Gruppe Hyria

[RHLV]

I've done this before, so I'm going to check with the experts around here again.

A friend of mine (same as last time) has a postcard dated July 1916 and he's asked me for help with translating it. It is addressed to a soldier in Gruppe Major Hyria (possibly Hyina--the handwriting isn't very good) at Feldpost Nr. 604. This is a unit neither of us has ever heard of before. Anyone know anything about the unit such as it's location in July 1916, composition, and purpose?

For what it's worth the soldier is named Oskar Ackermann (if that's of any help).

Thanks

Rich

Edited 10 November , 2016 by RHLV

[bob lembke]

Rich;

 

Some clues to help you.

 

Most German military postcards dated after early 1915 have a very important feature called the Addressblock. This is due to the fact that as of a certain date (which I knew, but have forgotten) the Prussian Army military postal regulations called for it to be put near the recipient's address on the envelope or postcard.

 

It is usually written in two lines, with cryptic abbreviations, giving the recipient's unit from perhaps the divisional level, or even higher, down to the his company. For some reason it is often or usually written upside down, which should help identify it.

 

Since the Prussian Army was so large, and since some of the other three German armies followed Prussian practice (the Bavarian Army often seemed to make a point not to, and I have seen Bavarian mail that did not have this useful feature), the bulk of German military mail has an Addressblock on its face. 

 

The unit name is very unusual, and might have been a temporary formation headed by a Major with either a very odd or a seriously mis-translated name.

The information in the "address block" should explain a lot. Can you post an image of the card, or an enlarged image of the Addressblock?

 

For a while I flirted with the military mail sub-forum of the German postal society, and they are amazingly knowledgable. I believe that reference books have been compiled that state where a given Feldpost was at a given time, which could also help you. I understand that during the was Allied intelligence managed to steal one of such a listing, as of a certain point in time, and it was considered quite an intelligence coup. The Feldpost numbering system helped keep the location of various German units secret.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Rich

 

I think the Germans used "Gruppe" to denote either a sector of the front, usually corresponding to a corps (e.g. Gruppe Ypern), or an improvised formation for a particular purpose (in WW2 this was often amplified to Kampfgruppe). Corresponding British usage would be "----'s Force".

 

"Gruppe Major Hyria" suggests this second type, an ad-hoc formation.

 

Ron

[SiegeGunner]

Not applicable in this instance, I don't think, but just for the sake of completeness, the Germans also used 'Gruppe' for a section or squad of 8 men led by a corporal.

[RHLV]

Having seen the card I can state there is no "address block" and the postmark is too dim to read more than "Neisse." The writer does indicate that Ackemann (the soldier to whom the card is addressed) is an artilleryman.

Will pass along the feldpost info and suggest he contact the German postal society.

Thanks,

Rich

Edited 13 November , 2016 by RHLV

[Ron Clifton]

2 hours ago, SiegeGunner said:

the Germans also used 'Gruppe' for a section or squad of 8 men led by a corporal.

True, but not led by a major.

 

Ron

[SiegeGunner]

What need is there for that observation, Ron, when I wrote: 'Not applicable in this instance, I don't think, but for the sake of completeness, the Germans also used 'Gruppe' for a section or squad of 8 men led by a corporal.'?

Edited 14 November , 2016 by SiegeGunner