44th Infantry Div

[BPA-Paul]

Congrats Jacques on your new acquisition

[jacquesf]

I was ask to bring this one up again. Here is with better pics. Also note this period pic of a cap with similar shape, being worn. Back half of cap band removed, to create a beret look at the back. The visor is extremely light and comfortable because of this.. J

[jacquesf]

asas

[enorepap]

Hallo Jacquesf

The character in the left foreground is described as a lieutenant, commander of a battalion of grenadiers, captured near Lake Trasimeno in Italy in July 1944, photograph published in: Brian L. Davis, uniforms and badges of the German army, page 207. In the same book on page 131 is also depicted an Unteroffizier of a regiment of armored grenadiers wearing a green-reeds canvas field uniform, captured by units of the 8th British Army in the same area and at the same time, near the village of Castiglione. I always thought that both images are part of the same photo shoot. To proceed forward with our research, we should see if the line of retreat of the 44th Division north of Rome and to Florence has passed through the area I mentioned.

Marcello

[Normandy]

Very nice looking cap, what is the reason for the cocade having a red outer ring
and a red center?

I found the answer in another post....Austrian Army.

[90th Light]

Very nice looking cap, what is the reason for the cocade having a red outer ring
and a red center?

I found the answer in another post....Austrian Army.

You have two choices;

1/ (most likely case) Austrian "red-white-red" is the colours of the "44th Infantry Division" shield from the period 1938 to 1943 before they adopted the " Reichsgrenadier-Division Hoch- und Deutschmeister" Stalingrad cross when it was rebuilt in 1943

The Infanterie Regiment 134 was the direct descendant of the famed Infanterie Regiment 4, known as the Infanterie-Regiment Hoch- und Deutschmeister of the Imperial Austrian Army. Where the pre-Stalingrad 44th Division boasted the Austrian Rot-Weiss-Rot ( Red – White – Red ) Babenberger shield, the post-Stalingrad Hoch-und Deutschmeister crest was the venerable cross of the Teutonic Knights with the additions of a Reichs eagle, swastika and banner reading “Stalingrad“

2/ (less likely case) Croatian member of Austrian heritage fighting in the Reichsgrenadier-Division Hoch- und Deutschmeister. Several of the aristocratic Croatian familiy's originated from the parts of Austria this division was raised and recruited from. There was a strong nationalistic link with the red-white-red of both Austria and Croatia.

The most recognizable group of Austrian Croats are "Burgenland Croats" that live in the Austrian state of Burgenland or alternatively "Viennese Croats" in certain parts of Vienna. Austrians in Croatia are officially recognized as a minority but due to historic land ownership have always had one or more seats in the Croatian Parliament.

Chris

[enorepap]

With a little research I found the stages of the 44th Division's retreat along the Italian peninsula from May to November 1944:
- Arpino - Sora - Balsorano - Tagliacozzo
- Rieti and Cittaducale (June 10, 1944)
- Spoleto (June 12, 1944)
- Foligno - Perugia - Umbertide (einsatz near the Trasi see)
- Sansepolcro (July 15- August 25, 1944)
- S. Piero in Bagno and Mandriola Pass (September 4 to 21, 1944)
- Einsatz in the area Castel del Rio - Fiorenzuola, (south of Bologna) from September 19 to October 25, 1944, probably only a few units for banden bekaempfung
- Cesena - Forlì (September 22, 1944)
- Imola - Ferrara (October 20, 1944)
- Rovigo - Padova
- Rest and refit in the Padova - Udine area during the months of October and November 1944
- November 11, 1944 in bahntranspot to Hungary.

[jacquesf]

Great info , thank you. The other photo I could found was also from Italy. IMO the hat is a kickback from the pre Stalingrad era, then worn in Italy. Maybe he survived Stalingrad, maybe just nostalgia to the unit's early history. Who knows.

I found one other pic of a GD officer wearing a similar shaped visor. J

[jacquesf]

I insulted the visor with the pics I took. Here is what it really looks like. J

[jacquesf]

mnm

[TrondK]

Very interesting cap! Especial the "austrian" cockade makes it even better.