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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

German Soldier pic


Steve1871

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With steel helmet, I guess maybe 1917. New is the Gew98az rifle, the bayonet “ Looks” to me like S14 or 15, could still be ersatz. 
The old being the M.79 Reichrevolver with holster ( I have 2), sadly no holster

F1A4C87E-DDF6-44B2-A129-EE10F7D43DB9.jpeg

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Steve, the bayonet looks to be all steel Ersatz (S88/98) with the "double muzzle ring" ... not sure of the "proper" designation.? 

 

Cheers, SS 

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Thanks for the quick reply there SS, I bought the new version of C Merys Ersatz book, but be a long time before I go home

 

I think photo is interesting to have this combo of M.79 revolver and Gew98AZ at same time

Hope you and your family are doing well with all this covid19 crap. Hope your job still doing good!!!😊

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Nice one photo, possible Landsturm unit, as the man looks old, the bayonet is ASG88/98 metall type as mentioned. note the strange painting on helmet. The holster looks like conversion? b.r.Andy

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Certainly one of of Carter's EB 3+++ series of bayonets. Note, incidentally, that the Ersatz bayonet was introduced in late 1914/ early 1915 for cavalry and cyclist units armed with the Kar.98  The attempt at helmet camo, because that's what it is, indicates I would think late 1917, not earlier. He has NCO discs on the collar, and shortened NCO stripes on the front collar edging, and that looks to be an NCO emblem on his sleeve -I can't check on that one as my books are in storage as we have been arranging the 2 bedroom flat to give the boys study space and my study in the back corridor has disappeared in the process... He doesn't have to be Landsturm, etc. Could be a time served regular and senior NCO - note that he has a new up-to-date uniform jacket. Having a Kar.98AZ, he could be dismounted cavalry (but wrong boots), or leader of a Sturm detatchment.

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I don't know much about uniforms, insignia, bayonet IDs etc., but he looks to me like the real soldier's grandad, posing with great embarrassment in the lad's uniform for the photo. Nothing about his pose looks soldierly, from the fit of the tunic and belt, to the 'order arms' hold of the rifle, to the elaborate group of rings on his fingers. I'd say let him off back to the day job, or well-deserved retirement. You can see he's been through his share of woe.

 

Or have I read him wrong?

Edited by MikB
omission
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Well, those revovers are heavy, and will pull the belt down, and the rifle butt is correctly against the toe of his boot... Age was no bar to service. E.g., William John Paxton enlisted with the London Regiment on 21 October 1914 at the age of 68 and was discharged on 19 July 1916 for health reasons. I can't speak for the German army but I just checked the second of my small collection of German Soldbucher and the chap was born in 1871, and served from 1915-1918...  

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Yes, he is an older man. Looks to be 60’s  my guess, but with the steel helmet, again, think late war, The rifle, when ALL men Germany could muster were called up. We have all seen photos of other older men like this in photos and post card photos. I believe he was conscripted, not dressing up in son’s uniform

 

As for the holster for the M.79 Reichrevolver, that cut out on top for the end of grip is correct. There are 2 different “Cut’s” that I know of. Been trying to get a couple of those for over a decade! Every time I find for sell is when I just bought something else, or were just sold. There are some gorgeous holsters still out there

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48 minutes ago, trajan said:

Well, those revovers are heavy, and will pull the belt down, and the rifle butt is correctly against the toe of his boot... Age was no bar to service. E.g., William John Paxton enlisted with the London Regiment on 21 October 1914 at the age of 68 and was discharged on 19 July 1916 for health reasons. I can't speak for the German army but I just checked the second of my small collection of German Soldbucher and the chap was born in 1871, and served from 1915-1918...  

 

Ah, sorry, I thought it was an anymous pic - I didn't realise you had details of the individual. He looks a good deal older than c.47.

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Personally dont believe with this beard could use a gas mask, so this is certainly not a combat soldier, most real a NCO for training units, for this speaks 11mm Reichsrevolver, a Sturmman would have a P08 probably.

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No, I don't have the details for this one in Steve's post! My bad phrasing. What I intended to say was that one of my very small collection of German soldier's records shows a man born in 1871 and serving in 1915-1918, so how many others in that age group or above were serving then also? Remember, the 'new 50' is now 60+, and after a few years in the trenches or forward lines, that would add years to a man. That said, yes, Steve's man is probably a rear-line man - those whiskers would not fit under a gas mask in the front line!  

Thanks Andy - we cross-posted there on who he might be.

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I was not trying to argue with old and new weapons, decades apart, the large mustache and beard, we all seem to agree landstrum or some other reserve/ersatz/rear area soldat, 

I know next to nothing on uniforms. Hope some of you experts who study uniforms as a hobby and passion could figure what kind of soldier he was? Did Bavaria and Prussia have any extra markings in Great War for their state?Unifirm looks very plain to me

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