GROBBY Posted 16 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2021 I have just bought your 2 books and hope to get a lot of information from them . For King and Kaiser has just arived and looks brillant . I have found some more Saxony Regiments and shortly post them when knittinganddeath is ready .Being another Essex boy I will have to get you to sign them some day .I have at least 10 postcards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 16 April , 2021 Share Posted 16 April , 2021 9 minutes ago, GROBBY said: I have just bought your 2 books and hope to get a lot of information from them . For King and Kaiser has just arived and looks brillant . I have found some more Saxony Regiments and shortly post them when knittinganddeath is ready .Being another Essex boy I will have to get you to sign them some day .I have at least 10 postcards Thankyou, very much appreciated! I'll be delighted to sign your books when I get the chance. Under normal circumstances I do a lot of reenactment, and intend to appear at 'Temple at War' (near Braintree) this September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 16 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2021 Ok I work for Stow Maries Great War Airdrome and sometimes we have a stand at the show so could see you there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 16 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2021 Some of the regiments on the postcards are 2 Batt 177 Inf Regt 21.7.16.. 12 Field Art Regt 9.6.15 .103 Inf Regt 27.5.15 .. 9/106 Inf Regt 2.5.17... 104 Res Inf Regt 26.4.16...1/20 Inf Regt 21.11.16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 16 April , 2021 Share Posted 16 April , 2021 1 hour ago, GROBBY said: Some of the regiments on the postcards are 2 Batt 177 Inf Regt 21.7.16.. 12 Field Art Regt 9.6.15 .103 Inf Regt 27.5.15 .. 9/106 Inf Regt 2.5.17... 104 Res Inf Regt 26.4.16...1/20 Inf Regt 21.11.16 All of these except "1/20 Inf Regt" are certainly Saxon. Quote Ok I work for Stow Maries Great War Airdrome and sometimes we have a stand at the show so could see you there Splendid! I'll be the one dressed in Saxon Feldartillerie uniform... my portrait is on the jacket of 'Fighting the Kaiser's War'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 16 April , 2021 Share Posted 16 April , 2021 Have enjoyed all the other conversation so much! Here's the other letter/postcard. Abs. Untffz. Lang Carl 3 Comp Armierungs Batll 136 Deutsche Feldpost 338 An Gefreiter Franz Herrmann nicht 8/13 Res. Feld. Art. Regt. 13 III. Abteilung 8. Batterie . . . . . Nachrichtenschule 2 unbekannt den 4. Sept. 17. Lieber Schwager Franz! Für soeben erhaltene Carte vom 29.8 besten Dank. freute mich sehr wie ich sehe geht es bei Dir mein Lieber soweit noch gut, was ja bei mir auch noch der Fall ist. Mit den Schwarzwälder Boten werde ich es für mich besorgen. Habe ja Heute auch ein Schreiben von Dorten erhalten. Z. Zt. wieder besseres Wetter bei uns. Sonst nichts neues Für heute sei herz. gegrüsst Dein Schwager Carl From: Unteroffizier Carl Lang, 3rd company, Armierungs Bataillon 136, Deutsche Feldpost 338 To: Gefreiter Franz Hermann Res. Feld. Artl. Regt. 13, III. Division, 8th Battery. Someone has written in red: "not with 8/13" and "unknown according? to army intelligence school 2" 4 September 1917 Dear Brother-in-Law Franz! Thank you for your recent card of 29.8, I was very happy [to receive it]. As I can see, you are doing well, my dear, and for the time being so am I. I will arrange [delivery of] the Schwarzwälder Boten (1) for myself. Today I also got a letter from Dorten. Now there is better weather at home again. Nothing else new. With warm greetings for you today, your brother-in-law Carl 1) Schwarzwälder Boten is a regional newspaper founded in 1835 that serves the Black Forest and Upper Neckar region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 16 April , 2021 Share Posted 16 April , 2021 1 hour ago, knittinganddeath said: Abs. Untffz. Lang Carl 3 Comp Armierungs Batll 136 Deutsche Feldpost 338 An Armierungs-Bataillon was a labour battalion of the 'unarmed Landsturm', consisting of men rated (for any reason) as 'fit for labour' but not 'fit for combat'. They were popularly known as Schipper (shovellers). As originally conceived this type of unit was intended to be used to develop the outerworks (Armierungen) of fortresses, but under trench warfare conditions they became a mobile reserve of unskilled labour which reduced manpower demands on the infantry. As a very rough idea of how numerous they were, the Saxon Army formed a total of fourteen of these battalions during the war as opposed to fifty-six armed Landsturm infantry battalions (not all of which actually existed at any one time). Armierungs-Bataillon 136 was not one of the Saxon ones. Although they were not equipped, trained or intended for combat, we know of at least one instance where an Armierungs-Bataillon was armed and sent into action in an emergency (Saxon Armierungs-Bataillon 23, on the Hartmannsweilerkopf in the Vosges in spring 1915). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 17 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 17 April , 2021 Thank you Knittinganddeath for the translation I will post a couple more for you and thank you bierast for the extra information it is most appreciated. I am learning more about the german army each day img001 (5).pdfimg002 (5).pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarResearcher Posted 17 April , 2021 Share Posted 17 April , 2021 https://www.scottishcastlesassociation.com/news/articles/chateau-de-coucy-destruction.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 17 April , 2021 Share Posted 17 April , 2021 Nr. 105: Kalksteinbruch bei Reims Abs. Soldat E. Bormann 2/179 An Herrn Albert Bormann Dresden - A. 24 Werderstr. 2 Im Feld, 20.7.16. Lieber Albert! Einen herzl. Kartengruss heute. Umsehend eine Aufnahme unseres Bruches nach der Einnähmen im Herbst 1914. Jetzt macht der Bruch natürlich einen ganz anderen festungsartigen Eindruck, wie du auch im jetzt gesandten grossen Photogra phien gesehen haben magst. Es grüsst dich u. Jannel? herzlich. Erwin Number 105: Limestone quarry near Reims From: Soldier E. Bormann, 2/179 (The card is stamped S.B. 2./J.R. 177) To: Mr Albert Bormann, Dresden - A. 24, Werderstr. 2 In the field, 20.7.16 Dear Albert! A warm postcard greeting today. On the reverse [of the card] a picture of our quarry after its capture in the fall of 1914. The quarry now makes a completely different fortress-like impression, as you may have seen in the large photographs that have now been sent. Warm greetings to you and Jannel?. Erwin Unterstandshütten 53 Abs. Gefr. W. Uhlig, 9/. . ./106 An. Frau Frieda Uhlig Leutzsch b/Leipzig Hauptstr. 81 2.5.17 Meine liebe Frieda Deinen lieben Brief #25 & auch die Zeitungsbrief #26 erhäld ich ges- tern, ich danke dir recht herzlich. Ich bin bloss froh, endlich Gewissheit über der 2. Packet zu haben. Ich möchte dich bitten für mich nichts zu senden erst kommt Ihr. Heute abend werde ich dir ausführ lich schreiben. Mit der gleichen Post sende ich dir heute noch zwei . . . Pak kete und auch ein grosses Packet. Sonst müsste ich heute nichts werden. Mit den herzl. Grüssen und Kussen ver bleibe ich dein Walther Underground cabins 53 Abs. Gefr. W. Uhlig, 9/. . ./106 (Stamped 9th company Res. Inf? Regt? . . .) (1) An. Frau Frieda Uhlig Leutzsch b/Leipzig Hauptstr. 81 To Mrs Frieda Uhlig, Leutzsch near Leipzig, Hauptstr. 81 Yesterday I received your dear letter #25 & newspaper letter #26, thank you very much. I'm just happy to finally have certainty about the 2nd package. I would like to ask you not to send anything for me until you come (2). Tonight I will write to you in detail. I'll send you two more . . . . packages by the same post today also a large package. Otherwise what would I be today! Warmest greetings and kisses, I remain your Walther 1) The 53 seems to indicate number of letters or postcards that he has sent; it seems his wife also numbered her letters. 2) Not sure whether I read this correctly. If he was garrisoned domestically, perhaps she could come to visit? Or else I have completely misunderstood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 18 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2021 Thank you for those .I find it interesting that they seem to send back from the front as many parcels as are sent from home .I am posting another 2 but when you are ready for it I have a couple of letters that might have more information in them img001 (4).pdfimg002 (4).pdfimg003 (2).pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 18 April , 2021 Share Posted 18 April , 2021 (edited) 16 hours ago, knittinganddeath said: 1) The 53 seems to indicate number of letters or postcards that he has sent; it seems his wife also numbered her letters. 2) Not sure whether I read this correctly. If he was garrisoned domestically, perhaps she could come to visit? Or else I have completely misunderstood. 1) Yes. Because the delivery of the mail was often hampered by various reasons. Therefore it was common practice by the senders to number their letters and parcels, so they could check whether or not they had received all that was sent. 2) Yes. ;-) He said, they should not send any more letters etc. to him, until he had sent them something first. GreyC Edited 18 April , 2021 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 21 April , 2021 Share Posted 21 April , 2021 Sorry it took so long. I looked at the cards and it felt like a switch went off in my brain and I couldn't read anything. So unfortunately, I haven't managed to decipher the most interesting bits :-( but here are some broad strokes... An. Fräulein Martha Mehnert Baumanns-Restaurant Steinigwolmsdorf i/Sachsen Frankreich, 25.3.1915 Liebe Martha! Will dir wenigstens heute ein paar Worte schreiben denn auf den versprochenen Brief wirst du wohl noch ein Weilchen warten müssen denn jetzt ist die . . . wieder einmahl gnapp? drotz dem wir jetzt wieder im . . . liegen. Das sind eben die sogenannten Ruhe? lage. Was machst du denn immer Hast du meine Post alle erhalten. Ich selbst erwarte heute einen Brief von dir Hoffendlich freu ich mich nicht umsonst Oder doch? Sonst geht es mir ganz gut. Hoffe auch daselbe von dir. Es grüsst Dein . . . . Paul Bitte grüss . . . . und alle von mir. To: Miss Martha Mehnert, c/o Baumanns Restaurant, Steinigwolmsdorf in Saxony France, 25.3.1915 Dear Martha! I want to write you at least a few words today since you will probably have to wait a bit longer for the promised letter because now . . . once again . . . . although we are now lying at . . . . That is the so-called Rest Camp. What are you doing these days? Have you received all my mail? I myself am awaiting a letter from you today. Hopefully I'm not looking forward to nothing. Or am I? Otherwise I'm doing well. I hope the same is true of you. Greetings from your. . . . Paul. Please say hello to . . . and everyone from me. Feldpostkarte. Abs. Hauptmann Ehrenberg Ersatzbtl. Eisenbahnrgt. 4 Transport? An. Frau Regierungsbaumeister Ehrenberg Rendsburg Reventloustr. 2 12.5.15. Liebstes Liebchen! Um 6 Uhr in Soest Kaffe getrunken und nun geht es weiter durch das grün. . .t u. blühende Westfalenland. Gestern abend war . . . u. . . . Ringelheim. Wir konnten dort 3/4 Stundent zusammen sein. Sie lasse dich bestens grüssen. Gleich kommen wir durch Hamm. Münster bleibt leicher rechts? liegen. Es geht über Köln. Von Soest ab sind wir einen Personen- zug angefangen, währen wir bis dahin in einem EIlgutezug fuhren. Jetzt geht es natürlich schneller, leider. Das Eisenbahn fahren als alleiniger Inhaber? eines? . . . . . scheint eine . . . Schwäche? zu sein. Wie geht's bei Euch? Hoffentlich seid ihr alle wohl und Munter. Viele herzliche Grüsse. . . . . . From: Hauptmann Ehrenberg Ersatzbtl. Eisenbahnrgt. 4 - railroad regiment? Transport To: Mrs Ehrenberg, Wife of Government Master Builder Ehrenberg Rendsburg Reventloustr. 2 Dearest Darling! Drank coffee at 6 o'clock in Soest and now we're off again through the green and blooming Westfalen country. Yesterday evening . . . in Ringelheim. We spent 3/4 of an hour there together. She sends you warm greetings. Now we are going through Hamm. Unfortunately Münster is too far away. We are going over Cologne. At Soest we changed to a passenger train, while before that we had been in an express goods train. Now it's naturally going faster -- too bad. Riding the railways as the lone holder of . . . . seems to be a . . . weakness. How are you all doing? Hopefully you are all well and cheerful. Many warm greetings. . . . . The card is postmarked Holzwickede. I plotted part of his route in Google Maps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 21 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2021 Thank you for doing this and the extra information . Do not worry about anything im just glad of getting anything I can done. If you want to stop for a while its no problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 21 April , 2021 Share Posted 21 April , 2021 No, sorry, didn't mean to give the impression that I can't do more -- just meant to explain why they're so incomplete. I'm pretty sure that this was just a freak occurrence and if you just post something new it'll be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 21 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2021 I think you are doing brilliantly Thank you .Heres 2 more img001 (3).pdfimg002 (3).pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 21 April , 2021 Share Posted 21 April , 2021 These were much easier! The group photo No return address; stamped SB JRMLW . . . 9. Komp and 28. Infanterie-Div. An Familien P. Herrmann Handlung Klepsau . . . Krautheim Baden geschr. d. 8. März 1916 L[iebe] Eltern u[nd] Geschwister! Teile Euch mit dass ich eben die Karte 79 und Paket 80 erhalten habe. Ich bin noch gesund was ich auch von euch Allen hoffe. Mit Grus[s] u[nd] baldiges Wiedersehen Julius To: Family of P. Herrmann Shop Klepsau, Krautheim, Baden Written on 8 March 1916 Dear Parents and Siblings! Letting you know that I just received Card 79 and Parcel 80. I am still healthy and hope that you are too. Greetings and [to a] speedy reunion. Julius. Unfortunately no indication of which one he might be in the photograph! Wervicq Abs. Wehrmann Bühler 6/127 An. Fräulein Marie Heim in Kempten i/Allgäu Bayern 57 Haslacher Str. geschrieben den 17/1. 1916 Liebe Nichte! Auf die Anfrage, ob ich das Paket vom 23. dez. erhalten habe, will ich dir sofort Antwort geben. Ich habe am 5. januar eines erhalten u. dir sofort eine Karte geschickt. Vielleicht hast du sie jetzt erhalten. Sonst geht es mir gut. Schlies[s]e mein schreiben unter herz lichen Grüssen dein Onkel Nikolaus R. From: Wehrmann Bühler 6/127 To: Miss Marie Heim in Kempten in Allgäu, Bavaria, Haslacher Street No. 57 Writtten on 17 January 1916 Dear Niece! I will immediately answer the question of whether I have received the parcel of 23 December. I received a parcel on 5 January and immediately sent you a card. Perhaps you have now received it. Otherwise I'm doing well. Will finish this letter with warm greetings from your uncle Nikolaus R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 21 April , 2021 Share Posted 21 April , 2021 (edited) On 17/04/2021 at 19:25, knittinganddeath said: Number 105: Limestone quarry near Reims From: Soldier E. Bormann, 2/179(The card is stamped S.B. 2./J.R. 177) The unit here is most definitely IR 177 (32. Inf. Div.), despite that handwritten '7' which indeed looks very like a '9'... IR 179 was a long way further north on a completely different front. The quarry is a much-photographed location near Hill 108 (Berry-au-Bac) north of Reims. Quote Abs. Gefr. W. Uhlig, 9/. . ./106 An. Frau Frieda Uhlig Leutzsch b/Leipzig Hauptstr. 81 2.5.17 The unit here is RIR 106 (123. Inf. Div.) which was on the Wilija in Belarus at this time. Please see my piece on 4. Landsturm-Infanterie-Bataillon Leipzig XIX.4 for more details including a map and some trench shots from this front. https://www.facebook.com/groups/german1914/permalink/907799803398397/ Edited 21 April , 2021 by bierast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 21 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2021 Thank you Knittinganddeath wow you are getting fast ,. Here I think is one which will slow you you down .Sorry in advance, But I hope is interesting img003.pdfimg004.pdfimg005.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 23 April , 2021 Share Posted 23 April , 2021 Feldpostbrief Abs. Landst. P. Meineke 26. R. AK. R.J.Rgt. 233 51 R. Div. II. Battl. 6. Komp An. Fräul. Berta Meineke Lehrerin Konstanz Brauneggerstr. 30 Bodensee Aus Flandern 15.7.15 Liebe Schwester Berta! Empfing gestern mit grösster Freude deine feinen Liebes- gaben mit den so lieben Zeilen. Besonders freut es mich, dass meine Zeilen beim blonden Bäckerstöchterchen so freundliche Aufnahm gefunden. Wenn ich mir doch daraus ein Anzeichen der Erfüllung meines schon längst ersehnten Glückes sehen dürfte. Ich glaube dass die beiden Bäckertöchterchen, die Blonde und die Schwarze, mit mir eine kleine Schelmerei getrieben haben. Es antwortete mir nämlich ein Fräulein Anna während du dein Namen Luise nennst. Ich weiss nun nicht wer von uns beiden in Irrtum ist. Die hauptsache ist, dass das liebe Blondinchen weiss wer meine Annäherungs- versuche gelten sollen. Ich werde es als schön- sten u. begehrenswerte Ehre- lohn nach meiner gesunden Rückkehr ansehen, wenn ich in Ihr mein heimlich er- sehntes Ziel finden würde. Bezüglich bis- herigen Gesundheit darfst du, liebe Berta, ganz be- ruhigt sein. Die ständige Aufenthalt in Gottesfreier Natur in von günstig- stem Einfluss auf mein eiwigen Katar[r]h. Trotz schlechter Witterung oder anstrengendstes Tätigkeit ist es mit dem Husten eher besser geworden. Manchmal hat man ja durch unregelmässiges Essen oder das schlechte Wasser schnell vorübergehend Magen- beschwerden. Sind z. Zt. für 5 Tage in Ruhe. Zu Nordweste ereignet sich sonst nichts nennenswert neues. Vor einigen Tagen sahen wir etwa 600 mtr von uns hinter unseren Graben einen franzs. Fliege senk- recht abstiegen, ein schauder haften Anblick, wenn er uns auch mit hoher Befein digung erfüllte. Ganz gesund und stets frohen Mutes grüsst dich von ganzem Herzen dein dich liebhabender u. dankbarer Bruder Paul Feldpostbrief From: Landsturmmann P. Meineke, 26. R. AK. RIR 233, 51 R. Div. II. Battl. 6. Komp To: Miss Berta Meineke, Teacher, Konstanz, Brauneggerstr. 30, Lake Constance From Flanders, 15 July 1915 Dear Sister Berta! With great pleasure and heartfelt thanks I received your care package with those very dear lines of verse. In particular I was glad that my verse was so well received by the baker's blonde daughter. If only I could see a sign of the fulfillment of my long-awaited happiness in that! I think that the baker's two daughters, the blonde one and the dark one, have played a little trick on me. Namely, I received a reply from a Miss Anna whereas you mentioned the name Luise. I don't know if it was you or I that erred. The main thing is that the dear blonde knows for whom my advances are intended. I will look upon it as the most beautiful and desirable reward after my healthy return if I find my secretly longed-for goal in her. Concerning my health, dear Berta, you do not need to worry. The continuing stay in God's free nature a most favourable influence on my unending postnasal drip. Despite bad weather and strenuous activity, my cough has gotten better. Sometimes one gets temporary stomach upsets due to irregular eating or the bad water. We are at rest for the next 5 days. Nothing else of note happening to the northwest. A few days ago, about 600 meters from us, behind our trench, we saw a French plane descending vertically, a sight to behold, even if it filled us with much animosity. Wholly healthy and always in good spirits, your loving and thankful brother Paul sends you very warm regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 23 April , 2021 Share Posted 23 April , 2021 45 minutes ago, knittinganddeath said: even if it filled us with much animosity. Well done. However actually it says " wenn es uns auch mit hoher Befriedigung erfüllte" = though it gave us great satisfaction." GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 24 April , 2021 Share Posted 24 April , 2021 Thank you GreyC! I did think something was a bit off with my reading. This makes much more sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GROBBY Posted 24 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 24 April , 2021 Thank you both especialy knittinganddeath for a very long translation.It looks like he really fancys the blonde lady ,I wonder if they did get together in the end .I have tryed to find the french aircraft that came down but cant find one in the flanders area of that date. His unit was in the Poelcappelle Langemark St Julian area .I have 6 cards from the same person from 1915 1916 1918. I will post the first 2 img001 (2).pdf img002 (2).pdf img001.pdf img002.pdf Sorry not the last person but another person Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyC Posted 24 April , 2021 Share Posted 24 April , 2021 (edited) The first one was written with problems in German grammar. It comes from a soldier of the 1st Garde Division (2nd Garde Regiment) and is send to a Miss Timmermann (his daughter) in Hamburg: Lagny, 26.11.1915 Liebe [sic] Mariechen, Schicke Dir auch eine Karte zum Andenken an den bösen Krieg in Frankreich, hoffentlich hat es bald ein ende [sic] und ich wieder zu Hause komme [sic] . Viele Grüße von deinem lieben Vater Dear Mariechen (Mary) Send you a card as a souvenir of the evil war in France. Hopefully it is over soon and I home. Many greetings from your father. The 2nd card has just Xmas greetings on it. Edited 24 April , 2021 by GreyC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knittinganddeath Posted 24 April , 2021 Share Posted 24 April , 2021 The second card as GreyC said is just a Christmas greeting. Frankreich, 18.12.15 Liebe Mariechen Viele herzliche Weihnachtsgrüsse von deinem lieben Vater France, 18.12. 15 Dear little Mary, many warm Christmas greetings from your dear/loving father Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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