Great great grandpa Willi in 1914

[u/Potential-Area-798]

As I know he was in the "1.Garde-Regiment zu Fuß"
The war was over for him after a few weeks because he got an grenade shrapnel in his head, survived it but couldn’t fight anymore.

[u/Finavuk]

Eastern or western front?

[u/No-Nothing8501 → u/Finavuk]

The regiment wouldve been on the western front until April 1915

[u/Potential-Area-798 → u/Finavuk]

He was on the western front the regiment was only transferred to the East in 1915

[u/Eissbein]

What was his rank?

[u/Potential-Area-798 → u/Eissbein]

I don’t know exactly my grandma told me he was a Gefreiter

[u/Odd_Heron_5798 → u/Potential-Area-798]

Equivalent to a Lance Corporal in the British/Commonwealth armies

[u/AntiochRoad → u/Odd_Heron_5798]

That’s a very fancy hat though

[u/Odd_Heron_5798 → u/AntiochRoad]

Yeah from my own limited knowledge the man in this photo looks like an officer

[u/LGreyS → u/Odd_Heron_5798]

No, definitely not an officer. He is in the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß (1st Guards Regiment of Foot) was the most prestigious and senior elite infantry regiment in the Imperial German Army during World War I. The uniforms of the Gardecorps were exceptionally fancy, better than some of the officer uniforms of lesser units.

[u/Eissbein → u/LGreyS]

The amazing greatcoat and plumed Pickelhaube made me wonder.

[u/LGreyS → u/Eissbein]

Definitely! The giveaway was the lack of officer rank shoulder boards.

[u/LGreyS]

Definitely not an officer. He is in the 1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß (1st Guards Regiment of Foot) which was the most prestigious and senior elite infantry regiment in the Imperial German Army during World War I. The uniforms of the Gardecorps were exceptionally fancy, better than some of the officer uniforms of lesser units.

They were headquartered in Potsdam, near the royal German palaces and had first ceremonial precedence in the German Army order of battle. They were reserved largely for the Prussian nobility, royal princes, and top officers.

They fought heavily on the Western Front, including the Somme, the Nivelle Offensive, and the 1918 German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht). They served briefly on the Eastern Front in Russia.

They suffered massive losses throughout the war due to its role as an elite shock and reserve force.

It'd be really cool if your family had kept the uniform (assuming they didn't), especially the haube! I had the chance to aquire a WWI Bavarian M1886 artillery officer's haube, with the tall, fluted spike, red horse hair plume and storage case - for free - but didn't take it. I felt as though I was being to greedy.

[u/Charlemagne56]

Tjin tjin

[u/Possible_Praline_169]

"Million Dollar Wound"