High Quality WW1 Photos - Central Powers

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice view of equipment and gear for Austrian Troops. Note the helmets, the left one is of German design, the right is the Berndorfer type. The grenades they are using are the Rohr model, 2nd type. It was a stick type model, with a cast metal head that had a belt loop attached. The handle was made from cardboard and held the pull fuse inside similar to the M17 German model. The soldier on the left has the bayonet and a short fighting knife on his belt, as well as grenade bags on both. They are carrying the carbine versions of the M1885 rifles. 

[Gildwiller1918]

German POWs in Japanese camp in Marugame, Kagawa Prefecture. At the onset of hostilities, the Japanese occupied German ports, possessions and islands in the Pacific. The Japanese hoped that by helping the Western Allies they would be viewed as power in their own right, however they were disappointed at the Treaty of Versailles. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Early war view of German Troops with a Trench Mortar. Note the hairbrush type grenades, used by all sides early in the war. 

[Gildwiller1918]

British tanks being repaired and refurbished by German forces to use in their arsenal. 

[Gildwiller1918]

WW1 German U-Boat Crew.

[Gildwiller1918]

Interesting photo, that I have not seen before, German Film crew. The unit itself does not look very light or portable. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is Kaiser Wilhelm II, wearing the uniform of an Ottoman Imperial Army Marshal, when touring Constantinople and Gallipoli in October, 1917.

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice view of a late war German trench and equipment, the soldiers are wearing the M16 type helmets. You can see the duck boards in the trench, although the trench itself is pretty shallow. Typically German trenches were more robust, this may for training as it appears and observer is walking on the far right observing. Note the two soldiers on the bottom right, with the swallows nests on their shoulder to indicate musicians, most likely buglers. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Another image on the use of dogs in war. Here we have a dog that is delivering food to the troops. No idea on how effective this was, as it was difficult to get food delivered by people to the front lines. Most likely a staged photo. Interesting how they attached to two mess kits to the dog. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice view of German assault troops. Some are wearing the Iron Cross ribbon. They are holding the M17 stick grenades, these all appear live unlike other photos where you can see holes in the can. Of particular interest are the fighting knives on the belts. These are quite valuable and highly prized by collectors. The man on the far left may have the ersatz bayonet on his rifle, as the handle appears to be all metal. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Grim reality of modern warfare, gas masks and related gear became associated with WW1, here are some German soldiers playing cards while wearing the M17 mask, which looks staged to show how quiet things were on the western front. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is a nice photo of Austrian troops manning a Schwarzlose MG 07/15 heavy machine gun. This was the main heavy machine gun for the Austro-Hungarians during the war, although they used many other types. The cloth ammo belts typically held 250 rounds.

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice close up of an Austrian NCO, his tresse and stars indicate a rank of Stabsfeldwebel, or possibly a Stabsfeuerwerker, it is hard to tell as the colored background of the collar patches dictate what the rank name was. For example if it is red it would be Stabsfeuerwerker. If dark red it would be Stabsfeldwebel or Stabswachtmeister. Regardless, of the rank, he has been decorated with the Iron Cross 2nd class, and what looks like the Tapferkeits Medaille which was a medal awarded to NCO's for bravery, and the second one I cannot tell. Nice view of the Austrian belt buckle as well.

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice photo of an allied officer wearing the German Sniper mask. This was a very heavy item, weighing in at nearly 14 pounds, and was .227 inches thick. It was heavily padded in the forehead region and was a grey-green paint scheme on the outside. It has .7 inch long by .3 inch wide eye slits. It was reported it could stop nearly all regular service ammunition, but did not do well against armor piercing rounds. These are extremely rare today, there are really excellent fakes out there that look rusted and old, collectors should be cautious. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice early war photo of three war comrades. Note the early war ammo pouches and what looks like the brass type buckles. 

[Gildwiller1918]

German troops posing with various bit of kit, the M17 mask, M16 type helmets with the stirnpanzer sniper plate, the so-called lobster back armor. 

[Fritz]

Nice photos. The photo with the armoured mask is from the Imperial War Museum, they also have a perfect original example in their collections.

The 3 comrades are of the 6. Bavarian Field Artillery! You can see a 6 on one of the shoulders. They also have a spiked helmet with a longish spike, as worn by the Bavarian artillery. The tunics have Swedish cuffs. Note also the special (antiquated?) sidearm from 1892, all brass mounted with a lionhead pommel - imagine wearing this with a fieldgrey uniform! Their uniforms, etc. are all brand new in the picture.

The last photo with the armour display are soldiers from one of the Prussian Foot Guards Regiments, possibly 2., 3., or 4., or Garde-Füsilier-Regt., as per shoulder strap piping, they are not from the 1. or the 5., as these had white piping.

[Fritz]

Northern France or Belgium, August 1914, British troops arriving at the front

Flanders, smashed bridges and canals

British trenches on the Somme, 1916

8. September 1914, 1.Battn. Middlesex Regiment at Signy-Signets

L Battery, Royal Horse Artillery at Néry, 1. September 1914

The last gun at Néry, 1. September 1914

B.E.F. cavalry towards the front, August 1914

Sir John French, commander of the B.E.F. in France-Belgium, 1914

Soldiers of the Manchester Regiment at Mons, August 1914

B.E.F. commanders, centre left: Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig, ca. 1917

General Sir William Dobbie as a staff officer during WW1. Later wartime gouverneur of Malta

Soldiers on the Somme during a fire pause. The leather jerkins were a popular alternative or addition to the greatcoat in cold weather

Ypres in 1917

Ypres, an artist's impression

[Fritz]

Mobilmachung, August 1914 (Berlin)

 

Operation Michel or "Kaiserschlacht": The German advance in the days after the 21. March 1918

German cavalry, unspecified, undated.

[Fritz]

On 06/02/2020 at 16:15, Gildwiller1918 said:

Another nice early war photo, these men are listed as belonging to a Bavarian unit. The second and fifth man (left to right) are carrying the G88 rifle, while the others have the Mauser 71/84 rifles. It was not uncommon for armies to use weapons and gear from previous wars, especially with rapid mobilizations and increases in troop levels. Note the difference in footwear as well. 

These men are clearly not Bavarians! The helmet plate indicates that they are from Prussia

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is a WW1 German Anti-aircraft armored truck. This could also be employed in a anti-tank or conventional artillery role. Note the rangefinder on the right side as well as the muntion storage in the center. Typically these vehicles could carry some ammunition, however more often it was carried in a support vehicle. 

[Gildwiller1918]

Nice image of a 21 CM gun being towed by a tractor unit. On cobble stone such as this it was probably pretty easy. In the quagmire of the front lines, maybe not as much. The 21 CM Morser 16 was a heavy howitzer was used in WW1, and up till 1940 when they were replaced by the 21 CM 1918 versions. These beasts weighed 6700 kilos and could fire a 250 lb round 11,000 meters. 

[Fritz]

Leibhusaren-Regiments 1 and 2 (Danzig)
From a private collection, original texts have been included.

Bruder und Schwester. Kronprinz Wilhelm als Kommandeur des 1. Leibhusaren-Regiments Nr. 1 und Prinzessin Viktoria Luise als Zweiter Chef des 2. Leibhusaren-Regiments Nr. 2

Kronprinz Wilhelm in Uniform der 1. Leibhusaren-Regiment Nr. 1  zusammen mit seiner Frau Kronprinzessin Cecilie und Prinz Friedrich Karl von Preußen beim Osterrennen in Karlshorst

1. Der Kronprinz
2. Major von Ludendorff
3. Der persönliche Adjutant des Kronprinzes, Hauptmann Edler von der Planitz
4. Zahlmeister Bethke
5. Rittmeister Mackensen von Astfeld
6. Rittmeister von Risselmann
7. Adjutant des Kronprinzen, Oberleutnant Graf zu Dohna
8. Rittmeister von Frantzius
9. Leutnant von Fischer-Treuenfeld
10. Leutnant Freiherr von dem Bottlenberg
11. Leutnant von Gusnar
12. Leutnant von der Osten
13. Rittmeister von Poellnitz
14. Oberleutnant Douglas
15. Leutnant Kuntzen
16. Leutnant von Braun
17. Leutnant Montû
18. Leutnant Pfeffer
19. Leutnant von Mackensen
20. Leutnant Graf zu Solms
21. Leutnant Graf von Keyserlingk
22. Leutnant von Schroeter
23. Dr. Schulze
24. Leutnant von Schmidt
25. Leutnant von Kühne
26. Oberleutnant von Plehwe

Kronprinz Wilhelm von Preußen mit General von Mackensen auf der Rennbahn

General August von Mackensen mit Offizierskorps bei 250. Jahrestag der Gründung des russischen Leib-Garde Ulanen Regiments in Peterhof, 15 Maj 1903.

Kaiser Wilhelm zum Besuche des Kronprinzenpaares in Königsberg im Winter 1912

 

Drei Unteroffiziere und ein Husar des 2. Leibhusaren-Regiments Königin Victoria von Preußen Nr. 2 in Dienstanzug.
Foto augenommen in der Kaserne der Leibhusaren-Brigade in Danzig-Langfuhr

Unteroffizier des 2. Leibhusaren-Regiments Königin Victoria von Preußen Nr. 2 in Paradeanzug.

Leibhusaren im Fußgefecht bei Grudusk in Dezember 1914. Der Wald im Hintergrunde dient den zurückgelassenen Pferden als Deckung.

Husarenpatrouille durchsucht ein Bauerhaus in Russisch-Polen, März 1915.

and here, a selection of old colour plates showing the various regiments around 1860 - 1880

 

 

[Gildwiller1918]

Very nice photos Fritz, they showed great details of the uniforms and associated gear.

[Gildwiller1918]

Here is a detailed photo showing a German Airmen getting suited up for a mission. Note the flare (very) pistol and catridges on the fusilage and electrically heated mask.