Imperial German Jager Battalion 1 Major Field Officer Shoulder Board Numeral

An original Major’s silver-cord field-officer shoulder board (Schulterstück) of Jäger-Bataillon Nr. 1 (Rifle Battalion No. 1). The reverse carries a collection label reading “Fig. 2.0 – Major – JB 1.” The round interwoven braid without rank stars denotes Major, and a gilt “1” numeral identifies the battalion.

The board is built of round interwoven (plaited) silver braid — the construction reserved for field officers (Stabsoffiziere) — mounted on a red underlay. The lower field carries a gilt “1” numeral. A vertical button slit is worked at the head, and the squared base terminates in cut cord ends.

The Jäger battalions were the army’s elite light infantry and marksmen, raised originally from foresters and hunters and employed in skirmishing and reconnaissance. The round interwoven braid identifies a field officer; among the field grades the Major wore the braid without stars, the Oberstleutnant with one, and the Oberst with two.

The round interwoven braid without a rank star denotes the grade of Major, and the numeral “1” identifies the battalion.

Condition is good. The interwoven braid is intact with strong plaiting and the expected tarnish, and the gilt numeral is secure. The underlay and backing are sound, the collection label is intact on the reverse, and the base shows cut cord ends in the manner normal to the unfinished tuck end. No restoration is evident in the provided images.

A Jäger field officer’s board in the grade of Major, carrying the battalion numeral, is a scarcer rank for a light-infantry formation and makes a substantial piece for a Jäger or rank-focused collection.