Police Panzer Wrappers

[W.Unland]

My first question would be:

Why exactly would a field policeman be dressed in a uniform designed to be worn in an armored vehicle ? Yes the civil police had some armor, but the army field police would not have been driving around in armored vehicles would they? Seems to me, as they weren't combat troops per se, but rather traffic control and police services guys, even if assigned to an armored division, they would have worn standard uniforms and used normal transportation/vehicles...as in staff cars etc.

But hey, I know nothing about the army.

W.Unland

[SCHUPO]

Bill,

I completely agree with you that there is no reason for a Feldgendarm to wear a Stug wrapper. They mostly used motorcycles and trucks and were not heavily armored.

As to the Feldgendarmerie in general, I just picked up a FG photo album and it shows some interesting insignia variations of Heer rules. For instance, most were not wearing sleeve eagles or cuff titles but some did wear them in the same photographs with others who did not. So those insignia were worn, and not worn, concurrently by Officers and NCOs. The wear of the chains was also not consistent but this can be better understood since it indicated on-duty FGs much the same as the removable cuff band worn by on-duty British Policemen.

Another interesting thing was the wear of badges that would not normally be worn on either a Heer or a Polizei uniform. There are photos of FG NCOs wearing a HJ Honor diamond, a Golden Party badge, and the SA Sports badge in addition to the usually seen badges. So, a lot of discretion by the unit commander, who wore a monocle. Since these FGs came from divergent law enforcement agency backgrounds it seems they continued to wear what they were allowed to wear by their former police commands such as Postschutz, Bahnschutz, Schupo, etc.

[Zauberflöte]

... For instance, most were not wearing sleeve eagles or cuff titles but some did wear them in the same photographs with others who did not. So those insignia were worn, and not worn, concurrently by Officers and NCOs. ...

A solid explanation for the absence of insignia is for security reasons (FG personel were often awear of troop movements etc and therefore of special interest when captured), especially when your album dates 1944 since from that date on oficially the wear of FG insignia was ommited.

Also, many FG personnel choose not to wear insignia (besides the Gorget when on duty) because the risk of being shot when captured was more then likely.

[Zauberflöte]

Re the wrap in question: only for fashion reasons and therefore personal taste the wrap could be have been worn IMO, but I would say highly unlikely.

Although of course wraps have been observed by others than out of functional purposes (i.e. admin or medical personal); in these cases they were members of armored units; FG never were and stood under the command of a Army Group (Feldgendarmerie Bataillon) and subsequently Division (Feldgendarmerietrupp).

Although the display looks impressive, it is of course impossible to judge by these pictures if authentic it all, therefore making any analyse hypothetical.

[SCHUPO]

Zauberflote,

I agree that this Stug wrapper is at the very least highly unlikely for the reasons stated. As you point out the FG had a separate chain of command and would/should not be wearing this armored unit wrapper, IMHO.

My photo album is from the occupation of France circa 1942 so well before the FG were instructed to remove some insignia. I found the mix of insignia interesting at this point in time during the war in a French non-combat zone. The album also showed a Heer Administration (HV or Sonderfuhrer) Captain attached to the FG that I thought was interesting. He also had a HV Major in some banquet photos so I presume he was there to sort out pay/supply/billeting etc. I don't know what the chain of command for Sonderfuhrer was but I presume he would have answered to his Major even though he was attached to this Feldgendarmerie unit commanded by a Lt. Colonel. I have seen regular Polizei photo albums that include Police Verwaltung Officers who performed the same functions for police units but I always assumed they reported to their Police unit commanders. Perhaps not?

[Zauberflöte]

....

My photo album is from the occupation of France circa 1942 so well before the FG were instructed to remove some insignia. I found the mix of insignia interesting at this point in time during the war in a French non-combat zone. ..

I agree, interesting and again it shows; non-conformity is more then often the rule as it seems.

[drbill]

additional pics

more pics from owner before we do the trade

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