Need help identifying this WW1 uniform

[mjones]

Can anyone identify this uniform? It is my grandfather in WW1.

Thanks,

Mike

[Mainemilitaria]

Mike...
Try another shot of the collar emblems....the double-prong roller buckle appears to be either Austrian or French type (but also could be anybody really) but a better shot of the collar will probably identify it....
John G.
Mainemilitaria

[mjones]

Mike...
Try another shot of the collar emblems....the double-prong roller buckle appears to be either Austrian or French type (but also could be anybody really) but a better shot of the collar will probably identify it....
John G.
Mainemilitaria

Thanks

I'll try to shoot it with out the flash to eliminate the glare. It has the convex glass and appears to be painted on the eyes buttons and collar. The wedding
picture is the same. Flowers appear to be painted as well.

Mike

[Chip M]

What was his name and where was he from?

[mjones]

What was his name and where was he from?

Name: Stanley Racis

He was born in 1892 according to his tomb stone. Died the year I was born 1958. He came through Ellis Island in December of 1912. Port of departure was Bremen. Place of residence according to the Ellis island documentation Boudzsizki, Russia. Ethnicity on the same documentation is listed as Austria, Poland. He settled in Chicago then returned to Europe for WW1. According to my mom and my aunts (5). His return to the US is sketchy. He said he was detained for 4 to 6 months in a jail in Canada when returning. According to the family he was held with German soldiers. He then ended up in North Eastern PA where he met and married my Grandmother. He worked in the coal mines and didn't say much about WW1 experiences to the family. My mom was close to him but she died in 1988. My two surviving aunts thought he was in the Polish Army but don't know. He wasn't welcome in the local Polish American Club in their home town. He did frequent the German club.

I'll take some pictures this weekend with natural light out side so I don't have to use a flash.

Mike

[mjones]

[ATTACH]1179854[/ATTACH]

Close up of the collar. Sorry for the time delay to get it posted.

Mike

[Mainemilitaria]

mjones,
Unfortunately, the closeup doesn't really help....the handpainted emblems don't conform to anything I recognize....but his uniform & emblem style isn't German....but it could be Austro-Hungarian so I'm "leaning" in that direction.

Someone with more knowledge of Austro-Hungarian uniforms and collar emblems might be able to make sense of them....

From your information, we can probably rule out French or Italian or any other "Allied" armies.....I'm not sure if Poland had distinct uniforms in the WW1 period....though I believe there were "Polish" units in both the Austrian & Russian Armies.....

Sorry I can't be of more help....I hoped the collar emblems would be clearer in closeup .....but they really aren't much help.
John G.
Mainemilitaria

[mjones]

John,

Thanks for taking the time to review the uniform.

Maybe I should post it in the International section.

Mike