mauser1908
Senior Member
Hi Everyone,
I picked this First Issue DWM up a couple months ago. I’m pretty short unit marked lugers so this one fit well and is marked to a unit with a storied past.
Raised and garrisoned in Westphalia, Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39 was flagged in 1818 and went on to serve in the Austro and Franco-Prussian Wars. At the beginning of WWI, the regiment was part of the 14th Division’s surplus 28th Infantry Brigade. The 28th, and the 39th along with it, were transferred to the 14th Reserve Division. As the only active unit, the 39th was immediately committed during Battle of Liege while the rest of the division was mustered.
In early 1915, the 39th was transferred to the 50th Division and remained there for the remainder of the war. It would participate Verdun, the Second Battle of the Aisne (defense during the Neville Offensive), and Kaiserschlacht. The Regiment would receive its namesake on October 26th, 1918 in honor of Erich Ludendorff who commanded the regiment before the war.
As for the pistol, it’s a pretty normal first issue. One thing of note, when you’re assessing original bluing on First Issue DWMs, halos around the serial number, caliber and witness mark are not a tell tale sign. This isn’t a feature until the ‘b’ block of the DWM contract. These were serialized in the commercial style and grips are unnumbered.
Enjoy.
I picked this First Issue DWM up a couple months ago. I’m pretty short unit marked lugers so this one fit well and is marked to a unit with a storied past.
Raised and garrisoned in Westphalia, Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 39 was flagged in 1818 and went on to serve in the Austro and Franco-Prussian Wars. At the beginning of WWI, the regiment was part of the 14th Division’s surplus 28th Infantry Brigade. The 28th, and the 39th along with it, were transferred to the 14th Reserve Division. As the only active unit, the 39th was immediately committed during Battle of Liege while the rest of the division was mustered.
In early 1915, the 39th was transferred to the 50th Division and remained there for the remainder of the war. It would participate Verdun, the Second Battle of the Aisne (defense during the Neville Offensive), and Kaiserschlacht. The Regiment would receive its namesake on October 26th, 1918 in honor of Erich Ludendorff who commanded the regiment before the war.
As for the pistol, it’s a pretty normal first issue. One thing of note, when you’re assessing original bluing on First Issue DWMs, halos around the serial number, caliber and witness mark are not a tell tale sign. This isn’t a feature until the ‘b’ block of the DWM contract. These were serialized in the commercial style and grips are unnumbered.
Enjoy.
