Panzergrenadiere in Field Gear - 1957

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

You'll forgive me for saying so, but these newly commissioned mechanized infantry lieutenants pictured on April 4, 1957, look decidedly Teutonic....

Unlike many post-war era BW photos that tend to feature rather pacific looking warriors, these guys look like they could break out with the Panzerlied as did the fictional panzer officers that serenaded Robert Shaw in the much maligned movie, The Battle of the Bulge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fV0RBO339k

Note the mix of Splittermuster mittens and wooly Wehrmacht style gloves. Note too, the camouflage netting applied to the first model helmet liners. Are those leather M-1 carbine slings? The soldier picture at far right has a single pip on his epaulette.

The accompanying news release will follow below.

All the best,
TJ

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

The news release.

TJ

[Collectinsteve]

Great picture! It's not too easy to find close up pictures of the Splittertarn mittens in use.

I agree with you about the first impression. These guys look like they could be at the front somewhere standing at attention during an inspection after months of hard fighting. Most of the BW pictures we see are from personal collections where the soldiers are at rest, goofing off, or going through rather mundane drills. This picture has a very different fell to it. Probably cold, wet, crappy weather had something to do with it

Steve

[Proud Kraut]

Gents,

....The soldier picture at far right has a single pip on his epaulette.

...so Herr Leutnant in the center has as well (a little bit closer towards the collar).

Great picture, thanks for sharing!

[chiffonnier]

Facial expression on those guys look to me they need a beer fast.
Thomas;great shot as always.
All the best,
Kees

[Asbjoern]

Yes, quite a nice picture - sadly made for a pressagency so useless for my purpose even when I would have it as vintage print. have quite a lot of similar pictures from the lot I got the pictures for my first book. All are stamped like that and most of the big agencies still have a look at their property after all these years. So publishing these without permission (and payment...) would be not the best idea...

@details: it´s always worth the time to inspect prints with a magnifying lens ... even images with drinking scenes from the baracks often contain equipment "in use" you don`t see in official pictures as the were worn underneath other stuff. Or the pictures show trials stuff in use - like the dress tunic from the 1957er trials (Ike style with wto breast pockets) or a belt combining the US stile belt with the alu clasps from the Mod57. Both will appear in Vol III (to be publsihed not before 2018 )

Jens

[hoover]

I like the helmet camo of the soldiers, still missing in my collection.

[Collectinsteve]

...so Herr Leutnant in the center has as well (a little bit closer towards the collar).

Great picture, thanks for sharing!

He does! I've not seen a picture of officers putting metal rank on their uniforms as far as I can remember. I've seen a dozen or so jackets and most never had rank on either the shoulders or the arms. I think the uniforms were used for exercises only and therefore not a soldier's property. That would explain why permanent ranks weren't used. But I do not know if that is accurate.

Kees, a very good observation

Maybe these new officers were told what their new paycheck would be?

Steve

[Guardian 5]

Gents,

Another press photo depicting a Leutnant in action.

It's a few years later now and the G1 has replaced the M2 Carbine. The splinter camouflage has disappeared into the storehouse to be replaced by the dreaded "felt louse."

The photo is dated March 13, 1963. Exactly sixteen days later, yours truly would arrive on this vale of tears, only to become a lieutenant himself and serve two tours in, you guessed it, Germany.

Horrido!

TJ