The German Imperial Army in the World War - Structure and Organization - Airshipmen
Airshipmen on the Western Front. Original photo from the year 1916. Photographer: G. Gramsch/Dresden.
The airship troops were part of the transport troops.
Before the mobilization of 1914 there were 5 airship battalions (established 1884, 1911 and 1913). There also existed a Bavarian air and motor-vehicle battalion.
In addition to operating and crewing the traditional airships, the employment of tethered balloons was also among their duties.
Besides the 24 airship units formed at mobilization (disbanded from 1917) there were 9 field airship detachments and 15 fortress airship troops (converted into field airship detachments from 1915).
From 1917 independent balloon units were formed; in 1918 there were a total of 184 of these in the German Army (and 56 field airship detachment staffs).
On the dark-blue peacetime uniform the airshipmen wore a yellow L on the shoulder boards with the respective battalion number.
This badge was also worn on the field uniform.
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