Unit I D request
 

Just purchased an Erfurt, 1912, with no lug. Unit markings are as follows:
121 R 1 20
Could someone give me a unit hit on this please?
Also, I'm new ( Gee, you'd never guess huh ) to Lugers, and when I tried to get the toggle to stay open with the magazine in, it wouldn't. At first I thought something was broken, then I remembered reading somewhere in the Forum that a 1912 Erfurt ( or any Luger of that period ) did not have the hold-open feature. Am I confused??
I have to wait until the 15th of December to pick it up before I can send photos.
Until then I sure would appreciate any and all info.
Best Regards,
Adler Auger

Hi. Welcome to the forum and a great group of folks! According the Jeff Noll's book "The Imperial Regimental Marking", 121 R 1 20 would be Infanterie-Regiment 121, Kompagnie 1, Waffe NR. 11. In english: Infantry Regiment 121, Company 1, Weapon #20.

The 121st Infantry Division initially fought on the Western Front in World War I, entering the line in the Woëvre region at the beginning of May 1915 and remaining in that area until March 1916. It then fought in the Battle of Verdun. It was transferred to the Eastern Front in July 1916, where it went into the line on the Styr River until the end of the year. It then went into the line near Lake Narač until May 1917, when it returned to the Western Front. It fought in the Battle of Passchendaele in late 1917 and saw action in the Second Battle of the Marne and the Second Battle of the Somme (1918), also known as the Third Battle of the Somme, in 1918. It remained in the line until the end of the war.

Congratulations on the unit marked gun! We look forward to seeing photos.

Clark

Clark! Cool! I gotta get that book! anything in there about the 9th Dragoons?

Adler,

You may or may not have the hold open device. Most lugers were recalled to have it installed, but some didn't.

Here's a shot of a 1913 DWM with the HO installed. See the pin in whilte and the inspection mark just up and behind the trigger pin?

Also a shot from the top. The HO is alongside the inner right frame, and the cross piece is just behind the mag well.

Clark and Norm:
Thank you both for that information and photographs. I was expecting a reply to my question, but not in full color and cinerama, and stereo to boot!
Thank you both. I'll be picking up my Erfurt, serial # 3832 on or after the 14th of December. You may recall there's a DOJ ten-day waiting period on hand guns here in ( hurts to say the word ) Los Angeles. I will refer then to your Photographs Norm, and will print out the history you so kindly provided Clark, and keep it in the file on the gun.
Gentlemen, thanks once again for your help and your interest,
Best Personal Regards,
Adler Auger aka: Dale

We had a similar question recently and I believe this can be found in the FAQ ;)


Ed

Thanks Ed, I found it. I've looked in there before but I must have had the old, "can't see the forest for all the trees" problem.
Dale

Clark,
you are right with the definition of the 121. Infantry regiment. But this regiment was part of the 26th Infantry Division and fought at both, the eastern and the western front. The 26th Inf. Div. had nothing to do with the 121th Infantry Division!