Memorabilia

WWI US AEF 14th Engineers Shoulder Insignia

Unused example of this seldom-encountered insignia: red wool felt square on point with applied green center stripe that has a bullion-embroidered Liberty Bell insignia.  This one had me stumped for quite a while until I mentioned it to a friend who knew of an identical insignia on a uniform identified to a soldier in the 14th Engineers (Railway Operation.) The insignia is quite similar to the British 41st Division battle flash, only displayed on point instead of square, and with a green stripe in the center instead of white.  The British insignia may well have been the inspiration for this AEF shoulder insignia, as the 14th was one of several Engineer organizations detached from the AEF for service directly under British command.  This one is not identified to an individual soldier, but remains a good tunic with a rare and very attractive insignia.  

The 14th Engineers (Railway Operation), organized in 1917, was one of the U.S. Army’s specialized engineer regiments formed to operate and maintain military railways on the Western Front. Consisting largely of experienced American railroad men, the unit deployed to France with the first contingents of the American Expeditionary Forces.  The regiment was primarily organized in the Boston area, and most of its personnel were experienced railroad employees from New England railroads. Specifically, the 14th Engineers drew men from the Boston & Maine, Maine Central, Boston & Albany, Bangor & Aroostook, and New York, New Haven & Hartford railroads. Many of the regiment’s officers and enlisted men were directly employed by these companies at the time of their enlistment, ensuring the unit’s expertise in railway operations was both practical and immediate for overseas service. 

Assigned to British command, the regiment worked on vital lines supplying the front during major offensives such as Cambrai and the Somme. Their duties included repairing battle-damaged track, running trains under fire, and sustaining the vast logistical network that supported Allied armies. The 14th Engineers exemplified the essential but often overlooked technical expertise that underpinned modern industrial warfare.

$100 - $200

WWI US AEF 93rd Division Shoulder Insignia

Nice original example; applied wool construction depicts the profile of a horizon blue French Adrian helmet against a black disc background, on a backing of olive drab wool.  

The 93rd Division of the U.S. Army, activated in December 1917, was a pioneering African American combat unit and part of the segregated "Colored" troops in World War I. Unique in its service, the division's regiments were assigned to the French Army instead of fighting as a complete American division due to persistent racism and reluctance from many in the American command to deploy Black troops in combat. Embraced by the French, who were accustomed to colonial soldiers of color, the men of the 93rd were issued French equipment—including the distinctive blue-painted Adrian helmets, which inspired the division's iconic insignia: a blue French helmet on a black circle. The 93rd Division never fought together as a whole in France; instead, its four regiments (369th, 370th, 371st, and 372nd) served alongside French formations during the Second Battle of the Marne and the Champagne and Meuse-Argonne Offensives. Issued French weapons and helmets while retaining U.S. uniforms, their blue Adrian helmets became a defining symbol of their unique experience and were memorialized in the division’s insignia.

The 93rd's regiments distinguished themselves in major battles, participating in grueling assaults, capturing prisoners, guns, and materiel, and pressing advances despite fierce resistance. The Harlem Hellfighters (369th Infantry Regiment) among other regiments became internationally renowned for valor, with men like Sgt. Henry Johnson and Cpl. Freddie Stowers receiving France’s highest honors and later being posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by the United States. The service of the 93rd Division proved that Black soldiers could fight as fiercely and skillfully as any, challenging racist stereotypes and opening the door—slowly—to further integration of the U.S. armed forces. The blue Adrian helmet insignia remains an enduring symbol of their courage and partnership with the French, representing the bridge between cultures and the struggle for recognition both abroad and at home. Their legacy is commemorated in museums and public memory, serving as a formative chapter in American military and civil rights history, and inspiring future generations in the ongoing pursuit of equality and justice.

$100 - $200

Imperial German WWI Shoulder Straps: Framed Lot of Eight

69cm (~31") wide x 29cm (11-3/8") tall framed display of eight WWI German shoulder straps highlighted by one Aviation strap, and a single cyphered strap from Grenadier Regiment No. 2.  Frame has glass that is broken in one corner.  Reverse of this old frame has a separate window containing period inscriptions on cardstock, with the collector notation "These four name cards came to me with the shoulder straps."

$100 - $200

Imperial German Hussar Sash Lot: One Enlisted, One Officer.  

Includes one Prussian enlisted Hussar sash of white cord with black and white intermixed barrel segments, knots and tassels.  Also includes one officer Hussar sash of dark red cord with gold bullion barrel segments, knots and tassels.  Both show some wear with areas of loose thread and bullion.  

$200 - $300

Imperial German Insignia Lot: Bayonet Knots, Shoulder Straps, Buckle, and an Adjutant Sash

Mixed lot features a nice pre-war Bavarian NCO bayonet knot, a Prussian pre-war bayonet knot, unissued private purchase 1st Company enlisted knot with gray strap, a pair of Prussian Field Artillery Leutnant shoulder straps, Prussian M.1847 enlisted buckle, a bullion officer's sword knot, and a Bavarian adjutant sash.  

$300 - $400