WWI Coincidence?

[Con]

I have been interested in WWI for a long time and have been doing some extensive work on my Great Grandfather and his son who fought in WWI on the German side.  So today just browsing through Yahoo I see the following link on WW1 color pictures.  http://historicaltimes.com/fascinating-never-before-seen-color-photos-from-world-war-i

Being interested I click on it.  Halfway through I come across this picture.



The caption is "Kurhessisches Reserve Infanterie Regt. Nr. 83/25th.Reserve Div. at Ravin du Helly (Minze-Schlucht), Douamont, Verdun. October 1916."

My Great Grandfathers regiment is Reserve Infantry Regt 83 from Hessen Arolsen attached to the 25th Reserve Division.  He was wounded in the first Battle of Verdun which was at the tail end of the race to the sea.  He returned to the regiment in 1916 which at that time was part of the 4th army under von Fabeck.  Here is a picture of him right before he returned to the regiment after convalescence leave.



Am I crazy when I think the soldier in the background holding the Gewher 98 Mauser could be him?

Con

[spieler6]

I'd say the eyes have it.

[Boggit]

It's hard to say. The guy with the rifle in the group photo seems to have darker, more pronounced eyebrows, and the eyes don't look right to me. Then again people can look different when suffering extreme fatigue.

But the guy at the back with the head bandage seems to me much more similar in appearance to the formal photo. I think it could be him... maybe. My $0.02.

[ArizonaTank]

I agree, there is a strong resemblance.

I have a similar tale about WWI. 

By coincidence I found my grandfather, with his WWI unit, in an old photo for sale on ebay.

My grandfather was conscripted into the US Army in March of 1918.  He went to the Signal Corps school at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.  His unit was the 622nd Field Signal Battalion.  The unit had just been formed, and was sent to Camp Cody in Deming, New Mexico in September, so it could be part of the 97th Division that was forming there. 

On the way to Camp Cody, the unit stayed at the Santa Fe Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had their picture taken.  With the war ending just a handful of weeks later, the unit quickly demobilized, and never went overseas. The worst thing they had to deal with was the influenza outbreak at Camp Cody in October. 

So the unit was very small, and existed for a very short time.  But somehow, that picture from Albuquerque survived.

By pure chance, I came across the picture in a listing in ebay, and my grandfather is clearly visible.  I was somewhat heartbroken however, when I found out the picture had already been sold. Undaunted, I contacted the buyer through the seller, and he kindly just gave the picture to me, saying it belonged in my family.  I made a donation in his name to the US WWI Museum in Kansas City. 

Here is the Albuquerque pic



Here is my grandfather.

[CptHowdy]

very cool stuff! thanks for sharing guys. i know my dad and uncles were in vietnam and my wifes stepdad was in vietnam but i know nothing about their fathers and grandfathers. wish i did!

[ArizonaTank]

Sorry double post

[Con]

I dug out the last few photographs I have

This is the company he was in during land maneuvers in 1910 in part of the 83rd Reserve Infantry Regiment


Here he is convalescing after his first wound in the original battle for the race to the sea (it was the start of the first battle of the Marne).  Based on the regimental history I have been able to research it was during the fight for the Saluz and Barbarant le Roi in Belgium (famous or infamous for the war crimes committed by the Germans in this area - but there is a lot of propaganda involved in these accounts from the allies as well).  It was also a very bloody battle with the Germans eventually being forced to retreat and thus ending any hopes of the von Schliefen plan working.


I was told he is the one with the wounded arm in the sling in the center