WWI picture of the day- shamelessly stolen!

[BEAR]

SGT 115, PVT 117 and 123 all look like they are possibly brothers (at least related).

BEAR

[Lancebear]

Hey Bear,

Had the same thought. Might be more brothers. Soldiers 112 and 113, 107 and 111.

Soldiers 115 and 117 could very well be twins and could pass for the "Red Baron" himself.

Soldier 120 looks like he might be a man of color.

Soldier 116 has no kin in the photo for sure and it looks like he has his finger on the trigger. Certainly has his war face on, think his preferred weapons might have been bayonet and buttstock. If looks could kill.

Noticed something else, four soldiers have chains running from their left epaulets into their left blouse pocket...that about a whistle? Jim T. ? Three in front with the chains also have three stripes on their sleeves.

Is this possibly too many brothers in one outfit in WWI?

Thanks for the interesting photo Rick and your observation, Bear.

Come on 2010 and death to bad guys,

LB

[Jim Tarleton]

Saw the chains (for a whistle). The three with whistles are Sergeants (and I suspect all three were snipers). The whistles themselves were cute little barrel affairs. When you have 350 men on line for advancement, voice commands just don't cut it, especially if you are being shelled/machinegunned unmercifully. The whistles just replaced the bugles, or better yet, supplemented them.

If I remember correctly, one of the AEF Field Training Manuals covered the whistle commands (Assemble, Advance, Fall Back, Dig In, etc.).

Jim

[Lancebear]

Hey Jim,

There's a fourth soldier with a chain but you can't see his sleeves or his rifle. Love this photo.

Robert

[Jason60chev]

Hello Gents, Number 112 looks to be wearing a BAR cartridge belt (while holding a 1917 rifle) while #118 looks to be wearing a 2nd Assistant's belt.