Recently, I acquired a decent KAR 88 through a serviceman returning from Afghanistan, who had purchased it at a bazaar there. It
was manufactured at Erfurt in 1896, has the "S" and "nm" modifications and was issued to the 5th Artillery Munitions Column, 10th Army
Corps. i got to wondering how it ended up in Afghanistan and came across a fascinating article about Niedermayer-Hentig Expedition of 1915-1916, a German
effort to enlist the Afghans into the war against Great Britain. An unknown but probably small number of German weapons were brought along and given as gifts
to the local rulers. Since the carbine shows no signs whatsoever of being "Turked," my guess is that it came directly from Germany, perhaps on that
very expedition.
I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else who has an 88 that recently came out of Afghanistan. It might be worthwhile to
compare notes.
