Uniform Identification

[67roadster]

Hi,

This first post and I have two questions.

1) I'm looking for information on the uniform pictured below. My great great grandfather is the one pictured and I know he come to the US before WWI. Can anyone identify the time frame of the uniform and possibly the unit?

2) I have a second cousin that fought with Rommel's army in N. Afrika. He was captured at El Alamein by the British and sent to a POW camp in Canada. I don't know what unit he was in...is there any records of POWs in Canada that I can search or find out his military service record?

I appreciate your help. Thanks.

[67roadster]

Here's a larger picture if it helps.

[Richard Schoutissen]

Sorry can't help you with this, but please have a look here, this is the place to be for these questions!

There are much differences in these old uniforms, for example:

- Schirmmütze Kokarde (they only wear one in your pictures)
- They have a light colored belt
- Cuffs on Waffenrock
etc


Source: http://www.kaisersbunker.com


Source: http://www.wereldoorlog1418.nl

[67roadster]

Thanks for the reply.

I see that my great grandfather has some sort of design on the ends of his shoulders. Any idea what that indicates?

[Richard Schoutissen]

It's called a Schwalbennest (Swallow's nest) worn by military musicians, they where removable by the way.

[Ypenburg]

Something that could be of any help is to find out were your great grandfather lived in Germany during those days.

What also might be helpfull is to make a closer scan of the musicinstruments to the right of your great grandfather. For as far as I can see there's something like a number 18 or so. Most probably this is a Musik-zug. The number should give away the number of the unit. The time-frame this picture was taken should then give you an insight which units with that number there were during that period. That should narrow down the options.

My 2 euro-cents

[67roadster]

My family is from Hillesheim, Germany, if that helps.