My roommate recently purchased a Mauser Broomhandle that has a unit stamp for the German 44th Infantry Regiment, 11th company. Him and I have been attempting to find information about that unit, but our Google-fu is not as strong as it could be. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Infanterie-Regiment Graf Dönhoff, AKA, 44th Infantry Regiment, AKA 7th East Prussian Regiment, part of 2nd Division/2nd Infantry Division. Participated at Tannenberg and Masurian Lakes, action in Eastern Front incl. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, withdrawn to Western Front in 1917 and participated in actions in France, followed by defensive and retreat actions in Belgium.
Hope this helps.
44th Infantry Regiment "Graf Dönhoff" (7th East Prussian) (Infanterie-Regiment Graf Dönhoff (7. Ostpreuß.) Nr. 44) was a component of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served primarily on the Eastern Front in WWI, being involved notably in the Battles of Gumbinnen, Tannenberg, and 1st & 2nd Masurian Lakes. It was transferred west between late 1917 and early 1918 like other divisions following the Armistice with the Russians, and ended the war in Belgium, on the Western Front.