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**WW2_History95** · 09-13-2013, 09:33 AM

Thanks Paul

It's a very interesting and challenging subject.

The internet is a good invention, then we have interesting forums like this one and to contact other collectors.

I still have a list of books to complete, because books are still a valuable way to get information.

I post more tropical/ DAK items when I've more ... but first learning and save my budget.

Are there actually many other DAK/ tropical related Signals magazines ?
These 3 were the first DAK/ tropical related Signal mags I found, they came from a fair here in Belgium and were sold at a cheap price.

Yannick

**Paul l k** · 09-14-2013, 03:22 AM

Hi Yannick,,

It's good to hear you are using books to enhance your collecting knowledge..
I am a firm believer that if you collect without reference books then there will never be any way of bring these amazing artifacts to life.. There are still collectors out there that seem to think it's better to spend book money on yet another collectible, this is the type of collector that inevitably ends up with a sprinkling of reproductions somewhere in his/her collection..

Here are two titles that I consider a must to start your DAK/Tropical library:
There are of course many more fine authors and books written on this wonderful subject but these are a great start filled with many true veteran obtained pieces..

Rommel's Army in Africa
Author & Fellow New Zealander: Dal McGuirk
Publisher: Airlife

AfrikaKorps
Author: Robert Kurtz
Publisher: Schiffer Military History Book

Happy hunting

Paul

**WW2_History95** · 09-14-2013, 09:09 AM

Hey Paul,

That's also what I think, the internet is a good information source but books can never be replaced.
Collecting with no (good) knowledge is starting with an impossible task.

Thanks for the book recommendations.

I've already obtained Rommel's army in Africa from Dal McGuirk, it's a very good book.

I've also noticed that there are many DAK collectors from New Zealand.

I'll put the other book on my booklist.

Thanks,
Yannick

**tropenmilitaria** · 09-14-2013, 06:23 PM

Found this for sale online a few weeks back and thought I would add the photo here for documentation in this thread. Appears to be a Luftwaffe tropical tunic with added Heer breast eagle and collar tabs. Have seen quite a few Heer tropical tunics with Luftwaffe eagles and collar tabs added but Luftwaffe tropical tunic conversions seem to be seen much less often.

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**90th Light** · 09-14-2013, 07:03 PM

Originally posted by tropenmilitaria View Post

Found this for sale online a few weeks back and thought I would add the photo here for documentation in this thread. Appears to be a Luftwaffe tropical tunic with added Heer breast eagle and collar tabs. Have seen quite a few Heer tropical tunics with Luftwaffe eagles and collar tabs added but Luftwaffe tropical tunic conversions seem to be seen much less often.

Wow tropenmilitaria,

thanks for posting. Excellent photo.

I am wondering if the side cap is also a tropical LW with WH badges, the eagle on a dark green backing added ???

I also considered early tropical KM but the (WH ?) collars would rule that out ???

Chris

**Tim O'Keefe** · 09-17-2013, 03:14 AM

Andy thats a great photo. Agree most unusual to see a LW tunic w/ Herr insignia. Notice the Herr eagle location above the pocket. And Chris, hard to tell but the cap looks more LW than Herr to me ? Outstanding ! Thanks for posting

**NZMark** · 09-17-2013, 05:07 AM

Interesting ... Any chance of seeing a detailed close-up of the cap and upper chest? Any inscription on the reverse?
Regards,
Mark
NZ.

**tropenmilitaria** · 09-17-2013, 05:21 PM

The photo was in an album that was for sale but I didn't purchase it. Also interesting to note that Heer flak soldiers in Africa (15th panzer) can sometimes be seen wearing 1st pattern army tunics with Luftwaffe breast eagles in period photos.

**Greg B** · 09-20-2013, 03:53 AM

Here is something I picked up recently which might interest you. Sorry its not as exciting as a cap or tunic but none the less thought it worth posting. The story is a little gruesome so hope no one gets to offended. Anyway the item is a pocket knife taken from a German Pz crewman found laying seriously wounded about 100 yards from his Pz III tank after the battle of El Alamein (second battle) The story as the vet tells it goes that after the battle a New Zealand field ambulance drove past what they thought was a dead German soldier towards the knocked out burning tank. After inspecting the tank and realising there was no one inside they preceded back to the dead soldier and shocked to see he was still alive. After rolling him onto his side they realised his leg had been totally smashed and in the Vets words hanging by a thread, effectively only skin and tissue. While removing and searching the solders tunic this pocket knife was found in the tunics pocket and then subsequently used to remove the remains of the leg. (It was thought by the vet the German survived ).

When looking at the burning tank in the photo the Vet said it was at this very point where the German crewman was found. His thoughts were the german crew had pulled him from the tank giving them some space in case the shells exploded and then thinking their mate would have a better chance of survival in the allies hands or they realised there was nothing they could do and left him for dead very likely on foot. I guess we will never know. But man I cant stop looking at this knife and just wonder...as well there is much dried blood in the resess's of this knife.

This sat in a knick knack bowl in the vets dining room for many years. He was asked had he cleaned it and his reply was that it was wiped clean on remnants of the trouser legg after leg removal and from his memory had never been touched since.

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**Greg B** · 09-20-2013, 03:57 AM

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**Greg B** · 09-20-2013, 03:58 AM

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**msteve21** · 09-20-2013, 05:01 AM

Dak

Greg, really brings home the cold reality of the desert war, What a great piece of DAK memorabilia
Mark S

**Greg B** · 09-20-2013, 05:23 AM

Thanks Mark, you are absolutely right there brother! I know I sometimes get so focused on the items and collecting that I forget what these men were there to do..this definately brings the harsh realities home to me of what they had to go through.

Greg

**Larry F.** · 09-20-2013, 11:14 AM

Very moving Greg. Thanks for posting.

**afrikasandman** · 09-20-2013, 02:06 PM

Greg,

very interesting item/story! Its the reality of war for those who have never been. I think what the tankers did for their guy was the right thing. Impossible task but would be interesting to try and research the tank member and see if he could be located! Matt

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