Erfurt 1915 2750

[PrayingMantis]

The recent Erfurt 1915 reminded me that a while back I said I would post this one. A rare one, but if offered to me again I probably would pass because of the mismatched stock. I was pretty new to Gewehrs when I got it and didn't fully understand the importance of matching stocks. The metal is really nice though, and I still have a fantasy that one day I will find an unnumbered armourer's stock to put it in.

These are old pictures, maybe I should get it out and take better ones.

 

[feldmütze]

The pics are fine & it's a good looking gewehr. It would be a killer with a matching stock.

 

[Loewe]

I agree, these are good pictures, - I have several sets of them, including these, but these are much larger files and easily viewed.

Nice rifle too, not too many are known, half a dozen or or less probably, Greg Myers use to have one, - he has kind of disappeared from collector circles, if anyone knows him today, let us know how he is doing.

 

[mauser1908]

That's a really nice one! Honestly that is the first Erfurt 1915 I have seen in original configuration.

 

[Warrior1354]

First for me too thanks for sharing Mantis.

 

[PrayingMantis]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I guess we are our collection's own worst critics. At least this stock has a nice reddish colour, and one day it will be good for another restoration, once I find an armourer's stock.

I remember seeing Greg's rifle; isn't it unit marked? that's the only other imperial one I know of, but I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the property stamped and updated Erfurt 1915 was showed up recently.

 

[Loewe]

I remember seeing Greg's rifle; isn't it unit marked? that's the only other imperial one I know of, but I'm really looking forward to seeing more of the property stamped and updated Erfurt 1915 was showed up recently.

Greg posted the rifle on Gunboards in 2005, here is the thread that discussed his unit marking. He told me the rifle was serial matching throughout, but some serials were scrubbed-renumbered in depot fashion, the stock had a nasty repair along the bottom, the rifle was well used but is probably the finest known, certainly the finest recorded. I do not have a picture of his bolt, so i am not sure if it is factory matching like yours, but yours is probably in better shape except for the stock. Greg had a fine collection, and i haven't seen him post on the forums in nearly 10 years, but i am sure he still owns the rifle, he was attached to it!


Greg Myers
Gunboards Super Premium Member


257 PostsPosted - 11/18/2005 : 7:57:55 PM


I agree it is an early/mid war marking. T.P. Since you for sure have a copy of the book that I've had no luck in finding... Can you help out with this one as far as a brief history goes?

Download Attachment:
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2.E.B.J.R.131 2nd Ersatz batt. 131st Inf. batt.
This rifle (1915 Erfurt Gew 98) has battle damage, so I don't think it's entire life was spent at a training depot.


TP
Moderator Military Mauser Forum


USA
1168 PostsPosted - 11/18/2005 : 8:39:58 PM


Interesting regimental Greg. Shoot me an email reminder on Monday, the book is at work (eeek!) and I will not get back there until then.


Greg Myers
Gunboards Super Premium Member


257 PostsPosted - 11/18/2005 : 9:00:43 PM


Will do T.P. and thanks.


Greg Myers
Gunboards Super Premium Member


257 PostsPosted - 11/21/2005 : 7:47:23 PM


T.P. Sent you a mail via the boards. TIA.


91Bravo
Gunboards Member


USA
63 PostsPosted - 11/21/2005 : 11:43:53 PM


Just out of curiosity, why weren't you able to take the barrelled receiver?






The Great Billdildoe
Gunboards.Com Gold Star Member


USA
1394 PostsPosted - 11/22/2005 : 2:22:21 PM


quote:

Originally posted by 91Bravo

Just out of curiosity, why weren't you able to take the barrelled receiver?






Moblot lives in a part of europe where military calibers are a non no - especially if never registered. So taking possession of that barreled receiver in his AO could be big legal trouble.


" The vice of capitolsim is it's unequal sharing of blessings ;
The Virtue of socialism is it's equal sharing of misery "
Winston Churchill.


TP
Moderator Military Mauser Forum


USA
1168 PostsPosted - 11/22/2005 : 4:50:39 PM


Okay Greg, here's what I have come up with:

The 131st Regiment along with the 17th Regiment formed the 63rd Brigade, part of the 42nd Division. The 42nd was from the 21st Corps District that was raised in Lorraine and with the 31st Corps, the 21st Corps formed 6th Army under Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. They crossed the Lorraine Frontier at the beginning of the War and fought their way into France. The Division took very heavy casualties in these initial attacks.

At the end of January 1915, the 42nd Division was transferred to the Eastern Front under Hindenberg. They advanced rapidly but suffered heavy casualties there when violent Russian counterattacks occurred on March 9. They stayed in the East through 1915 and 1916 being very active and sustaining heavy casualties.

On April 24th, 1917, the 42nd was sent to the Western Front again but heavy activity in their vicinity caused their orders to be countermanded and they remained in the East until December 23rd when they were finally sent again to fight in France. By this time the system of regional recruiting was found to be wanting and the 42nd was primarily composed of men from Westphalia and the Rhine Province. Originally recruited in Alsace-Lorraine, where most of the pre- and early-War soldiers of this division were from, had proven to be problematic as it was considered to be a hot bed of disloyal soldiers and, while they fought well in the East, they did not perform as well against the French due to conflicting loyalties.

In 1918, losses were heavy. Allied intelligence rated the 42nd as a third class division and while they were used on the attack at Lys, they were used thereafter as a defensive unit and were considered solid. Loses were considerable and with the French offensive in Champagne, the 42nd sustained very heavy casualties and were placed in the second line on October 1st, they returned to the front line on October 14 where they continued until the Armistice. After November 3, they found themselves opposite the left wing of the American army. They had a large number of younger men, something many divisions could not claim that late in the War.

(Man, I type badly! ) Hope this helps some. This is a very small look from "Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-one Divisions of the German Army Which Participated in the War (1914 - 1918)"



Edited by - TP on 11/22/2005 4:59:14 PM


Greg Myers
Gunboards Super Premium Member


257 PostsPosted - 11/22/2005 : 7:05:17 PM


TP, A very big help... Interesting that this rifle likely saw service on the Eastern front as well as the West. Of course there is no way of knowing if the rifle stayed with the 131st. It has battle damage in the buttstock so it did see the front somewhere. Thanks again for your time.( if you type like I do, that took more than a few minutes! )

 

[Redbeard60]

Very nice PrayingMantis! The nicest Erfurt I've seen and the pics are plenty good and clear. The wood is in great shape. Do you shoot it?
Can one have too many Gew98s?

 

[PrayingMantis]

Good question, Red. Doubt one can have too many, but I'll keep collecting until I find out.

This one I have not shot. It has a good bore and everything, probably would shoot well. It came clean though so I didn't shoot it to clean it. I usually only shoot new or special Gews, my '16 Danzig and S28 are my go to shooters.

 

[PrayingMantis]

here is the bayonet I have for Erfurt 1915. double maker blade, kind of interesting.