Question about arms in a photograph

[cwbuff]

Are those rifle cases in the foreground of this picture? Any ideas on what these guys are doing?

This picture is in the RGR100 regimental history and as best as I can tell, it was taken in 1915 in the area around Prosnes.

[Old Scalyback]

looks like the sleeve of a jacket. and these guys are delousing hence the caption lice hunt

[cwbuff]

Now the title makes perfect sense!

PS: I sent this picture to my father-in-law, A WW2 vet, and he just replied with the same answer having done the same thing.

[johnboy]

The man in the front has probably hung up his tunic whilst de lousing his shirt.

[trajan]

But my notes indicate that the Kgl.Sächs.1.Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr.100 had a royal monogram on their shoulder tab, which in the GW was "FAR" = König Friedrich August III von Sachsen, and this seems to read 99 or something similar not 100!

[cwbuff]

It is Reserve Grenadier Regiment 100. At lease the picture was published in that unit's regimental history. Plus that shoulder board looks like the last 2 digits are "99"

[Gew88/05]

Are those rifle cases in the foreground of this picture? Any ideas on what these guys are doing?

This picture is in the Reserve Grenadier Regiment 100 regimental history and as best as I can tell, it was taken in 1915 in the area around Prosnes.

If by "rifle cases in the foreground" you mean the boards behind the seated fellow on the right, no, they are not rifle cases, they are simply the back wall reinforcement of the trench.

Reserve regiments rarely wore the monogram of the regular parent unit on their epaulettes, they wore their unit number. Since the unit mentioned is Reserve Grenadier Regiment 100, they would have had "100" on their epaulettes, not "99". The use of this photo is a publisher's mistake or the use of any photo available showing what the author wanted.

[trajan]

It is Reserve Grenadier Regiment 100. At lease the picture was published in that unit's regimental history. Plus that shoulder board looks like the last 2 digits are "99"

If by "rifle cases in the foreground" you mean the boards behind the seated fellow on the right, no, they are not rifle cases, they are simply the back wall reinforcement of the trench.

Reserve regiments rarely wore the monogram of the regular parent unit on their epaulettes, they wore their unit number. Since the unit mentioned is Reserve Grenadier Regiment 100, they would have had "100" on their epaulettes, not "99". The use of this photo is a publisher's mistake or the use of any photo available showing what the author wanted.

CWB, My mistake in missing the 'R' in 'RIR' and thanks GEW88/05 for info re: monograms - also for comment on the number on the shoulder tab.