TKJR 3

The province of Tyrol enjoyed a special status in the state organization of the Monarchy. In many respects, it enjoyed autonomy and its military organization also retained local traditions. These were based on their self-organizing, largely civilian self-defense units. By the time of the Great War, they tried to harmonize these local rifle units and battalions with the general organizational framework of the Monarchy. The four Tyrolean Kaiserjager regiments corresponded to the regular regiments of the other provinces. The three provincial rifle regiments corresponded to the units of the Honvéd and Landwehr organizations. But the local shooting associations also survived, which were parallel to the organization of the insurgent units.

After the opening of the Italian front, the Tyrolean troops were basically ordered to protect the borders of their own territory. Before that, they also fought in Galicia. The Kaiserjager were deployed in the 8th Division. This, together with other Tyrolean troops, was part of the XIV. corps, the name of which was Tyrolean Provincial Defense. The 3rd Kaiserjagers got their crews from South Tyrol. The command of the regiment was in Trient. A good third of the crew was Italian. I believe they were transferred elsewhere as soon as the regiment was on the Italian front. The particularly beautiful Kappenabzeichen of the regiment is a coveted treasure for collectors.