Great-grandfather - - WWI combat engineer?

[grmaier]

Hi, everyone!

This is my great-grandfather, Nicolaus Maier with senior NCOs of his front-line combat engineering battalion. He is in the light tunic, which is unfamiliar to me, although I can see some of his comrades are NCOs, and a couple even sport an EK2 ribbon.

I was wondering whether anyone can tell me what uniform my great-grandfather is wearing, and what his rank might have been? I know he was in the reserve forces since the 1890s - - allegedly he was a major, but I do not see the shoulder braiding on his tunic to indicate that rank, and do not know what, if anything, the colors on his hat may mean.

He was on the Eastern Front from 1914 through mid-1918 as a kind of rear-guard, and this is one of only two photographs of him ever taken during WWI at the front, or near it. I have a few others, but they are pre-war, taken between 1897 and 1911. Always, his uniform is similar to the one in this picture, except with long trousers and shoes/boots with what appear to be spurs...white coat with standing collar (dark or red rectangles on the collar, red "shoulder boards"), black trousers with dark stripe, same brimmed hat with black center and strap.

Anything anybody can tell me about the picture and/or my great-grandfather is sincerely appreciated.

Regards,

Gregor

[John G.]

grmaier,
I may be mistaken, but I believe your Great-grandfather is wearing a
version of the co called "Stable Jacket" or
fatique "work" jacket....which had hidden buttons and was in a heavy "duck/canvas" material, sort of an "off-white" cream color....which was often worn as a duty jacket behind the lines or in barracks...and sometimes as "office" wear.

There's nothing I see to indicate his rank.....though the flanking soldiers all appear to be NCOs (you can see NCO tresse on thier collars) and your Gr. Grandfather appears to be senior in age.....his pants and boots (what you can see of them) are not typical officers....but again...if he's wearing a duty uniform they might not be normal officer type?

Sorry I can't help more....WW 1 uniforms had many variations and the old photography doesn't help, and my knowledge of them is limited...
John G.
PS....the other photos might confirm whether he was an officer or "other ranks".....post them if you wish....

[grmaier]

Another image, with some of the same players.

[grmaier]

Picture of Nikolas Maier just before the outbreak of WWI. Can anyone tell me anything about his uniform/rank? Obviously, this is a studio picture.

[John G.]

The additional photos certianly look "officer" to me....the posed prewar portrait looks like the shoulder boards are "field grade" (Major thru Colonel)....can't see any pips (so major ?) but unfortunately don't know any other details....

If there's any text or post marks/cancellations on the reverses might also help.....
John G.

[3.Jäger Rgt.]

Hello,

These uniforms your relative is wearing are versions of the enlisted man's Litewka, which was a duty jacket. The one in the studio photo is a model 1903 enlisted/NCO version (officers did not have collar patches). The NCO collar Tresse is on the underside of the collar patch, which prior to 1899 had been above the collar patch.

The wartime photo again shows a Litewka, but of a different pattern. Normally, all Litewka had shoulder insignia, so for one reason or another, your great grandfather has removed his. I don't see any collar patches, so this could well be an officer's version. He was an Unteroffizier before the war, so I suppose he could have gotten a commission during the war. Without the boards, there is little hope of knowing his rank.

Chip