49
votes
Can anyone identify the military branch and rank of the man in the front row? This is from Germany @1932
This is a Railway (Reichsbahn) uniform from the period 1924 until June 1935.
The rank is probably Rangieraufseher (Shunting supervisor).
Ranks, 1924-1935-06
Railway Cap, 1924-1935-06
Source:
...
- 9,504
46
votes
Uniform identification: c20th male, General, mid/light green double breasted, red facing, red neck tags, blue/green shoulder boards
It appears to be a painting of Pavlo Shandruk (Ukrainian: Павло Шандрук, Polish: Pawło Szandruk).
As Pieter noted it is a mid 20th century fascist German uniform in style.
As Luiz noted the cockade ...
- 14.6k
34
votes
Accepted
Identify the circa 1920 uniform in this photo
Found it. This is an RFC or Royal Flying Corp cap badge. I thought the picture was showing BBS but it's not. The angle, the quality of the picture and the loop for securing it to the bonnet was ...
- 2,333
32
votes
Identifying this uniform, possibly German or Polish
Bunzlau is now in Poland and called Bolesławiec. Back then it was in Silesia, thus Prussia and therefore in Germany.
The photographer is given as "Otto Scholz", a German, not a Polish name, ...
- 80.8k
32
votes
Can anyone identify the military branch and rank of the man in the front row? This is from Germany @1932
If this is the relevant person:
(click to enlarge pictures)
then the actual salient points are:
cap: 'flying/winged wheels', double cockade -> Reichsbahn employee
shoulderboards to be expected ...
- 80.8k
29
votes
What do the insignias on the collar shown in this photograph stand for?
I believe this uniform is from the Austrio-Hungarian empire, WWI era.
Two six-pointed stars would indicate a Korporal, and the exact unit insignia can be seen by scrolling down in the pages shown (...
- 38.7k
27
votes
Accepted
Did the Roman legions wear this type of boots?
These boots are in the calceus style. As such they are quite spot on and accurate for a Roman soldier in colder climates. But not unlike the caligae we stereotypically associate with a legionaire's ...
- 80.8k
27
votes
What is the origin and rank of this military uniform?
This is a Soviet army junior officer's greatcoat (двубортная шинель).
The shoulder boards are for a post-1943 senior lieutenant of the infantry - you can just barely see the second of 3 stars and the ...
- 8,919
26
votes
Accepted
Can anyone identify the regiment and rank from this WWI photograph?
I agree with Kobunite, but by a different route. I can't make out the cap badge well enough to identify it positively, but the collar badges are either Royal Artillery or Royal Engineers, which are ...
- 31.4k
24
votes
Accepted
Was there any practical use for German spiked helmets (Pickelhaube)?
Helmet spikes and flanges were originally intended to deflect saber blows. Those on the Pickelhaube are somewhat stylized, but they still served the original purpose. Source: German Wikipedia.
I ...
- 16.8k
23
votes
Are these Red Army uniforms authentic?
Yes, these are authentic cadette uniforms. But note that 1 is "standard", while 2 and 3 are "parade" variants.
No 1. is a kind of standard infantry uniform which had a little changes from WW1 to WW2. ...
- 4,308
23
votes
What uniform are these gentlemen wearing?
The distinctive collar 'snake' pattern as well as the eagle worn by the guy sitting in the centre suggest that this is a Polish uniform:
left guy has it already
A wire wężyk braid, also used for ...
- 80.8k
23
votes
What's the date of this army uniform?
The writing on the backside reads in my eyes as:
Sir Walter Olivey KCB, 51 Blessingdon Road
Note that I read a 'd' in "Blessingdon", not a 't' as in Blessington below:
This gives us a ...
- 80.8k
20
votes
What did this WWII combat medic insignia represent?
That is the insignia for Pharmacist's Mate 2nd Class, a corpsman. The red cross in the middle distinguishes it from a Petty Officer 2nd Class.
Pharmacist’s mates are petty officers who, under the ...
- 54.9k
19
votes
What type of military uniform is this?
This is a French soldier from the 13th Batallion Chasseurs Alpins. They are light infantry mountain troops.
- 1,313
18
votes
Can anyone identify the military branch and rank of the man in the front row? This is from Germany @1932
It is not an Imperial, Weimar, or Third Reich naval uniform.
It does, however, appear to be a Weimar period reichsbahn (railroad) police uniform . . .
Some discussion in a collectors' forum here
...
- 4,661
17
votes
What possible uniform with decoration is my ancestor from New South Wales in the early 1900's wearing?
I agree with the comments, it doesn't look military in nature. Looking at various organization, I finally found an item listed on ebay which seems to match both the wide emblem and the tasseled 8-...
- 38.7k
17
votes
Can anyone identify my great grandfather's military uniform?
Seems as if the Copricapo (Italian: 'hat') head gear gives it away:
black capercaillie feathers flowing from their wide-brimmed black hats. These feathers are also worn on Bersaglieri combat helmets. ...
- 80.8k
17
votes
What post-photographic 19th US century dark skirted stripe embroidered jacket, hard brim and top forage cap, light trousers, sword uniform is this?
The uniform here is a musicians uniform, civil war era.
A picture at the Library of Congress shows an individual wearing a similar uniform.
The image has the label (emphasis mine)
[Private ...
- 38.7k
16
votes
Accepted
Which Scottish regiment is the Queen inspecting in this photo?
The tartan is not clear and the glengarry was shared by most Highland regiments. The hose and sporrans may have differed among regiments but I am having a hard time nailing down exactly which aspects ...
- 9,112
15
votes
Accepted
What uniform does PewDiePie wear in this picture?
I'm fairly sure it's an imitation uniform of the character Captain Mainwaring from an old British comedy series named Dad's Army. It originally ran from the late 60s till the late 70s and was very ...
- 174
15
votes
What uniform is in this picture?
This is a Private of the 13th Regiment of Foot (1st Somersetshire) after 1881. He is a qualified marksman with two Good Conduct stripes and has been in the service for at least six years.
The logo on ...
- 54.9k
13
votes
Accepted
Why were US "Cavalry" belt buckle backs filled with lead?
Growing up I heard it was so if need be you could swing them as a weapon at the end of the belt.
The idea that this was done deliberately, by the manufacturer, so the buckle could be used as an ...
- 54.9k
13
votes
Can anyone identify the regiment and rank from this WWI photograph?
Starting with the regiment - looking at the cap badge (see below), I believe that he was in the Corps of Royal Engineers.
The uniform appears to be that of a commissioned officer, however the exact ...
- 4,800
13
votes
Uniform identification: c20th male, General, mid/light green double breasted, red facing, red neck tags, blue/green shoulder boards
Although there are some discrepancies, this appears to be a General der Infanterie of the Panzer Grenadiers, wearing a general officer's version of the M36 wool greatcoat over his service dress (...
- 72.3k
13
votes
What uniform is the man in this mid to late 19th century photo wearing?
I think I've got it: a gunner (private) of the Royal Artillery, from the Western Division, in the mid-1880s.
As @justCal identified, it's likely to be a Royal Artillery uniform of the 1880s pattern, ...
- 9,112
12
votes
What uniform is this (German/WW1?) and could a 15–16 year old be wearing it?
It is a German uniform of that era.
The biggest hints are the cut of it, as visible, the classicist font used for the number on the shoulder boards, and most important: the two cockades on the hat.
...
- 80.8k
11
votes
Is this a US Civil War uniform?
Looks like your soldier may be a member of the 56th Regiment
New York Volunteers, also known as the 10th Legion (hence the patch).
You can see a couple of soldiers with similar uniforms at a site ...
- 38.7k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible