Any DAK items

[tropenmilitaria]

pants markings. firm was in Poland I believe.

[alphared6]

hi alphared6. yes, I have heard that alot of POWs traded their insignia, medals etc. for smokes, etc. Could you please post photos of that POW tunic?

I'll try. The tunic is not mine and I've not spoken to that fellow in some time but I'll see what I can do.

[tropenmilitaria]

thats enough of pics to not choke up this thread. I recommend to any of you to see the wonderful POW museum in Aliceville Alabama for 3rd pattern DAK tunic and shirt from former, PW marked denim jackets, etc. Great place!

[NZMark]

Great Stuff!
Mark

[tropenmilitaria]

Thanks Mark!

[Tim O'Keefe]

Hi Andy & Mike

Great photos, Interesting that each POW camp CO decided what to do with the DAK uniforms upon arrival. Some were burned right away, some DAK were allowed to keep their tunics for the duration and even mailed home. Some Officers also were allowed to keep their tunics when the EM were not etc. There seems to be no official orders as to what to do with the POW clothing ?
When the POW's went back home many "lost" their tunics at last and were given POW stamped clothing if they had not till then.
A number of tunics showed up in NY some years ago, that have white paint splattered on them. They had been discarded by the POW Camp and were used by the locals for painting overalls....these were found in the local dump some with insignia, some without, but all had been splattered.

The Arsenal at Benicia, CA has a small DAK graveyard within its grounds.
There were seven camps locally in the Bay Area. While the Italian Pow's were allowed to visit "the City" (SF) movies, dances etc. the Germans had less freedom.

Andy please "choke up" this thread as much as you can ! everyone actually !!
Mike, nice that your friends tunic has not been upgraded, maintaining its history.

NZ Mark, can you post a pic of the front of your Y straps, thanks as always!

regards
Tim

[NZMark]

Hi Tim,
No problem.
Here's a link to my thread on their discovery
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=263446
Mark.

[NZMark]

[NZMark]

[milcollector]

super find Mark.

Nice to see a Dakcollector like yourself with actual knowledge about the field, picking up pieces of real quality to share with us.

I have pretty much given up on vet bringback hunting due to their old age and dwindling numbers now.
Perhaps this one came from an RSA Review ad, or maybe a supermaket community board notice !!

Cheers mate
Phil

[Tim O'Keefe]

Thanks so much Mark. Continued good luck this year! That is outstanding find...

[NZMark]

Thanks Phil, Tim.
This was a case of letting people know I am interested in this area of collecting. I am postive more is sitting out there - degrading in most cases - but every-so-often.... We are at the tail end of the WWII veteran collecting arena. In 10 years, no-one else will ever be able to say " I picked that up when I was in North Africa..." We are fortunate.
Mark.
(PS - I'll still be learning about this wonderful subject for as long as I'll be collecting Phil - I think knowledgable is a relative term!)

[grndevil44]

here is my re-issue french army shirt, as issued to the africa korp

This one ended up in the US on the back of a German POW, then made its way to a clothing depot in the bottom of a huge pile of other tropical stuff, I brought it from the person who found the pile, I wish I still had the picture of the bundle it was in (my old computer died ), must have been over 500 items all bound together

Anyway this has the addition of german buttons to the pockets and also had sewn on shoulder board buttons, I just added the butons on there at the moment through the origional holes, the french shoulder boards are longer, the location of the sewn on buttons are in the corret place for the german boards

Can also make out where the eagle was, also has a field repair to the elbow, can also make out the bottom is slightly darker where it would have been worn tucked in

Thanks

john

[grndevil44]

breast eagle location, would love a tropical eagle to finish this off !

[alphared6]

That is an outstanding, typical example. The one I had was a darker olive shade. I also had a Brit tropical shirt modified for German use. Of course all that had been done was to adjust the shoulder strap loops, add a German button to each shoulder and bada bing ... German shirt. Mine had Arty NCO boards on it, no breast eagle or sign there ever was one.
Nice find!