C96 'Broom-handle' Mauser pistol.
 

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A fresh-faced machine-gunner from an unidentified Garde regiment, his hand resting on the wooden holster (stock) of his C96 'Broom-handle' Mauser pistol.

He wears a M1916 Stahlhelm, M1907/10 tunic with Swedish cuffs and Garde litzen on the collar and cuffs. The strap over his shoulder connects to the Schlitten, the MG08 sled mount.

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An MG08 being dragged into it's final firing position:

Tom, is that your photograph/picture postcard??? I could swear I've seen it before... :confused:

Although after a few years here, every German soldier looks the same as the last... :(

Tom, obviously you know German uniform well. I bought a card back a while ago, which I am using as a bookmark. Any thought on their unit? Cavalry?

Comparing two photos, the hanging position of the holster on the belt had some difference. On that one-man wartime photo, the hanging position was low, most likely, the hinge on the wood holster had a loop, and attached to the belt via a short leather band. Holster with loop, if matching, it's a 7,63mm M1912 variation. On the four-man photo, the hanging position was high. The harness had a clip on the other side, which could hook the holster to the belt. But that's not secure enough, a shoulder strap could help. Two men did not use shoulder straps, probably they were in a training facility. Covered by leather, but looks like wood holster had loop on hinge as well. Most likely, what they carried was also 7,63mm M1912 variation. From their facial expression, clean uniform, snow-white sword decoration..... this four-man photo should be a prewar photo.

But I don't know their unit. Cavalry training school?

Is it just me or does the young man in the solo picture look really young? I know by wars end there were taking the youngest to fight, but he looks to be no older then 16.

Not unusual for 16-17 year olds to be serving at this time.

The sabers and right side crossdraw set up on the group photo certainly identifies them as cavalry. Spurs visible on several of the boots would clinch this.

The holster is the typical leather "harness" which contained a toe cup like a Luger Artillery holster for the attaching iron of the wood stock. The harness also had provisions for a cleaning rod and an extra magazine spring. Some say that the small pouch on the harness is for an extra stripper of ammunition.

All of these men are enlisted and two of them have trench flashlights around their necks.

The second man from the left has a visible canteen with the cup/cover hanging loose, lending creedence to the idea that this is a quickly staged "snapshot" at a rear area barracks or trainig camp.

The troops in the second photo are not cavalry but either Bavarian field artillery troopers or they are train unit troops, probably the former. All cavalry carried the model 89 cavalry sabre which was straight bladed with a massive basket guard.

Thanks, George, but how do we explain the spurs?

Both field artillery and Train units were mounted. Note also the open belt buckles only worn by mounted troops.

Is that like choo-choo train, or like 20 mule team supply train??? :confused:

in my single, young soldier pic, his job of pulling the sled
 

for the MG08 probably dictated the positioning of the holster, as show in the second pic........

Support trains, mostly horse drawn wagons that included everything from munitions, to ambulances to bakeries, etc.

I've been searching and collecting vintage pictures of soldiers fitted with guns that I have in my collection. It is a funny (and very often expensive) side collection.

Here are three that are currently sitting in my collection:

(1) A soldier from the 189th Infantry Regiment.

(2) A bunch of guys (maybe Feldartillerie) equiped with C96 adn gas masks in a trench.

(3) A 1914 dated postcard showing another guy with a complete stock and pistol set. This is particularly interesting as it shows the C96 use before the introduction of the Wartime Commercial and Red Nine variations.

Hope you enjoy it.

Douglas.

Men back then were not all that tall as they are today or some years later. You can pretty much tell from uniform sizes and how they too have grown in size to accommodate the wearers. Combined with youth appearance and their sizes, they all looked too young.