Named & Unit # Walther Pistol

[flatlander]

I've had this 25 cal Walther pistol for some years now. It must have been the personal property of German who took it with him as a back up gun. The rear grip strap is marked EIGEHTHUM UNTEROFF. PROBST 8/235 I'm just wondering if anyone can ID the soldier or the unit engraved on the pistol. Thanks and any help is appreciated.
FL

[flatlander]

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[flatlander]

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[flatlander]

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[flatlander]

last pic

[flatlander]

I bought this years ago from the deceased WW2 Vets sister right out of the woodwork, so I know the inscription is period applied and the gun has never been monkeyed with.
FL

[Admiraal]

Well, 8./ means 8th Kompanie.
The 235 is the unit number.
But there is a whole list of units with 235.
So its very hard to find the correct one, unless you get the info from WASt, with the soldiers name.

[Admiraal]

Oh and EIGEHTHUM is not the corrent spelling in modern German.
Its EIGENTUM. I don´t know if thats some sort of old spelling?

[Johnny R]

It probably is an Army unit. Smaller units would not have that high of a sub-unit designatior (8). The pistol type is typical as a small self defense weapon for rear troops. If I was researching it I would start by looking at Batterie 8, Artillerie-Regiment 235, they also were in France and were engaged with American units. The only other likely unit is IR 235 and they were disbanded early and fought in Russia etc.

[Simon O.]

Actually there weren't that many units numbered 235 and thanks to him being in the 8th company or battery we can narrow it down as we can discount all those units that never had an 8th company. As you got this from an American vet we also know he must have belonged to a unit that was in the West in 1944/45

That leaves us with just one choice. Artillerie Regiment 235 of the 198 Inf.Div.

More specifically the 8th battery belonged to the 3rd battalion of the regiment.

[Johnny R]

Simon nailed it too, my only concern is not using unterwachtmeister for an artillerie unit but they used both. I also suspect AR 235.

[sauerfan]

Oh and EIGEHTHUM is not the corrent spelling in modern German.
Its EIGENTUM. I don´t know if thats some sort of old spelling?

Right. There was a change in spelling in 1908 I guess. Before 1908 (or 1909?), "Eigenthum" was written this way, after the change without the "h".

I assume, the unit is referring to a unit of WWI, not WWII. Maybe an old-fashioned guy executed the engravings, still using the "h".

Regards

Martin

[Simon O.]

Simon nailed it too, my only concern is not using unterwachtmeister for an artillerie unit but they used both. I also suspect AR 235.

Unteroffizier and unterfeldwebel/unterwachtmeister are two seperate ranks John

[flatlander]

Thanks for the help guys, wish I could track down the original owner further.
FL