Evidence for naval or army ranks in use by Matrosen Regiments of the Marine Divisions during WW1

[tricksor]

Can anybody provide evidence for whether army ranks were used or navy ranks were used by the Sailor's Regiments and also harbour protection companies under the command of the Marinekorps Flandern?

[charlie2]

If you look at the lists of Officers and also the Roll of Honour in the history of Matrosen Regiment 4 you will see that a mixture were used. For NCOs and men the ranks used were predominantly Naval. The first two officers named are a Kapitän zur See (Navy) and an Oberleutnant der Reserve (Army).

https://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-bsz5173465408.xml&tx_dlf[page]=340&cHash=7029350ca95adac5028f2dab758a677a

Charlie

[KizmeRD]

The photo below well illustrates the mixed command structure (naval and military) exercised by the Marinekorps Flandern - taken on the occasion of a visit from Hindenburg (Von Schröder standing next to him in the centre).  The force was responsible for holding the 60 kilometre coastal strip from the Dutch boarder to the Yser and had its own torpedo boats, destroyers, u-boats, aircraft, coastal artillery, field artillery, infantry and medical units.

MB

Edited 2 March , 2023 by KizmeRD

[tricksor]

1 hour ago, charlie2 said:

If you look at the lists of Officers and also the Roll of Honour in the history of Matrosen Regiment 4 you will see that a mixture were used. For NCOs and men the ranks used were predominantly Naval. The first two officers named are a Kapitän zur See (Navy) and an Oberleutnant der Reserve (Army).

https://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-bsz5173465408.xml&tx_dlf[page]=340&cHash=7029350ca95adac5028f2dab758a677a

Charlie

Thanks this is really helpful, interesting read

[KizmeRD]

In respect of the non-officer ranks, much depends on their functions - obviously the naval craft were all manned by sailors, as was the coastal artillery. The seaplanes and fighter aircraft were navy, the field artillery was mixed (marines, landwehr as well as sailors/matrossen), infantry also comprised of both (but mostly marines) and medical staff were also mixed. The marine infantry and artillery units obviously used army rank structure, and matrossen units had naval rating structure.

MB

[tricksor]

5 hours ago, KizmeRD said:

In respect of the non-officer ranks, much depends on their functions - obviously the naval craft were all manned by sailors, as was the coastal artillery. The seaplanes and fighter aircraft were navy, the field artillery was mixed (marines, landwehr as well as sailors/matrossen), infantry also comprised of both (but mostly marines) and medical staff were also mixed. The marine infantry and artillery units obviously used army rank structure, and matrossen units had naval rating structure.

MB

I see thank you