awards on jump cloths ?

[Stijn David]

Hello,


I have seen the following picture for sale on a auctionsite , the rather strange thing regarding this is that this Paratrooper is wearing his awards on his jump suite , did they do this often or is this a rather picture setup ?

Greetings,

[Prosper Keating]

The wearing of awards on camouflage kit in the field was discouraged but Fallschirmjäger often pinned EK1s (if they had them) and Parachutist Badges on their jump smocks for portraits and sometimes for parades as many photographs show, including the one you have posted. Sometimes you see photographs taken in the field with paratroopers wearing decorations on jump smocks but they have probably just pinned them on for the man with the camera. In serious combat conditions, most German frontline soldiers did not bother wearing all of their awards as they tended to snag on equipment resulting in loss or damage. This photograph is either a studio portrait to celebrate the completion of the parachute course or perhaps was taken on the occasion of a special parade, as he is wearing a parachute harness.

Prosper Keating