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Yes.
The individual second from the left (against the wall) has an unmistakable ammunition pouch .............
Not to mention the boots; tunics; caps; etc.
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This picture is from a short series from Eprobung Manover by Kommando Nord on 19.10.1955. At least according to my notes
I don't have it in my notes, but I seem to recall that S-H Polizei took part in the exercise. It is possible that the guys in the cotton Einsatzanzug are S-H Polizei and not BGS. For the most part S-H field uniforms and kit were copies of BGS in outward appearances.
This is an interesting picture for a couple of reasons that I did not go into in the original thread.
The cotton Einsatzanzug has pockets on the legs, yet this is 1955... 3 years before the introduction of such uniforms for the BGS in Sumpftarn. I hadn't thought about this before, but it is possible that the BGS uniform was influenced by the S-H uniform and not the other way around? We know so very little about the early Einsatzanzug worn by S-H members, only that it shared a lot of similarities with the BGS uniform. Which means I don't think it can be ruled out.
Another cool thing about this is that the guys have the FN/FAL, not Mausers. The other pictures from this set are all Mausers and Berettas. According to TJ's post (below) these must have been some of the first FALs in use with the BGS. Or perhaps they were S-H? I was assuming the rifles were on loan from BGS, but maybe not.
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=447413
SteveComment
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The men on the wall, who are searched are BGS, acting as the "saboteurs" during the exercise. They wear the wool service uniforms. The armed men, who stand around in helmets and caps with maneuver bands are Schleswig-Holstein Polizei in the cotton field uniform (Einsatzanzug).
I assume, that the photo was misattributed on the veteran website, because the leather FN pouch on the BGS man second from left not appear until late 1957! Even the canvas FN pouches appeared only earlier that year. There were no FN pouches, when the FN FAL was first trialled and introduced.
Regards
KlausComment
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Klaus,
Any thoughts on the S-H uniform? Although I've had these pictures for years I did not think about the age. I always assumed the S-H uniform came out after Sumpftarn, but now I think it might have come out first. There is no uniform like this in BGS service before Sumpftarn, correct?
SteveComment
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Steve,
no, before Sumpftarn introduced, BGS wore Drillich, moleskin or wool uniforms in field depending on time of year, unit, type of exercise, etc. Not sure, when Landespolizeien would have introduced cotton Einsatzanzüge - maybe around same time? Before this, they seem to use various cotton uniforms of more traditional cut in field (like "salt and pepper" tunics) and some Länder never really switched.
I would date the photo ca. 1958-59, late 57 at earliest.
Regards
KlausComment
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Thanks for the confirmation. So we know that the BGS did not have this type of uniform prior to Sumpftarn. Good, because I don't want another impossible to find uniform on my wish list
The photos I have were specifically identified as coming from Eprobung Manover 19.10.1955 Kommando Nord. The late 1955 date is consistent with what I see in the other pictures:
1. No Sumpftarn items of any sort, but wide use of Splittertarn Zeltbahn for camouflage
2. All confirmed BGS armed with Kar98k and not FN/FAL
3. No Kragenspiegel
#1 pretty much rules out 1959, but could be possible for 1958 or earlier before Sumpftarn was widely issued. #2 rules out 1959 and 1958, but possibly allows for 1957. #3 rules out 1959 and probably 1958 as well, but 1957 is OK.
To me it seems that if the dating of these photos is incorrect that the latest this could be is 1957. That is a year before Sumpftarn, which indicates it is safe to conclude that the S-H cotton Einsatzanzug predated Sumpftarn. That in turn means that the Sumpftarn uniform was based on S-H's uniform, or one similar to it, not the other way around.
SteveComment
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