Combined late war tactical / unit signs on black ground

[Akira Takiguchi]

Attached is a photo from Kitamura-san, 1.Skijäger-Division.

[Akira Takiguchi]

In early war years, orders were issued to change unit markings to confuse enemy. Writing the unit name in a plain manner like this is, in a sense, amazing. But did the allied spies believed it? It would be another story...

[Akira Takiguchi]

The "habit" of enclosing tactical marking and unit designation in square can be found in early war years, even pre-war examples can be found.

Black background is certainly a "new" feature though. It might have been introduced to cope with the new camouflage color.

Attached is a crop of a photo of Sd.Kfz.263(6Rad) from A.A.4, one of the most famous photo of the beast.

[Holger_Erdmann]

Hello Mr. Kitamura, hello Akira,

This is interresting that some photos are existing showing these combined markings used on the west front, too. Someone told me, that similar markings were found on a vehicle of 9. Panzer Division, too.
But these two divisions have something common. 2. Panzer Division was deployed on the east front until February 1944 and 9. Panzer Division until March 1944. So in early 1944, both were in the east.
Fact is, that these markings appear on vehicles in early 1944. I have a set of photos of Pz. A. A. 14 (one is shown in this thread) from late 1943 to mid 1944. One photo is dated 28th March 1944 and the vehicle on it shows the markings of the old style. The first dated photo showing the compined markings is dated 15th April 1944. But that only means that Pz. A. A. 14 applied these markings in early April 1944.
Possibly the order to apply these markings was brought out much earlier, possibly in late 1943. So it is possible that the markings on these individual vehicles of 2. and. 9. PD are remnants of their service time on the east front. Another possibility is, that the markings were applied to new vehicles from soldiers remembering the order from the east front.
In fact we know many many photos of these two and nearly all other Panzer Divisions deployed on the west front in summer 1944 showing tactical markings and the division signs but not showing the combined markings.

I'd like to thank you for posting these very nice photos, especially the colour slide! What I can do is posting further photos of my collection.

Kind Regards,

Holger.

An Opel Blitz and a damaged Kübelwagen of Pz.Gren.Rgt. 59 of 20. Panzer Division.

[Holger_Erdmann]

A VW Typ 82 of possibly the 251. Infanterie Division photographed in May 1944.

[Holger_Erdmann]

And another VW type 82 showing a derivate of the combined markings from the collection of a friend.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Great set of photos, Holger.

It was a long time ago when we (me and Kitamura-san) was interested in this black square marking on a Sd.Kfz.251/7 of 20.Panzer-Division, was it probably from Squadron/Signal Schützenpanzerwagen book? So it's a long way til today, I would be most grateful to you for showing your collections.

The rest is to find out the orders for this marking system! (and more photos!)

Attached is one from Heeres-Artillerie-Brigade 88, this is also a variant and the Truppenkennzeichen is drawn separately.

[Russ Schulke]

578 Infantry Regiment, 14 Anti-tank company (305th Infantry Division) Stalingrad 1942

Here is one that many throw a wrench into the gears.

Actually, I have had this one my home bulletin board of questions for about a year. Wrote many different people on the forum but many were puzzled.

This photo is from my private collection and show an unusual hand painted emblem on a support vehicle of the 578 Infantry Regiment, 14 Anti-tank company (305th Infantry Division) taken just outside Stalingrad suburbs around first week of October 1942.



100% sure he is with the 14 Anti-tank company at Stalingrad. He is wounded and reforms in the new 14 Anti-tank company (305) and is later KIA in Italy.

Photos are taken in 25 years apart. (1944 & 1969)




Russ

www.fireonthevolga.com

[MarioL]

Funny photo Holger,

note the "Fahrbereit" sign on the damaged Kübelwagen.

[H. Kitamura]

2.Panzer-Division

Hello Hogler,

thank you for exellent more samples of the combined marking!

Regarding 2.Panzer-Division, the unit received no replacements of factory fresh Sd.Kfz.251s from the Summer 1943 through February 1944.
The Division was transferred from the Eastern Front to France at the end of December 1943.
2.Panzer-Division was then supplied ca. 260 Sd.Kfz.251s during February and March 1944.
Sd.Kfz.251/7 Ausf.D which I mentioned in my previous posting should be one of them.
From the photos from this unit on the Western Front, only the limited vehicles seem to be given the combined marking.