Parade Tunic Decorating Help

[shinerb]

I've been on the lookout for a nice parade tunic for a while and one came up for sale and I took the plunge. I'm now needing help sticking some metal on it. I thought this was an odd arrangement and could use some suggestions. The picture won't win me any awards but should give a good idea as to what I have to work with.

Rank is an oberleutnant. Also, interesting enough it belonged to an officer in the 16th infantry regiment which I believe was part of the Luftlande Division. For those of you with interest: http://www.feldgrau.com/InfDiv.php?ID=22

[Tim Curley]

Having studied a great number of period photos, I can suggest the following as two among many possibilities:

Horseriders Badge above a Wound Badge with an IAB to your right
Horseriders Badge above a Wound Badge with a Sports Badge to your right

[LDR]

Can we see more pics of the tunic!

[Gary B]

Hi,

Based on the ribbon bar you have affixed to the rock I would go with Option 1 that Tim suggested. Tim's option 1 has an IAB in it which would match the combat status of the recipient based off of the EK2/Ost Front ribbon. You could also use a ribbon bar with a LS award on it.

I would also assume that the loop placement could be for a EK1 (Tim, what do you think?

(You can not get better than Tim addressing this issue for you since he literally wrote the book on this subject)

Gary B

[shinerb]

Gary,

I'm a little concerned about the weight of a medal bar with as few as 2 medals on it. Let me know what you think. Those loops are in good shape.

I had one spare ribbon bar and I think it fits perfectly for a soldier in this regiment.

More pics below (did this in a hurry so don't expect award winning shots at this time)

[shinerb]

Adler

[shinerb]

Another

[Tim Curley]

The loop sets on the viewer's left are pretty close together and look to be small in diameter. Most likely they would have been used to secure badges with round pins; awards with broad pins (most WWII EK1s) don't look like they would fit through the loops. The loop set to the viewer's right is spaced out a bit and appears to be about the right size to take an IAB. And with this waffenrock being for an Infantry Officer, that would make sense.

[Gary B]

Dear Shinerb,

Very nice rock. From your pictures the breast eagle appears original to the uniform i.e. not resewn later. As for your ribbon bar I think it is fine. Tim makes a good point ref the spacing of the loops on the breast and that they are probably for a medal/badge with a round pin, so my recomendation for an EK1 probably will not fly. I would go with Tim's option #1.

Additionally, if you dress this rock out with a ribbon bar, I do not believe, by regulations, that you will be able to use a brocade belt with it if you were intending to put it on display on a mannequin. If I recall correctly one could only wear a brocade belt when a medal bar was worn (???). I am sure Tim can correct me if I am incorrect.

Either way you choose this is a super rock.

Gary B

[LDR]

Thanks for the extra pics, looks like anice tunic. Let us see it when you have the awards.

Lewis

[shinerb]

Guys, thanks for the comments and help. Much more help by the way than I expected, and I am appreciative!

No one is more picky than me when it comes to breast eagles and their application. I've always figured that the majority of original sewn ones came out of closets where the owner's had them stored. Tunics out in the field at the time of capture etc., were much less likely to keep the eagles on them.

[Tim Curley]

This waffenrock, with the ribbon bar, could be worn with a brocade belt, making up the Reporting Dress version of the uniform.

If you look at enough period photos of waffenrocks in wear, you will find instances where some very strange combinations were worn with the uniforms. Unathorized but done. I suspect most of these strange combinations involved troops back from the front on short leaves and in small villages. And in the final analysis, commanders at various levels could alter the make up of waffenrock wear for special occasions.