Bavarian distinctions

[Landsturm]

The Bavarian army retained several distinctions, including the light blue diamond pattern woven over pale grey lace (silver for officers). When was this introduced, I assume it to be pre-war distinction? I`d also like the receive details and if possible illustrations/photographs... I`ve seen illustrations of it worn on M1915 Bluse, but did it also appear on M1907/10 or M1910 Feldrock. I`m trying to illustrate a soldier of 8. Bayerisch Infanterie Regiment... What other uniform distinctions Bavarians had? Was there differences between for example shoulder straps?

[Guest Chip Minx]

landsturm,

The Bavarian Kennzeichenborte was introduced with the 1916 Bavarian Bluse. The Bavarians went through some consideration of various distinctions for this new uniform before adopting the blue/white (blue/silver for officers) braid. There was an article written about this decision process and the various insignia that were being considered. I have a copy of it somewhere.

The braid is also discussed in Jurgen Kraus's book on the field gray uniforms of the German army. It was worn in its full length for the first year and then in 1917, due to shortages, it was cut back to just a vertical strip on the front of the collar. It eventually was dispensed with.

There was, of course, a long history of the blue and white diamond pattern being used in Bavaria. It was, however, not in use on uniforms before 1916, so to answer your question, no, it was not worn on the 1907 and 1910 pattern tunics.

What period are you trying to portray? The answer would enable me to tell you everything you would need to know. If it is the 1907/10 tunic, there would really be nothing other than the buttons that would tell you that it was a Bavarian tunic.

I have a 1916 dated Bluse with the full collar braid and I have two full lengths of the braid, one enlisted and one officer, that I got in Germany back in the 1980s.

Regards,

Chip

[Landsturm]

Thanks for replying although I received information already from another forum. The year of introduction in uniforms solved my problem. I was interested if Bavarians had these distinctions earlier in the war...