Lappland shield and accompanying group - thoughts?

[Mike Davis]

Gents, I have read quite a few threads about these shields and it seems that most shown today are either post '57 models or reproductions altogether.

A friend recently loaned me a grouping for examination and approved my posting for opinions.

As you'll see from the accompanying photo, the group consists of the owner's Wehrpass, photos, awards, insignia and other accoutrements.

After close examination, it seems to me that the Lappland shield included as part of the group may be the actual shield worn in the photos. I think it also possible that the collar tabs and badges may be the same examples from the photo.

I'd appreciate other opinions. Thanks in advance.

[Mike Davis]

Edited photo

[Mike Davis]

Section detail

[Mike Davis]

Shield obverse - thin stamped metal

[Mike Davis]

Shield reverse

[Mike Davis]

Wehrpass - Lappland shield entry 31.7.45

[Mike Davis]

Finnland, Norwegen

[Mike Davis]

Sample photo from album

[Robin Lumsden]

Best evidence I've seen of a good Lappland shield in wear! Great group!

Also................see how his assault badges are de-nazified.

[stewy]

Undeniably similar looking badge in the pic. Congrats to your mate. Stewy

[pantherv]

.....

Undeniably similar looking badge in the pic. Congrats to your mate. Stewy

Agreed Stewy,,and an important thread pinning down an original Lappland...Thanks for showing Mike...

KR..Peter

[Joe D]

This is really a great grouping. Also, it looks like he has been de-nazified except for the EK1 in this picture. I would love to have a shield with the occupying picture of the wearer.

[Tim B.]

That's a nice shot Mike!

I don't think I have ever see one of this style and looking at it, I can see where the design for those so-called 57 versions might have originated.

Great shield w/accompaning photo and grouping overall!
Tim

[Simon O.]

Hope you guys forgive me but i'm going to ramble on a bit here

I've seen a couple of other photos of the Lappland in wear but this one is by far the clearest and unlike the others we can even pin down the unit of the wearer which is important as i'll explain, even so, from the photo we can't be 100% sure when and where the shield was made, ie. was it in the reservation in Norway or was it later, perhaps in a further camp say in France in 1946? For the sake of argument lets say it was made in Norway however.

Mike

I see the stamp of II./GJR 206, 7 Geb.Div. can you either show us the units page from the WP or tell us if he was a company commander or was with battalion?
Also, could you give us his name? I might be able to pick him up in my archives.


Now, as i've said on many occasions we can tie down Lappland award document styles to units and geographical areas, a great aid when it comes to authenticity. The same should also be true for the shields themselves, however not that many turn up in groups and there's always the question of when the shield might have been added to the group.

The next thing to point out is that the shield is quite often pictured on award documents, but there's a whole series of different styles to be found. The design for the shields themselves had to come from drawings and i think it's reasonable to assume shields were made from whatever designs the soldiers would have seen, ie. those on their documents.

Here's what i mean.

This style of document was used in south central Norway, centered roughly on Lillehammer, HQ of the 20 Geb. Armee.




The one and only badge i have came from a grouping to a LW NCO also in South central Norway and the badge that came with it is very similar indeed to the one pictured on the doc.





now i'd like to show you the style of doc used further North in the country, around the general area of Trondheim. note that unlike most other designs which include 4 dots indicating towns, like Rovaniemi and Petsamo, this style doesnt and nor does the shield Mike posted.



compare it to the shield pictured by Mike, very close isn't it? The 7 Geb.Div. was actually strung out along almost the entire length of Norway at the war's end as it was moving South in order to be transferred to the continent, elements of the division could be found near Oslo and near Narvik, so where was II./GJR 206 when the war ended and where was it interned? At a place called Levanger, just North of Trondheim. Right in the area where this style of document was being used.

[Mike Davis]

Mike

I see the stamp of II./GJR 206, 7 Geb.Div. can you either show us the units page from the WP or tell us if he was a company commander or was with battalion?
Also, could you give us his name? I might be able to pick him up in my archives.

Thanks for chiming in Simon, I was hoping you would.

Indeed I can add much more as I just skimmed the surface with my first post.

Bear with me and I will add some new scans documenting unit assignments and other details about this officer in the next couple of days.