Joined
·
4,384 Posts
BERGMAN BAYARD, SERIAL NUMBER 15769, MANUFACTURED FOR THE GERMAN ARMY, UNIT MARKED TO THE MACHINE GUN COMPANY OF THE 2ND GARDE REGIMENT OF FOOT.
During the first weeks of World War I the Germans over ran the Pieper plant at Herstal, Belgium. This plant manufactured the Bergman Bayard and the Bergman Bayard is listed as being offered for sale by the Prussian Army Arsenal to German Army officers (August 8,1917). The late James Stewart states that during the occupation of Belgium, Bergman Bayard’s in the 15000 to 16000 serial range were manufactured according to German specifications for the German military. (Stewart, James B., “Bergman System Military Pistols”, an article in the 1973 Gun Digest.)
I first became aware of such a German Bergman Bayard in 1982. Its serial number was reportedly 15769 and it bore unit markings of 2.G.N.G. 104 (Volume I, p. 124). After tracking this pistol for 20 years, I recently had the opportunity to add it to my collection and it is shown below.
Download Attachment:
Ibb1.jpg
34.1KB
Figure 1. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Left side. Like the Mauser broom handle, it has its magazine forward of the trigger. It has a detachable magazine.
Download Attachment: Ibb2.jpg
35.07KB
Figure 2. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Right side. Note: the absence of Belgium proofs.
Download Attachment: Ibb3.jpg
13.84KB
Figure 3. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Bottom, showing the serial number.
Download Attachment: Ibb4.jpg
30.4KB
Figure 4. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Showing details of the manufacturing logo.
Download Attachment: Ibb5.jpg
12.47KB
Figure 5. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Front.
Download Attachment: Ibb6.jpg
79.16KB
Figure 6. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769, showing the unit markings on its front strap. 2.G.M.G.104. signifies 2nd Garde Regiment of Foot, Maschinengewehr-Kompagnie, Waffe Nr.104. During World War I the 2nd Garde Regiment of Foot was part of the First Garde Division that battled on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Allied intelligence rated this Division as the one of the very best German shock divisions. During World War I the First Garde Division battled at the Marne, Flanders, Champagne, Tarnow, Brest-Litowsk, the Somme, Russia, Riga, Chemin De Dames, and Argonne.
Download Attachment: Ibb7.jpg
61.8KB
Figure 7. The First Garde Division battled at the Somme during 1916. The Battle of the Somme is illustrated, showing a British assault on German machine gunners.
Download Attachment: Ibb8.jpg
80.59KB
Figure 8. Illustrated, German machine gunners swamped by an allied attack late in the War.
Between Sept.26 and Oct.8, 1918 the First Garde Division was swamped by the American Meuse-Argonne attack(total losses 4000). It is even possible that the machine gunners from this Division opposed Sargent York in the Argonne Forest. Sergeant York killed 15 German machine gunners and captured 132 prisoners on October 8th. He won the Congressional Medal of Honor.
During the first weeks of World War I the Germans over ran the Pieper plant at Herstal, Belgium. This plant manufactured the Bergman Bayard and the Bergman Bayard is listed as being offered for sale by the Prussian Army Arsenal to German Army officers (August 8,1917). The late James Stewart states that during the occupation of Belgium, Bergman Bayard’s in the 15000 to 16000 serial range were manufactured according to German specifications for the German military. (Stewart, James B., “Bergman System Military Pistols”, an article in the 1973 Gun Digest.)
I first became aware of such a German Bergman Bayard in 1982. Its serial number was reportedly 15769 and it bore unit markings of 2.G.N.G. 104 (Volume I, p. 124). After tracking this pistol for 20 years, I recently had the opportunity to add it to my collection and it is shown below.
Download Attachment:
Ibb1.jpg34.1KB
Figure 1. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Left side. Like the Mauser broom handle, it has its magazine forward of the trigger. It has a detachable magazine.
Download Attachment:
Ibb2.jpg35.07KB
Figure 2. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Right side. Note: the absence of Belgium proofs.
Download Attachment:
Ibb3.jpg13.84KB
Figure 3. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Bottom, showing the serial number.
Download Attachment:
Ibb4.jpg30.4KB
Figure 4. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Showing details of the manufacturing logo.
Download Attachment:
Ibb5.jpg12.47KB
Figure 5. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769. Front.
Download Attachment:
Ibb6.jpg79.16KB
Figure 6. Bergman Bayard, serial number 15769, showing the unit markings on its front strap. 2.G.M.G.104. signifies 2nd Garde Regiment of Foot, Maschinengewehr-Kompagnie, Waffe Nr.104. During World War I the 2nd Garde Regiment of Foot was part of the First Garde Division that battled on both the Eastern and Western Fronts. Allied intelligence rated this Division as the one of the very best German shock divisions. During World War I the First Garde Division battled at the Marne, Flanders, Champagne, Tarnow, Brest-Litowsk, the Somme, Russia, Riga, Chemin De Dames, and Argonne.
Download Attachment:
Ibb7.jpg61.8KB
Figure 7. The First Garde Division battled at the Somme during 1916. The Battle of the Somme is illustrated, showing a British assault on German machine gunners.
Download Attachment:
Ibb8.jpg80.59KB
Figure 8. Illustrated, German machine gunners swamped by an allied attack late in the War.
Between Sept.26 and Oct.8, 1918 the First Garde Division was swamped by the American Meuse-Argonne attack(total losses 4000). It is even possible that the machine gunners from this Division opposed Sargent York in the Argonne Forest. Sergeant York killed 15 German machine gunners and captured 132 prisoners on October 8th. He won the Congressional Medal of Honor.
1911BAYARDAMMO1.jpg
1911BAYARDAMMO2.jpg
1911BAYARDAMMO3.jpg
1911BAYARDAMMO4.jpg
1911BAYARDAMMO5.jpg
BERGMABIN ACTION.jpg
