Nick62 Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Forum members have been very helpful in the past as I have traced the Great War service of my British side of the family. Recently, I received this shoulder insignia in the contents of a packet from my German side of the family. Any help with its identification would be greatly appreciated, including whether it is Great War era or earlier. I think it belonged to a great grandfather born 1867 in Königshütte, Silesia (now Chorzow, Poland) who did his mandatory reserve duty in Berlin where he lived in the 1890s & 1900s, but also received a draft letter in March 1918. Thanks, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Nick, I could be Lieb Grenadier Regiment No 8. See this link http://www.kaisersbu.../waffenrock.htm At the bottom of the page click on Shoulder Strap Plate 1. Then Third row first strap. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Nick, I could be Lieb Grenadier Regiment No 8. See this link http://www.kaisersbu.../waffenrock.htm At the bottom of the page click on Shoulder Strap Plate 1. Then Third row first strap. Regards Chris That looks like a match to me...but I am thrown off by the button. What's the '1' for? -Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick62 Posted 31 August , 2012 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Nick, I could be Lieb Grenadier Regiment No 8. See this link http://www.kaisersbu.../waffenrock.htm At the bottom of the page click on Shoulder Strap Plate 1. Then Third row first strap. Regards Chris Thanks Chris and Daniel,That's an informative site that I wasn't aware of. I agree that looks like the correct unit, and the information triangulates nicely with a couple other pieces of data that were in the package from my relatives. I've attached an image of the stamp that is in what appears to be his "reservist's drill book" from this unit, and also a photo of him in uniform taken at a studio in Frankfurt an der Oder (now on the German/Polish border, not to be confused with the larger Frankfurt am Main), where the unit was garrisoned. The pattern on his shoulder insignia is not clearly visible in the photo, but I'm satisfied with this evidence that all 3 (photo, shoulder insignia, stamp in book) go together. Daniel, it appears from some other sources, including the stamp below, that this unit has a parenthetical designation of 1st Brandenburg, perhaps from before all the regiments were numbered under a single Germany-wide system. I suspect that's the significance of the 1 on the button (Chris's post got me doing a lot of additional research elsewhere on the web!). Thanks again, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick62 Posted 31 August , 2012 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2012 All of my Great Grandfather's reserve duty was pre-war, but to keep this thread Great War focused, I have posted an image of his recall notice in this thread here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 That looks like a match to me...but I am thrown off by the button. What's the '1' for? -Daniel The company number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Company button is correct. 1 to 4 is first battalion, 5 to 8 is second and 8 to 12 third. 13 is MGC company. I have found several numbered buttons in the fields of the Somme. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B Posted 31 August , 2012 Share Posted 31 August , 2012 Agree that it is for the company number as shoulder strap buttons usually show this, whilst the other buttons would be for the regiment I think. Regards, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick62 Posted 31 August , 2012 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2012 I stand corrected (and better informed now, as well). As I look at his Erfahreserve-pass, I can now make out what appears to be 1st Company in the hand-written entry on the page that the stamp appeared (his reserve duty from 22-Aug-1890 to 30-Oct-1890). Incidentally, General Erich Ludendorff appears to have served as a 1st Lieutenant in the Lieb-Grenadier Regiment "Wilhelm III" Nr. 8 briefly in 1890 and then again in 1893. Does anyone know which company he was in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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