Coucy Le Chateau May 1917

[FROGSMILE]

I wonder if “Division E” means Ersatz Division?

[charlie2]

29 minutes ago, knittinganddeath said:

Division E of the 7th Army, . . . Company 36,

As I understand it, and I could be wrong 

Section E of the 7th Army‘s Wirtschaftskompagnie No.36

Durch das Bestreben der Obersten Heeresleitung, die Hilfsmittel und Vorräte des Kriegsschauplatzes für das deutsche Heer nutzbar zu machen sowie die Instandsetzungsarbeiten an Waffen und Geräten im Kriegsgebiet selbst durchzuführen, wurden zahlreiche Heeresbetriebe industrieller Art eingerichtet. Das Personal dieser Institutionen wurde seit dem 22. April 1916 in Wirtschaftskompanien zusammengefasst.

As a result of the efforts of the Supreme Army Command to make the aids and supplies of the theater of war available to the German Army and to carry out the repair work on weapons and equipment in the war zone itself, numerous Army enterprises of an industrial nature were established. The personnel of these institutions had been grouped into Wirtschaftskompagnie (economic companies) since April 22, 1916.

Charlie

[knittinganddeath]

1 minute ago, charlie2 said:

Wirtschaftskompagnie

Now that you say this, it is very clear despite the stamp blocking the first part of the word.

[GROBBY]

I have recently come across 4 feldpost from the same person and they have interesting photos on the front .I will post 2 now .Hopfully I will eventualy might find where they were taken. I know they were in the Barleux sector of the Somme in January but was relieved later and then pulled back to the Hindenburg line before May

[charlie2]

The first card could be Fresnoy-le-Grand, the Regiment had spent 4 weeks there in rest quarters before moving to the frontline near Villers-Carbonnel in the middle of January.

http://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf[double]=0&tx_dlf[id]=https%3A%2F%2Fdigital.wlb-stuttgart.de%2Fmets%2Furn%3Anbn%3Ade%3Absz%3A24-digibib-kxp16806935577.xml&tx_dlf[page]=537&cHash=caf075fa8a8946b52435a068f859e803

Charlie

Edited 6 July , 2022 by charlie2

[charlie2]

The first card is Fresnoy-le-Grand

[GROBBY]

Well done Charlie thats brilliant .That definately Fresnoy Le Grand  Thank you

[knittinganddeath]

Possibly the same buildings from the first postcard, much changed by time?

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.9474836,3.4136405,3a,90y,288h,89.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZBrI61A0hta7PdTsdx2JQA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[GROBBY]

Thats brilliant Kniting I think you got it pefectly ,I dont think things have changed much in 105 years apart from the transport and the unwelcome visitors and looks like the butchers and pharmacy have sold up and moved . Thank you

[knittinganddeath]

First postcard:

An Frau Frida Meyer, per Adr. S. Heidorn, Hannover, Braunstr. 9

Abs. Gefr. Meyer III

Im Felde, 31.1.17

Liebes Fridchen! Herzlichen Dank für 2 liebe Briefe, die ich heute bekam, leider ist es nur heute nicht möglich, mein Versprechen einzulösen, ich schreibe dir dafür morgen. Bis dahin mein Lieb, tausen Grüsse und recht süsse Küsse dein Heini

 

To Mrs Frida Meyer, c/o the address of S. Heidorn (???), Hannover, Braunstr. 9

From Gefreiter Meyer III

In the field, 31 January 1917

Dear Fridchen! Many thanks for [your] 2 dear letters that I received today, unfortunately it isn't possible today to redeem my promise, so I will write to you tomorrow. Until then my darling, a thousand greetings and very sweet kisses from your Heini

 

Second postcard:

Im Felde, 2.2.17

Mein Liebling! Ich schrieb dir heute bereits einen Brief, hoffe denselben in deinem Besitz. Sonst alles beim alten. Herz. Gruss u. süss. Kuss dein Heini

 

In the field, 2 February 1917

My darling! I just wrote you a letter today and hope that it is in your possession. Nothing else now. Warm greetings and sweet kisses from your Heini

 

Frida seems to have numbered their correspondence and added the date on which it arrived (in black ink at the top right). So there probably was a letter in between given the first postcard was 598 and the second one is 600.

[GROBBY]

Thank you Knitting for doing that ,unfortunately I only have 4 cards from this soldier and I have posted them in the order I have .Who knows maybe some more of his may come to me in the future. Here is the other 2 .I will try to plot his movement on a map if I can find the places he took the other pictures .I wonder if he survived the war and went back to his Frida. I noticed on the first card that there is a Military policeman ,this is the first time ive seen one on a photo its a shame I cannot get a closeup of his gorget as this would give me his regimental number

[charlie2]

I can‘t find a death for a Heinrich Meyer III in Füs.Rgt. 73 or from Hannover in the casualty lists or in the Roll of Honour in the regiments history.

Charlie

[GreyC]

11 hours ago, GROBBY said:

I cannot get a closeup of his gorget as this would give me his regimental number

No it would not. It shows the number of the respective army-corps, or none, if Garde.

GreyC

[GROBBY]

Thank you for that information as I read that it showed his number in arabic over his army corps number in roman and the gardecorp only showed his number .Thank you and thank you Charlie for looking for his death .I can now look to see if he had a family

[charlie2]

9 minutes ago, GROBBY said:

can now look to see if he had a family

Good luck with that, looking for a Heinrich Meyer will be like looking for a Harry Smith 

[knittinganddeath]

Im Felde, 1.2.1917

Liebes Fridchen! Ich hoffe, dass du meine gestrige und vorgestrige Karte erhalten, heute bekam ich einen Brief, ich werde ihn heute Abend beantworten .Sonst alles beim alten. Gruss an Mutter und all die solden Blumen. Dein Heini

In the field, 1 February 1917

Dear Frida! I hope that you have received my cards from yesterday and the day before yesterday, today I received a letter, I will answer it tonight. Otherwise nothing new here. Greetings to mother and all the beautiful flowers. Your Heini

 

Im Felde, 10.2.17

Liebling!

Sende dir umseitig eine Ansicht. . . . . . . hier lagen wir in Ruhe. Herzlichen Gruss u. Kuss dein Heini

In the field, 10 February 1917

Darling! Sending you a view (overleaf) of . . . . . where we were on leave/at rest. Warm greetings and a kiss from your Heini

[GROBBY]

Thank you Knitting for doing a great job on the translation of these ,its great to know a few places where Heini was and that he possibly survived the war.I will post another couple if you dont mind

[GROBBY]

Ater doing a little research I think the troops in the second photo were in the 92nd Infantry Regiment  20th Infantry Division which at the time of writing were in the Reims area but by the end of the month were in the Gilicia area with Makensens army readying for the Golice Tarnow battle where they lost heavily.

[knittinganddeath]

First card was easy!

An Frau W. Esch, Wiesdorf a/ Niederrhein, Nobelstr. 9

Abs. Unteroffz. Esch, Bad: Deynhausen (Deutsches Heim)

29. Okt. 15

Liebe Mutter + Kinder! Übersende Euch hiermit das dritte Bild. Gewiss wird auch dieses den Kindern viele Freude machen. Nun hätte ich hier noch 14 Tage. Wollen hoffen, dass wir uns nach dieser Zeit fröhlich wiedersehen. Herzl. Gr. Vater

To Mrs W. Esch, Wiesdorf on Niederrhein, Nobelstr. 9

From Unteroffizier Esch, Bad Deynhausen (German Home)

29 October 1915

Dear Mother and children! Hereby sending you the third photo. This one will certainly make the kids happy too. I have 14 days here still. We can hope that we will be happily reunited after this time. Warm greetings from Father

[charlie2]

It always surprises me how little of an address was needed in those days - Miss Brinkmann, Bornum am Harz, Duchy of Brunswick.

[charlie2]

The Deutsches Heim in Bad Oeynhausen 

https://www.ansichtskartenversand.com/ak/91-Alte-Ansichtskarte/2876-Cafe-s-Gaststaetten-Hotels/11164915-AK-Bad-Oeynhausen-Hotel-Deutsches-Heim

Regarding the second card. IR92 is always recognisable as they were the only infantry regiment that wore the deathshead between the cockades.

The Regiment had been relieved on the 16th April and the Leib (3rd) Battalion was in billets at St. Loup undergoing training from the 18th till the 26th before moving to the Eastern front.

Charlie

 

[GROBBY]

Thank you Charlie for that interesting information it is great to find information that gives a postcard a background story. Unfortunately information on German forces, in England is difficult to come by unless you read german which I dont but wish I did ( I have tryed ). Thank you again

[GROBBY]

Thank you Knitting for that you are definately getting faster.Its a shame we dont know which of the 2 UnterOfficers was Esch as its great to put a face to the name.Was the home a convalelance home if so he might have been wounded ? or just ill ?.

[charlie2]

2 hours ago, GROBBY said:

Was the home a convalelance home

Most of the hotels were used as hospital accommodation and were collectively known as Reservelazarett Bad Oeynhausen. No one jumps out in the casualty lists, so I am guessing he was ill. Sickness patients were usually not recorded in the casualty lists.

@knittinganddeath I would be interested in who you think wrote the second card, most of his name is obscured by the stamp but I have a suspect and I don‘t want to influence your good judgment.

Charlie

[knittinganddeath]

On 15/07/2022 at 13:38, charlie2 said:

I would be interested in who you think wrote the second card, most of his name is obscured by the stamp but I have a suspect

You put too much faith in me ;-) I think we need to call in @GreyC for this one, I can't even read the final two lines of text in the card never mind give an educated guess at the name.