Imperial German ID tag

[paul kennedy]

Details of tag
Emil Baars
Gadebusch B. Grevesmuhlen
15. 9. 87
Ers. Batl. J.R.162

Any information on this person would be appreciated, as well as any pointing in the right direction for further research.
Thank you,
Paul

[John G.]

Paul,
I wouldn't expect anyone would recognize a WW 1 "unknown" German soldier....one of millions.....just off hand. There are records and data bases....(98% in German), I've never bothered so personally I have only what information about doing such things as is already discussed here and on other forums....(you'd have to search)

You have his name, unit ID (that's researchable), and home town (not sure you have that correct, however)...once you know what the home town is....that's where I'd start, if I were to persue the issue. However, you'll probably only learn his date of being listed missing...since his tag was not found with the remains.

Usually "not worth the effort" as records (if available) are very "brief" unless someone of special note....
Good luck with your efforts... someone may chime in who knows how to do what your asking...
John G.

[paul kennedy]

Thank you for your help.Here's the information that I copied for the hometown.

[paul kennedy]

There are 2 Emil Baars on the volksbund.de site:

One is listed as a reservist who was killed/missing 15.12.1915, the other was a kanonier who was killed/missing 9.5.1918. They do not mention units.

I'm assuming that the kanonier isn't him, as he wasn't in the artillery. My question is about the reservist. This couldn't be him, right? The i.d. tag is the 1916 version, and his date is for December 1915. Does this mean he survived the war?

[John G.]

Only half a tag means he was most very likely KIA (but the other half stayed with the body for probable IDentification .....

Very probably the 1915 KIA/MIA Reservist....(from age of tag owner/issuee).... with this "1/2 tag" ending up in a "Doughboys" souvenirs in 1918/19. Remember the battlefields were cleaned and many "souvenirs" acquired.... an earlier KIA tag could still find it's way into a Doughboys hands...even though "our" involvement was almost entirely "1918".

I know there are numerous differant WW 1 vintage tags variations....but whether this on is 1915/1916/1917 model is beyond my knowledge....(or actual caring...).
John G.

[paul kennedy]

Thank you for your help John G.
Paul

[3.Jäger Rgt.]

This is a model 1916 Erkennungsmarke and most likely, it just accidently broke at some point. These are notoriously fragile at the perforation. The halves that were collected from the dead would have had their information recorded and then they would have been discarded. This particular tag shows the man's training or Ersatz formation (in the homeland). These units provided manpower for more than one field unit under wartime circumstances, so you are more likely to see some other formation marked as the field unit. Unless this tag has markings on the reverse, it will not tell you what his field unit was. It also happened that when the soldier arrived at his assigned field unit, a new tag was created and this first one was discarded, rather than being re-marked.

It could not have been worn by a man killed before 1916. Saying whether this man survived the war is pure speculation. My guess, however, is that he did and that is why this tag survived.

Regards,
Chip