Askold's WH foreign volunteer collection.

[Askold]

That one rare Saturday, when you decided not to go out but surf the internet instead. And look what I manage to find and pick up - Ukrainian volunteers in Luftwaffe photos!! Finding a bag of gold would not have been this exciting, I am so happy and surprised to come across such photos.

1. The swearing ceremony of Ukrainian Flak company, Jager 1944. Note the large yellow-blue flag with the trident in the middle - such flag was used by ukrainian Luft volunteers.



2. German officers



3. The volunteers

[Gaspare]

- That flag!!!

Good find,,well done!!

[nutmeg]

I have this Ost tunic with YBB armshield



g

Dave, Nick and Gaspare - thank you very much guys! I knew you would appreciate it!

Gaspare

- looking at other photos of Ukrainian volunteers (not YBB), one could see all kinds of tunics in use, I do remember seeing a pic somewhere with what looked like RAD tunics. As the war progressed, all those volunteer companies were banged up together and called YBB, so you tunics make perfect sense.

Nick

- by zelt-made tunic - do you mean field made? I am not sure if its zelt material (where would you get non-camo zelt in the East). I would think this is probably HBT tunic (note the white stitching on the collar lapel) , field upgraded to have an officer look - the french cuffs from different material and the popular dark green collar. Considering that it is extremely hot in Ukraine during Summertime, it would make sense for him to wear light tunic, instead of typical woolen one.

I also just noted that he is wearing cavalry breaches with leather backing - I suppose this would make the piping on the boards yellow for cavalry.

[galizien41]

Amazing tunic Nutmeg. With cyphered collar tabs and sewn in hbt boards to. It has so many interesting features. Thanks for showing.

[Askold]

Thank you Gaspare!

Nutmeg - what a wonderful tunic! As for the collar tab - I never seen or heard of such combination before, but its done with period materials. The middle cypher is actually a metal trident , taken out of the police cockade. It was attached separately and could be easily removed.

[nutmeg]

It was originally found in 1952 at NYC rag dealer's place then was held in storage until about 12 years ago when I got it.

[Gaspare]

Nutmeg,, think I heard that story before! Wasn't there more pieces there others got [or was it you] etc.?

Nice jacket, love it!.. I've seen those Trident devices [from hat badge] on shoulder board before and one time on collar tabs but different than yours.

[nutmeg]

Nutmeg,, think I heard that story before! Wasn't there more pieces there others got [or was it you] etc.?

Nice jacket, love it!.. I've seen those Trident devices [from hat badge] on shoulder board before and one time on collar tabs but different than yours.

There was a LOT of tropical caps with colored soutaches and some SS Camo pullovers (got got one of those) , etc.

[TrondK]

Extremely interesting jacket!

Thanks for posting it Sir.

[pak 40]

hello, very intresting thread indeed ! We where given a exhibiton about the liberation of our region by the first polish armoured divison. in the pics there where some of pow with the patch of bizz allah bilen, en there is a war diary of a citizen of ruyselede near thielt where stated "" there are some weird and onfigure types in the german army with cateyes, some even are mogools""As i have seen some pics on the exhibiton i tried to obtain then but no luck due copyright ect ...
always the same...

But my fellow collector Brecht from the house of 40-45 has some docs of the resistence that speaks of ostend that where russian volunteers the atlantik wal
So if i puzzle a bit its makes sence.

now if any has information with volunteers where in the region of west-flandres ore france i would like to hear it, cause i would like to intend to surch a orginal tunic for in my collection some day.

until then i gonna try to study the real things here an try to know withs unit where in ore near Belgium.

Maybe the people of the War museum in Brussel will help aswel.

al the best

[nicolas75]

P.S. If anyone else has any YBB photos to share, it would be a very pleasant discovery

Hello

I agree and up date your request

Thanks

[Askold]

A small update:

1. Ukrainian police in General Gouvernment belt buckle. A very hard to find item, mine was dug in a small village near Stanislaviv (present day Ivano-Frankivsk). Three variations of policie buckles existed, not sure where they were made, my guess would be either Lviv or Cracow.



2. Ukrainian police armband. The slimer type armband was worn by early police volunteers in both General Gouvernment and Reichkomissariat Ukraine. This particular armband comes from Galicia, and has the city stamp on it. Unfortunately I cannot make up the name on the stamp.

[Gaspare]

Excellent, excellent! Two great pieces,,in great condition too considering their history!
Buckle was a dig find,,,but the armband ,,Amazing people knew to hold on to that,,or was it in a photo album? etc. etc.

[TrondK]

Very very interesting items!

[Askold]

Thank you guys! Just when you think the hobby has run dry, something will turn up

Gaspare - no, managed to secure the armband from a former KGB archive. One can still see the stains from rusty paper clip that probably held the armband affixed to the personal file.