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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

2 German Officers Photo Albums


StAubyns

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Thanks egbert, any thoughts on the place name in 23/4? Is it Vergaville? There is a place named such in France, Moselle/Lorraine.

Page 23 Photo 6

post-4232-0-17161200-1328526515.jpg

Geoff

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I suspect that I am one of many 'passengers' on this thread, unable to offer anything useful but mesmerised by it.

I have to thank you Geoff for sharing it with us and to the little team of helpers who have carried out some unbelievable detective work and turned this into one of this forum's greatest ever threads (up there with Egbert's trunk - how come all the best threads involve the Germans [and Egbert!] on a British army forum?! :D ).

I look forward to following further developments.

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23/7 Gruppe Iltis, Verdun Aug/Sept 1917= Group Iltis ("Iltis" is a random selected nickname for a unit; the word "Iltis" actually means polecat), Verdun Aug/Sept 1917

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After consultation with Hinrich, we have to rewrite history for 21/4, 21/5, 21/6: it shall not read Ischery but "Tschedy"

Anybody finds that location next/near of Lake Narotsch ?

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We are jumping back and forth, criss and cross with respect to the picture sorting in the album.

23/4: Vergaville, pretty far away from the other Western Front picture-locations:

post-80-1137197478.gif

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Hello again - Geoff I don't know whether you have picked this up by FAR 22 were in St Quentin in 1914 and Noyon & Soisson in 1918. Is there anyway/anywhere we can find more detail?

Egbert - can you help, please, or is Malte out there with further info.

Here's hoping again

ckbeans

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Andrew,

Thanks for your support and comments. However, I must say that you rate this thread higher than I would. Thank you for the compliment.

egbert

I have been attaching the english translations to my copy album and I seem to be missing a translation for Album 1 Page 4 Photo 1 and Album 1 Page 5 Photos 1&2. Could I be presumptious and ask for a translation please?

I also have a theory about the owner of the 1st Album. Look at Album 1, Page 9 Photo 3. You translated "MW" as "myself". If you look not to closely I think that the "MW" is an alteration from "HW" who we know as "HeiWei" If you look at Page 11 Photo 4 " ein jungen leutnant" and compare this photo with the "HW's" I think we have the owner. I just have to identify him on a named photo! Do you agree?

A factoid - do you realise that if you want to print this thread (I did this morning) there are 149 A4 pages.

Some more photos shortly

Thanks for everyones input

Geoff

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5/1:

Picture from Battery position/tactical location (Beau Puits)

5/2:

Die Westfalenburg (Unterstand des Beob, W.)=

“Die Westfalenburg” translates in Westphalia Castle; but in this sense it is the military nickname of the depicted dugout of the observers.

“Unterstand des Beob. W.”= Dug out of the observer…..I have no translation available for the “W”

I still read "M.W.", = shortform for "Meine Wenigkeit" = translated= close to something like “my humble self”

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thanks for the translations egbert, much appreciated

A close up of the "MW" in 9/3

post-4232-0-39370700-1328527625.jpg

I think I can see "H" under the "M"

BTW Malte is back ,he has updated some of his photos today. Looks like he is back from holiday!

Geoff

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M.W. it is. I really don't see any discrepencies: "Ein junger Leutnant" = "H.W." = "HeiWei' = "M.W."

Compare the following pic:

post-80-1137281451.jpg

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egbert, thanks for putting that together for me, it really is much appreciated. Thank you.

And the photo with the name - Page 11 photo 2

There are three officers in the photo, Schmidt, Mahr and our friend, but the name is not "HeiWei", it is HEIWA. Could "HeiWei" be a corruption of his proper name (Heiwa)? And is there such an officer in the Army List for FAR 22?

Malte, welcome back! :)

Geoff

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Egbert has drawn my attention to this thread and to the photo of Flabas. As Egbert's map shows, there is of a place called Flabas to the north of Verdun, just to the west of the main road to Damvillers. It is just below the German front line of Sept. 1914-February 1916. The French front in that sector was held by Col Driant and his chasseurs. The landscape is typical for the Verdun sector. Assuming that it is Flabas, I think the photo must be taken from the road that runs downhill from the German lines into the village. If so, the chapel in the rear of the photo is on the same site as the modern chapel today.

However, I am a bit surprised by the date. I wouldn't have thought that the big house in the centre of the picture and the chapel would have been standing by then. Also, I don't recognise the buildings, or

whatever they are, on the hill in the rear of the photo. If it is Flabas, I think it's earlier than 1917.

As others have said, this is a really wonderful thread and an example of what this forum is all about.

Christina

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