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Typical photo from the family shoebox. Not a thing written on the back of pic to identify. Am hoping one of you military history buffs might help me in identifying the uniforms, rifles and country of origin. Help yourselves to a copy if you should desire, or pm me your email for a high res scan. Thanks, Larry

My guess is Swiss army,just from the hat insignia. Don

If only we could see their pocketknives. Then we could know for sure.

Rod

Photo Is from WW-1
Yugoslavian Army
My Grand Dad Had Same Uniform
Same Hat, Etc
He fought In Both wars.
Guy on the Left Has a Mauser
Steve

The rifles appear to be German 1888 "Commission" rifles; the weapon that preceded the Mauser 1898 and was also used extensively in WWI by the Germans and their allies, including the Turks.

Wasn't Yugoslavia formed AFTER WWI from parts of the former Austro Hungarian Empire? So the reference would be to the Austro-Hungarian Army, not the Yugoslavian Army in WWI, wouldn't it? The Kingdom of Serbia was the main part of the (former) Yugoslavia that was independent before the unification of Yugoslavia by mandate at the end of WWI, I think. Serbians may have used captured'88s, but I think were mainly armed with even older weapons, and some French WWI weapons.

The helmets look to like the M1860 tschakos.

Ill bet these fellas on this forum could help you nail it down

Thanks! I'll give them a try. I just knew someone here would have a good lead. Larry

I think the bit about Austro-Hungarian Empire is right. The cross on the head gear is reminiscent of the old Holy Roman Empire which morphed into a large part of the A-H Empire. The geo-political history of that neck of the woods is pretty convoluted, and is still changing.

They are carrying German Commission rifles, most likely
in 8x57MM.

If you post it there drop us a link to the thread, Id like to read what they come up with. Is the identified man in the photo a relative?

Geez if I saw that big bugger on the left coming over the hill, i'd be waving the white hanky.

Interesting these old photos

Johno

Hes just a bigger target !!!!

He might be a Turk John. Remember Gallipoli! Anyway, I'm thinking somewhere in the Balkan States pre or during WWI.

Grogel: "If you post it there drop us a link to the thread, Id like to read what they come up with. Is the identified man in the photo a relative?"

We are assuming he may be a nephew to our great grandparents who sailed for this country prior to Gemany adopting the Gehwer 1888.

The "Pickelhaubes" link is: (Interesting what the second reply to my post shares)

http://www.pickelhaubes.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7073

Thanks guys. I have this posted on two other forums and the consenus thus far on the rifle is the 1888 Commission model.
One fella id'd the medal on the far right soldier as the Kaiser Wilhem Centennial Medal. We'll get this piece of history figured out! Larry
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I enlarged the pic trying to get a better look at the belt buckles. Poor definition at that level, but they look suspiciously like the WWI "Got Mit Uns" (God's on our side) German/Central Powers buckle. I don't know if that precludes Austro-Hungarian origin for the pic or not, nor do I know when that buckle was adopted. Keep us posted on what the experts on dedicated forums tell you please.

Quoting from the Pickelhaubes forum: "The man on the far left is an Unteroffizier (roughly equivilent to a corporal) and has a marksmanship lanyard across his right breast."

I'd try posting it over here.
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php

You may have to register to post. If you aren't allowed to post photos until you've done some number of post let me know and I'll put it up for you.

Scroll down to the Paraphernalia of War \ Uniforms forum.

Thanks...I'll give it a shot...