Warrior1354
ax - hole
Been wanting to get this one posted. Plus it has been a little slow for me on the Imperial rifles. What was cool is I won this rifle off gunbroker, and the first day of the new year! What a way to start the new year right! When I bought it the rifle was listed as matching. And unit marked to the 139th Regiment, or the 11th Royal Saxon. I did try to see if the bolt head was matching though, but the seller did not respond back. What made it better is when I finally got the rifle the bolt head, firing pin, and even the extractor were all matching. Plus factory original. Was so happy to see that Loewe Berlin distinctive proof stamp under the bolt handle. Now was the rest of the rifle matching? It did pass through the #13 depot center, and the receiver was marked with the counterbore proof stamp. So took the whole rifle apart, and finally found out this Gew88 is 100% all matching! We all Imperial collectors know how hard it is to locate an all matching Gew88. If you do find one chances are the bolt head does not match. Being how easy it is to lose the matching bolt head. Not to mentioned how many were tossed, and the firing pins clipped when they were brought to the states. Only thing bad I could say with this rifle is one of the wood screws for the butt plate is broken.
I also found out this rifle is not unit marked to the 139th Regiment, but instead to the 39th Reserve Regiment out of the 7th Corps District (Westphalia). The regiment was part of 13th Reserve Division in 1914. Thanks to the "Fighting for the Kaiser book" helped with these findings. Some of the most notable mentions of the Division in these findings. Were their combat reports in the Verdun sector. The division held many sections of the front at Haumont, and Samogneux. But suffered 51% infantry losses. By 1917 the reports mentioned the division was of mediocre quality. The same year there were many replacements from other districts of Westphalia (9th, 10th, 11th Corps Districts). In 1918 the division was rated first class, and fought at the Merris. Their main combat actions were in the Armentiers offensive, and fighting in Belgium. I did find one of the most interesting reports were the loss of 1500 prisoners on September 29 of 1918! Even still the division held the line until the Armistice.
I also found out this rifle is not unit marked to the 139th Regiment, but instead to the 39th Reserve Regiment out of the 7th Corps District (Westphalia). The regiment was part of 13th Reserve Division in 1914. Thanks to the "Fighting for the Kaiser book" helped with these findings. Some of the most notable mentions of the Division in these findings. Were their combat reports in the Verdun sector. The division held many sections of the front at Haumont, and Samogneux. But suffered 51% infantry losses. By 1917 the reports mentioned the division was of mediocre quality. The same year there were many replacements from other districts of Westphalia (9th, 10th, 11th Corps Districts). In 1918 the division was rated first class, and fought at the Merris. Their main combat actions were in the Armentiers offensive, and fighting in Belgium. I did find one of the most interesting reports were the loss of 1500 prisoners on September 29 of 1918! Even still the division held the line until the Armistice.
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