For Eric: On army para docs/pics

[Simon O.]

Hello Eric
As this is you area of expertise i was wondering if you have or have come across any documents or pictures relating to the gebirgsjägers who jumped at Narvik and Tromsø in 1940. I have several pictures in books of jägers either wearing the fallschirmabzeichen or of the jumps themselves but would be interested in any further information you might have particulary on the kompanie which jumped at Tromsø in June 1940.

regards

Simon Orchard

[Eric Queen]

Hello Simon,

Thanks for the message. These guys weren't really army paratroopers per se ( i.e. not from the Fallschirm Infanterie ), they were around 200 men from Gebirgsjaeger Rgt.137 who went through an excellerated course ( 10 day , 3 jumps )at Wittstock, then jumped in support of 1./FJR 1 in the Narvik sector. These guys of course received the Luftwaffe version of the badge, not the army one ( which was absolete at that time ). It is my experience that original material from these people is extremely rare. I know of only two original items ( I am sure there must be more but this is all I know of ) Chris Mason has an original photo ( which was printed in the R.Kurtz book by Schiffer ) and I have an original remembrance card to one of them. I am attaching an enlarged version of the photo from the card.You can see he is clearly wearing the luftwaffe version of the badge. I have never seen a soldbuch, wehrpass or anything else from these people.

Hope this helps,

Eric

[Simon O.]

Thanks Eric
I've been trawling through my stuff and i'll put together the info i have over the weekend. Just quickly, it seems elements of GJR 136,137 and 138 were dropped into Narvik/Tromsø. Also i've got several pictures of RK holder Lt. Adam Ebner of GJR 137 wearing the LW version of the badge plus one pretty bad picture of an officer of GJR 136 wearing the badge.
I pick up a new scanner next week and will send the scans over to you then.

regards

Simon

[Eric Queen]

Simon,

Here are a couple more original photos I thought you might find interesting. These are "real" army paratroopers ( notice the badges ) from 8./FJR1 in Olso ( 1940 ) wearing the Bergmutze.