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Posted

Hi All,

I have just purchased a fascinating Feldpost boxed set of 12cm x 9 cm glass slides of what looks like photographs of the 17th Reserve Division and some locations. The slides have raw unfinished edges. I'll post some images over the next while.

Any assistance with the identification of the regiment or locations would be gratefiully received:

Firstly, the Feldpost label. The address label has H Hohnholz which is a photographer's studio I think.

Anyone able to decode the handwriting?

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A river view - somewhere in France or Belgium - but where?

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Posted

No regimental markings on display, but another ribbon beside the EK2 on display. What could this be? I've only ever seen double ribbons in WWII when the EK2 and Eastern Front medals were worn this way.

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Close up of ribbons

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Will add more shortly.

Dave

Posted

Lovely images. Re the medal some sort of state award perhaps? Are they technical troops (artillery, pioneers etc)? Difficult to say if the cap bands are red or black? Post Sept 1915 anyhow a the bluse is evident. If Bavarian post mid 1916 for same reason.

TT

Posted

First pick: Kortrijk (Courtrai) West Flanders

Cnock

Posted

You are a legend Cnock,

Many thanks,

Dave

Here they are today - the Broel Towers...

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Posted

It's addressed to Kanonier (Gunner) H. Hohnholz of 3. Batterie, Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr.17 in 17. Reserve-Division, from one H. Schmidt ... in Rostock, I think, though I can't make out the address. Rostock would make sense, as 17. was Hanseatic division.

Adrian

Posted

That's interesting info Adrian - they are in envelopes that mention Rostock and an A. Hohnholz.

You've also narrowed it down to 3 Batterie - Great stuff and much appreciated.

Here are the envelopes:

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post-42233-0-26688100-1390490065_thumb.j


post-42233-0-49303800-1390490144_thumb.j

post-42233-0-11318900-1390490176_thumb.j

Posted

Looks like I was right re the cap bands....black for artillery.

TT

Posted

Possibly a long shot - any idea of a location for this church?

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possibly an even longer shot - an unknown courtyard - Belgian?

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Posted

This is very unusual - British uniforms (prisoners?) with flat caps?

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Posted

Finally - this is Oberleutnant dR Kurt Schonfeld's burial place. He was in the unit featured in the other photos as Adrian identified in post # 6.

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I cannot find him in the Volksbund website, but I have found another burial in the background - Kurt Schrumpf, KIA 31.07.1917, so this cemetery is in Wambrechies.

Would the Volksbund be interested in this info?

-Dave

Posted

The church is Wervik.

Posted

The reason why you can't find Kurt Schönfeld may be that the identification of his grave was lost later or that his body was taken to Germany to be reburied there.

The cemetery in the picture is not Wambrechies but one of the cemeteries that was later taken to Wambrechies by the French.

Posted

The courtyard looks like the Plantin-Moretus house in Antwerp

Carl

Posted

This is very unusual - British uniforms (prisoners?) with flat caps?

could be Belgian soldiers

regards,

Cnock

Posted

Nice pics, and thread correctly 'tagged' :thumbsup:

Mike

Thought you'd like that!

I may even add more tags if you behave yourself...

Posted

The reason why you can't find Kurt Schönfeld may be that the identification of his grave was lost later or that his body was taken to Germany to be reburied there.

The cemetery in the picture is not Wambrechies but one of the cemeteries that was later taken to Wambrechies by the French.

Ah. I've fallen into that trap before - assuming burials were forever. Many thanks AOK4 for this and the church info.

Dave

Posted

I may even add more tags if you behave yourself...

Tags are not just for everybody, and very useful too. guten Tag

Mike

Posted

The courtyard looks like the Plantin-Moretus house in Antwerp

Carl

Brilliant. Thanks Carl, I wasn't expecting anyone to be able to identify that one. Looks 100% correct to me:

post-42233-0-20509500-1390561540_thumb.j

  • 5 weeks later...
Posted

This is very unusual - British uniforms (prisoners?) with flat caps?

could be Belgian soldiers

regards,

Cnock

Did the Belgian Army ever wear this kind of caps ??? I am not sure but think of civilian's caps received from bystanders at the road perhaps. The Uniforms ... where has this picture been shot ?

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