HIR 6 regiment number

A special badge  and a special picture. The picture was shot on August 10, 1914 in Szabadka, at the time of mobilization, before marching to the front. Departure to the front, with stiffened cuffs, a neatly ironed uniform, a decorative sword, elegant gloves. And with the regimental number on the officer’s cap.

I have seen a few photos and I know many badges. I have never seen this pair, in any picture. I have never come across the enamel badge version of the regimental number. Maybe it was only made for the soldiers of HIR 6? It is also strange that it is already there in the first week of the Great War, that is, it was made in peacetime, and the guy obviously wore it.

However, if this was possible in the summer of 1914, then it had to be included in the otherwise very strict uniform regulations. It would be good if I had adequate knowledge about this, whether this number on the cap was actually in accordance with the regulations? If so, why can’t we find other numbers, neither badges, no photos?

According to experts, numbering the field cap was a requirement for the crew, and metal numbers were often used. The officer version shown here is therefore unique, since there was no need to put a number on the officer’s cap at all. The enameling could have been an improvement on a crew number.