latest acquisition. It's a simplified (or Vereinfachte) tunic as worn by a Compant Sergeant-Major in Baden Reserve Infantry Regiment 110.

This is an issue -rather than tailored- piece, and the front view shows the typical eight button closure and slanted hip pockets. The barrel cuffs and plain skirted back mark it out as a Vereinfachte tunic of the type which appeared in 1915:

[P.B.]

Rear view, showing the plain rear-skirt and also the load-bearing buttons:

[P.B.]

A close-up of the collar. As was common among senior NCO's, the collar has been converted to a two-hook closure, and this example bears braid (or tresse) and a large button, denoting the owner's rank. The shoulder straps for RIR 110 can also be seen:

[P.B.]

A close-up of the barrel cuffs, here bearing the distinctive double tresse rings of the Company Sergeant-Major:

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Finally, a close up of the interior markings. The tunic has a typical issue type lining featuring a field-dressing pocket and vertical opening breast pocket. The stampings indicate that it was initially issued to IR 113, before it's reissue to a soldier in RIR 110. The clothing depot stamp is BAXIV, which is correct for the Baden Army Corps. There is also an indistict maker's stamp above these markings:

[N.S.Regt.]

Paul

Nice tunic you do not see many M10/15 tunics around. I did not know that Baden used the eagle instead of the griffin on the rank buttons. Very similar to my M10/15 mentioned in your post on Iron Crosses other than mine is privately tailored. You do not find many tunics at all to N.C.O.s a great find.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[P.B.]

N.S Regt

Thanks for the comments. Many of the more "independent" states did indeed have rank buttons bearing state arms or other devices -Bavaria had the rampant lion, Wurttemberg had state arms, etc- but Baden was one of several states who used the Prussian eagle device. They also wore the Prussian style crowned/Gott Mit Uns belt buckle.

As you say, Vereinfachte tunics aren't common, and neither are good NCO tunics -whether issue pattern or privately tailored- in fact I think good WWI field-grey tunics in general are now very hard (and costly!) to find.

Best regards

Paul.

[Guest Chip Minx]

A very nice tunic indeed. Does it still have the side belt hooks? Judging from the condition and the custom collar alterations, this tunic could have been the Feldwebel's walking out dress uniform.

Concerning availability of uniforms, I would very much agree that, 1. Issue tunics of most patterns are less commonly seen than private purchase pieces, 2. model 10/15 Vereinfachte tunics are much more scarce than Blusen, 3. Model 07/10 are the rarest of the issue infantry tunics that one could find today. A case in point.....the largest privately held collection of German field gray tunics (over 200 examples) contained only two or three issue model 07/10 infantry pieces.

In my experience, when it comes to surviving examples of model 10/15 tunics, NCO tunics equal or outnumber those of privates.

To me, one of the most interesting attributes of this tunic, is the fact that it has model 1915 shoulder straps. It would be of interest to know when the original model 10/15 straps from the 113.I.R. were removed and the model 1915 pattern straps added. This seems to have been commonly done on model 10/15 tunics. I have a similar issue Bavarian tunic.

Thanks for letting us see this one.

Best regards,

Chip

[P.B.]

Hi Chip

Many thanks for your comments. This tunic has never had side belt hooks fitted, something I have seen on other issue pieces as well -there's an issue M1910 to IR 76 in the museum collection at Rastatt which is similar, for example. The skirt buttons are of the correct load-bearing type. Given the high collar and the generally good condition of this one, I would certainly agree that this could be a walking out tunic. As an aside, there appears to have been a ribbon for the Iron Cross in the second button-hole at one time, and loops to support what looks like a two-piece ribbon bar have been sewn to the upper left breast.

As regards the shoulder straps, they have certainly been there a while, and given that they are to another regiment in the Baden Army Corps I am inclined to believe that they are wartime applied, however, you never can tell for sure, so I am keeping an open mind on this one......

I would agree 110% with your assessment of the relative rarity of WWI tunics. I have seen the very impressive Dault collection you mentioned -unfortunately not in the flesh, but on video- and in spite of the amazing array of eye-candy on display it was the issue M1907/10 tunics that really had me drooling, prescisely

because -as you say- they are so difficult to find. As you know, this collection was broken up in the '90s, and bizarrely enough I was talking to a fellow collector in the UK a couple of weeks ago who was now the owner of two of these tunics.

Once again, many thanks for your comments and opinions, it would be great to see any photos you might be able to post of tunics in your own collection.

Very best regards

Paul.

[Guest Chip Minx]

Paul,

Unfortunately, I do not own a digital camera, but I do have a scanner and can therefore submit a few pictures that I have taken in the past. The first is an issue M10/15 Bavarian Unteroffizier. Like your 110th Reserve tunic, it is an issue piece with a period altered collar. The NCO braid is gold and the collar is closed with three hooks. The straps are the 1915 pattern and are sewn into the shoulder seam, as was the common practice on Bavarian tunics. They are original to the tunic. The lining markings to the 2.I.R. match the cyphered shoulder straps of the regiment. The cuffs are the standard pattern for the simplified 1910/15 Bavarian tunic. They are just a short swedish style, with an adjusting slit (button and tab) at the back.

Chip

[Guest Chip Minx]

Paul,

This second piece is a 1916 dated Bavarian Feldbluse. It is an early, high quality issue example, which is corps marked. It has the Bavarian Kennzeichenborte completely around the Feldgrau collar. It came without shoulder straps and I have added a pair of 9. Bavarian Field Artillery Rgt. model 1915 straps to it for the photo. The original shoulder loops (Schlaufe) were designed to assist in "rolling up" the shoulder straps for security reasons.

I have more, but it is 2:00 am and they will have to wait for another day.

Best regards,

Chip

[P.B.]

Hi Chip

Many thanks for posting your tunics....there really are fantastic examples, and given the lack of reference books showing surviving WWI German tunics it's a real treat to see the real thing in colour. Superb to see a Bluse with the Bavarian collar borte attached.

I also have a M1915 Bluse in my collection where the shoulder straps have been applied in the same way as on yours. In Prussian fashion they are stitched on top of the shoulder seam, so it's difficult to tell if they were wartime applied or not (the Clothing Depot number inside is too faded to read properly) although they are genuine WWI straps and appear to have been on there a while.

I should have an Infantry officer's M1910 in my hands soon, so will post some shots when it arrives. Once again, many thanks for these, and very best regards,

Paul.

[Guest Chip Minx]

Paul,

I have four more issue enlisted man's tunics. They are a M1909 Hussar Attila from the 3. Brandenburg (von Zieten) Rgt., a M1910 from the 127.I.R.(Württemberg), a M1910 from the 1st Bavarian FAR and a Prussian Feldbluse (illedgible markings). If If I can locate some photos, I will post them. I have been collecting WWI German items since the 1960's, so I was able to build a good collection before anyone started to get too interested in this stuff. My only regret is that I didn't buy more back in the early days and that I did not have the money to do it if I had wanted to. I was able to build a fine shoulder board collection, with nearly 700 pieces now. Anyway, if there is anything you can think of that you would like to see, just let me know.

Regards,

Chip

[N.S.Regt.]

Chip

That is a nice peice I have only seen the phone cable reel in photos not in private collections. Did it come with the tunic. Speaking of communication troops was the or's m1915 shoulder board for Zepplin crews a light gray board with a red chain stiched over the number 1 to 5. I have a mothed one with L-5 and just wanted to confirm my best guess on it.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[ArmyOfficer]

That is a nice peice I have only seen the phone cable reel in photos not in private collections.

NS: Is that what that thing is? A cable reel? I thought it was something the Germans used to reinforce proper posture.

[N.S.Regt.]

ArmyOfficer

It looks like it. It is the same as I seen in pictures if you note the buckle is the telegraphers version also a little hard to find a lot of fakes out there though. maybe Chip when he logs on next he can let us know a very interesting piece.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[P.B.]

Hi Chip

Not just two amazing tunics, but also a genuine telegrapher's buckle (it seems there are about 20 repros for every original these days!) and the wire laying kit which I have never seen a surviving example of! Plus over 700 shoulder boards....you're going the right way to make me a very jealous, bitter man!

It does indeed seem that it wasn't so long ago that WWI was a very marginalised collecting topic in comparison to WWII, especially where German militaria was concerned....certainly uniforms weren't as highly sought after as pickelhaubes or Iron Crosses. But now...!

If you have a free moment, I would very much like to see a shot of your IR 127 tunic. A good infantry other ranks M1910 is one thing which has escaped me so far, so seeing yours would be the next best thing at the time being.

Once again, many thanks for the photos, and very best regards

Paul.

[Guest Chip Minx]

Hello everyone. Thanks for the interest and questions about my Aufspuler. These are quite scarce and if one had shown up years ago, we might have ended the controversy over the special German Koppelschoss (buckle) that goes with it several decades earlier. I showed this piece without the cable reel that goes in it so that you could see the mechanism better. This item, when not in use, was stored in one of the three different Tornister (backpacks) for telegraph troops. One of my subcollections is German telephone equipment of WWI. There were quite a number of interesting apparati, but this Aufspuler is something that most collectors have never seen, even though they may be familiar with the special buckle that was created to support it.

For N.S.Regt...yes, the model 1915 enlisted man's shoulder strap for Luftschifftruppen was light gray (the color of the straps of all the Verkehrstruppen, ie, railway, motorized, flight and telegraph troops since 1911.). The "L" and the Arabic unit number we chain stitched in red, with the backing material being the same as the tunic, that is, field gray. This was only true for the army airships, as the navy had different uniforms altogether. During 1917 the army airship units were disbanded and after that time, the only troops wearing this pattern shoulder strap were the soldiers of the Feld-Luftschiffer-Abteilungen (captive observation balloons). There were six training depots in Germany, numbered 1-5 and a Bavarian depot, whose uniforms bore no unit number on the shoulder strap. I have included a picture showing the 1911 dress pattern strap for Luftschiffer-Bataillon Nr.5 in contrast to the 1915 pattern from Luftschiffer-Ersatz-Abteilung Nr.1. The prewar piece is backed in the same dark blue as the uniform it was worn on.

Chip

[Guest Chip Minx]

Paul,

Here is the photo you requested of my model 1910 tunic from the 127th Württemberg I.R. Unfortunately, the exposure on the photo was not too good, so the picture leaves a lot to be desired. The tunic has the rank insignia for a sergeant. It had an original horn button added to the shoulder near the sleeve seam for the attachment of a shooting lanyard, which I have added for the photo. It came without shoulder straps, which I have located since this picture was taken. I bought it in Germany in 1983.

Chip

[P.B.]

Hi Chip

Many thanks for the photo of your IR 127 tunic, an absolutely classic example of an issue M1910, and the first surviving Wurttemberg tunic I've seen in a private collection....very, very nice indeed!

All the best

Paul.

[N.S.Regt.]

Thanks Chip

The shoulder strap is what I have when I get a chance I will dig it out and post a scan. Again the reel is one great peice I have never seen another for sale or in a collection.

Best Regards

N.S.Regt.

[N.S.Regt.]

Chip and P.B.

Here is the Zepplin board not as nice as one would hope I bought this in a frame of 20 it seems the moths knew which ones to go for as most were untouched. beside it is another I would like to I.D. it is from the same lot.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[Joe Sweeney]

The one on the right looks like IR 120.

Joe Sweeney

[N.S.Regt.]

Joe

Thanks for the information on the strap I do not have any good reference on German shoulder boards.

Best regards

N.S.Regt.

[Guest Chip Minx]

N.S.Regt.,

Joe is correct. The one on the right is a model 1915 enlisted man's example from the Inf. Rgt. Kaiser Wilhelm, König von Preußen (2.Württembergisches) Nr.120. XIII A.K. garrisoned at Ulm.

Despite the condition, any Luftschiff strap is scarce. I have been collecting German shoulder straps since the early 1960's and have only managed to find two pairs.

Would you mind posting the others that you received in the lot of twenty?

Here is a picture of the full run of model 1915 Württemberg enlisted infantry cyphered straps. The regiments are the 119, 120, 123, 124, 125.

Chip