The Australian War Memorial Collection. Test site
Shoulder strap for the 55th Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '55'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indelible pencil on the back of a piece of a German postcard that reads, '55th I.R. / 1st & 3rd Bttns / 13th Div. / captured 4/7/18 / by 4th Div. at / Vaire Wood / and 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 was collected by men of the 15th or 16th Battalions, AIF on 4 July at Vaire Wood, or south of Hamel during the Battle of Hamel, and sent to the Australian Corps Headquarters under the command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash.
The 15th Battalion together with 'G' Company, 132nd United States Army Regiment attacked the German 55th Infantry Regiment's position south of Hamel at Pear Shape Trench (also known as Pear Trench) and in the northern half of Vaire Wood. The 16th Battalion also attacked part of the 55th IR's front line at Vaire Wood.
Shoulder strap for the 13th Reserve Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '13'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indellible pencil on the back
Shoulder strap for the 15th Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '15'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indelible pencil on the back of a p
German soldier's shoulder strap for the 332nd Infantry Regiment. Field grey strap wool with white piping and red chain stitched number '332'. With the strap is a handwritten note written in indelible
German soldier's shoulder strap for the 419th Infantry Regiment. Field grey wool strap with white piping and red chain stitched number '419'. With the strap is a handwritten note in indelible pencil o
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 13th Minenwerfer [Trench Mortar] Company. Made from black wool strap with red piping and red chain stitched letters 'MW' over '13'. With the strap is a handwritten note, in in
