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In 1888 Germany decided to produce a new bolt action rifle to replace their black powder weapons. A commission was set up to design the new rifle and they came up with the model, 1888, known as the Commission Rifle. It used a 5 shot Mannlicher clip fed action paired with the new Mauser designed 7.92 (8mm/8X57) .318 Bore Cartridge and featured a unique jacketed barrel and an unusual rear sight. Later versions were upgraded for the new 8mm cartridge and had stripper clip rails added. These guns were well liked and served Germany up through World War I. These rifles were made by several arsenals from 1890 to 1893, and were used by several countries up through WWII, most notably Turkey. Although the issue rifle was replaced during World War I by the modern Mauser Model 1898 rifle, many Imperial German soldiers are pictured with the Model 88 rifle in unit photographs and individual cabinet photographs. It certainly was used extensively as a training weapon and also saw action in the Great War as replacement units reached the front.
It is not often that one can associate some kind of provenance to one of these rifles used in the Great War. However evidence suggests that this rifle, serial number 15xx, has such provenance. The rifle was made by the great Imperial German arsenal at SPANDAU in 1891 and is serial numbered 15xx. All the remaining parts except the bolt are numbered "93" including a barrel band which has a regimental marking imprinted on it. The stock and barrel are nicely cartouched with the official Imperial German eagle and crown cartouch. It has the original style cleaning rod. Unlike many rifles of its type this rifle has no markings from "other-country use" and no "importation marks". Thus this rifle could have been brought back following the war.
The regimental markings on this rifle makes it somewhat unique in that although regulations did require all rifles to be marked; few have survived with such unit markings. The barrel band has the unit mark "4.G.R.E.4.66" and is is also marked "93" matching the serial number of the receiver. Although this unit marking can be somewhat ambiguous, through process of elimination and use of the official regulations for marking German small arms, this rifle can be determine to have been used by the Imperial German 4th Guard-Grenadier Regiment, Ersatz Battalion, Company 4, waffe nr 66. As noted by Jeff Noll in his book, Imperial German Regimental Markings, there is sometime difficulty in determining whether an item belonged to a Guard or a Grenadier regiment. Some Grenadier regiments marked weapons simply the same as an infantry regiment, "R", while others marked them with "Gr". German Official Regulations specified that Grenadiers would use "R" , the same as infantry regiments. Since there was no 4th Ersatz Guard Regiment (only went up to the 2nd) and the 4th Guard Zu Fuss had a known regimental mark for example "4.G.7.199", then the only possible designation that makes sense and complies with regulation is the 4th Guard-Grenadier Regiment. So through the process of elimination one can safely assume that this rifle was either used to train replacements for the 4th Guard Grenadier or may have even seen action as replacements for regimental losses (Ersatz Battalions) were sent to the front.
And indeed the 4th Guard Grenadier had many replacements. The 4th Guard Grenadier Regiment had very interesting service during World War One and was part of the 2d Guard Division from 1914 through 1918. The 2d Division saw extensive action on both the Western and Eastern fronts. No small wonder that a weapon used by this organization has survived. In France during 1914 the unit fought at Haution, Vallee-aux-Bleds, and at St Pieer (west of Vervins). In 1915, it took part in the Mackensens's offensive and later returned to France fighting at Lorette. In 1916, the 2nd Division was sent to the Somme region (Chilly) where it suffered heavy casualties. Later in 1917 it held a position on the Sigfried Line but was gain sent into action at Chemin Des Dames and again suffered heavy casualties. Following this, the unit was sent back to Russia for actions at Sereth and Riga. After receiving replacements, the 2d Division went back to France and yet again took very heavy casualties at La Malmalsion (1800 taken prisoners including 50 officers and many wounded). In 1918 after many battles and casualties, the unit received 10 weeks of training at Metz. The division then saw action at Moreuil, Aisne, Marne, Somme, and Ypres. At the Somme near Dompiere the 2d Division suffered heavy losses and lost 1450 prisoners.
In 1917 US Army intelligence in the compilation of reports, Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army Which Participated in the War (1914- 1918), describes the 2d Guard Division as having the reputation for being a good division. It suffered heavy losses in the Aisne sector in May 1917. However, even after this attack, the moral of the men on the whole seemed quite high. At the Malmaison attack, October 23, 1917 the troops of the division after three days, were completely defeated. During the last battles the division showed only moderate fighting value. As late as 1918 the 2d Guard Division was rated a first class assault division. It participated in a great deal of heavy fighting and always acquitted itself very well. It was mentioned in the official communiqués on several occasions. Between the end of August and October 9th 1918 it had lost 2800 in prisoners alone. Indeed, its losses must have been very heavy, since there is positive evidence at hand to show that it received 4000 replacements between August 10 and October 10, 1918.
Should it be surprising that the Mauser Model 88 rifle of the 2d Division, 4th Regiment, Guard Grenadiers, Ersatz Battalion, 4th company survives today as a tribute to the 4th Guard Grenadiers of the 2d Guard Division? Certainly not. Whether the rifle was used solely for training purposes or used in a direct combat role cannot be known. What is for certain is that it did have a hand in training one of the most heavily engaged regiments of the Great War.
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