What cufftitle...?

[Tom M]

Hello Gentlemen

I have this highly decorated Panzer summer M36 in my collection which at one time would have had a cufftitle on the left sleeve. Which cufftitle would it have been? I'm guessing "Palm Tree" Afrika CT? Is it worth pinning one on for display purposes?

Cheers.

[Tom M]

Cufftitle. (would be on the left sleeve if worn)

[Gene]

Because of its placement, I think someone added a cuff title postwar and then removed it because it was applied wrong. Just my opinion.

[Tom M]

Because of its placement, I think someone added a cuff title postwar and then removed it because it was applied wrong. Just my opinion.

That's a point Gene! Well spotted. Looking at other tunics I see the CTs applied above the french cuff. Has anybody ever seen them CTs attached on french cuff? Or was it a total "No no"?

Cheers

[jacquesf]

Tom,
Some other interesting facts are that the tunic is that of a nco, which should not have french cuffs (normally a feature of officers tunics, which this one is not). What about the gebirgsjager badge? It might mean that a Kreta cufftitle was applied? Is there a unit cypher on the board. The tunic also have the early, first style coloured litchen. That should indicate that if there was a cufftitle, it be one awarded earlier in the war. ( which the Africa with palms was not). I would lean towards Kreta, but the french cuffs and the application of the title on that, seems strange. Jacques

[John Huff]

I seem to recall seeing NCO tunics with french cuffs before... anyone else?

[Tom M]

Hello Jacques.

Yes it is a puzzle, that's why I bought it It certainly has indications that this feldwebel was preparing for an officer commision, by having the the cuffs tailored, tabs and litzen or just upgraded due to fashion preferances etc. Fairly common proceedure among the Wehrmacht.

The GBJ patch. There are endless scenarios... There was a GbJ Pnz (97th I believe) or he could have moved regiments, won the edelweiss on an excercise... or has just been slapped on (Which I don't honestly feel it has)

[Bobwirtz]

The original owner may have been Panzerjager in a Gebirgs unit. As for the cuffband... the normal placement for a cuffband when the tunic had French cuffs was on the top part of the French cuff. It is rare to see it attached to the sleeve above the French cuff, although I have seen two Waffen-SS tunics like this. If there was a cuffband on this tunic originally, then you'd have to find some Army Gebirgs unit that was in a campaign in which some sort of cuffband was awarded. I don't know of any Gebirgs unit in North Afrika so I figure that one is eliminated.

Bob

[LHR1]

Private-purchase officer-style tunics were permitted for senior NCOs and officer candidates, so the French cuffs aren't out of order.
The combination of the branch color, the mountain troops' sleeve insignia, and the traces of a cufftitle may point to Gebirgs-Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 95, which took part in the Crete operation as a component of the 5. Gebirgs-Division (it was transferred to the 3. Gebirgs-Division in February 1942).

Carsten Fries