K31 Troop Tag

[Snowman1510]

Hey guys, I got one of those K31s that Century was selling, mine came with a troop tag. I could be mistaken but the city is not listed, only a street I believe. Can somebody help me determine where this fellow lives now? Thanks!

Information

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Wanner Walter = typical German usage of writing the family name first.

So his name (for us) is Walter WANNER (just in case you want to try the Swiss telephone book)

House is No. 13

Postcode is 9221.

Schweizersholz is a scattered settlement (that's why there is no street number) a mile or so to the the west of Bischofszell...

... in the Canton of Thurgau (that's the Tg at the end).

Now you can look it up in Google Earth and try the Swiss telephone book!

[Patrick Chadwick]

Just looked in the Swiss telephone directory myself. No Wanners in Schweizersholz, but 3 in Bischofszell. In such a country area there is a good chance that one or the other is a relative or descendant of Walter Wanner. So you could try a written query to all 3.

---------- Post added at 08:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 PM ----------

Can somebody help me determine where this fellow lives now?

K31s were phased out a long time ago. He is probably no longer with us. Hence my suggestion to try the 3 Wanners in Bischofszell, if you are really keen to know more.

[Eaglelord17]

K31s were phased out a long time ago. He is probably no longer with us. Hence my suggestion to try the 3 Wanners in Bischofszell, if you are really keen to know more.

You might be surprised at how recently the Swiss were still using K31s. The last people issued them would have been in 1958, and they would have been 18 (so born in 1940). If they kept that rifle through their whole service which was a option they would have been using them up until the mid 1970s.

To the OP depending on how old your K31 has a effect on how old the person who was issued it was. My personal K31 is a 1954 which means the person issued them was born in 1936 or 1937 and could definitely be alive still, just 81 or 82.

[Snowman1510]

To the OP depending on how old your K31 has a effect on how old the person who was issued it was.

Mine is a 1936 or 1937 can't recall off the top of my head exactly which one. The tag has his birth year a 1919.

[Snowman1510]

Thanks! I wasn't sure if that was a street name or a city. The rifle has a P stamped onto the barrel, I believe that makes it a private purchase correct? If so does that mean the family didn't want it anymore and turned into the govt.?

[kar98k]

I was able to find, write to and hear back from the soldier mine was issued to in 1956 about 7 years ago.. You only know by trying.

[Snowman1510]

Will do!