The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Shoulder strap for the 202nd Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '202'. With the strap is a handwritten note, in indellible pencil on the back of a piece of a German postcard, that reads: '202nd R.I.R. / 1st, 2nd, 3rd Bttn. / 43rd Res. Div. / captured 4/7/18 / by 4th Div. / north of Hamel'.
Single shoulder straps were routinely removed from dead or captured Germans for intelligence purposes, so that the names of the units opposing the Allied forces could be established.
This shoulder strap from a member of the German 202nd Reserve Infantry Regiment (RIR) was captured by Australian soldiers fighting north of Hamel and sent to the Australian Corps Headquarters, under the command of General John Monash.
During the Battle of Hamel the 43rd Battalion captured 100 prisoners including men from the 202nd RIR. The 42nd Battalion, located to the left of the 43rd Battalion, also faced the 202nd RIR and presumably many of their prisoners were also from this regiment.
Shoulder strap for the 201st Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '201'. With the strap is a handwritten note in graphite pencil on the back
Shoulder strap for the 232nd Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '232'. With the strap is a handwritten note, in graphite pencil on the bac
Shoulder strap for the 203rd Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '203'. With the strap is a handwritten note, in indelible pencil on the ba
Shoulder strap for the 52nd Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '52'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indelible pencil on the back
German soldier's shoulder strap for the 257th Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '257'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indelible
Shoulder strap for the 231st Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '231'. With the strap is a handwritten note in graphite pencil on the back