Practice for National sleeve shield TURKISTAN; Please help

[Zauberflöte]

As we know there are three different patterns of National sleeve insignia:

(1) The first pattern with the inscription “BIZ ALLA BILEN”, introduced in autumn 1942;
(2) The second pattern with centre bow and arrow, issued sept.1943;
(3) The third printed pattern, issued mid 1944.

My question:

When I analyze period photographes, it appears that the first pattern shield is worn primarly by the Turkestan Legion, while the 2nd pattern shield (white arrow on red-blue background) seems to be mainly worn by men belonging to the 162. Turkistan Division? Is there perhaps indeed a difference to whom it was issued??
And in that case, what about the third shield (I have never seen it worn in a period image)?

Please bear in mind that the TurkEstan Legion and 162. TurkIstan Div. are NOT the same.

After all, the 162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division had been formed using the veteran German cadre from the old 162. Infanterie-Division (which had been almost destroyed on the Russian front) and volunteers from the various Ostlegionen (Turkestan, Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian Legions).

Thank you!

[Askold]

I see your point, but personally I think that Germans just played around with various designs, when I came to Ost legions. The cossacks had their shields changed bunch of times too. When it comes to Turkistan volunteers insignia, perhaps the minaret shield was not very popular (it had spelling mistakes in it) so it was replaced with more militaristic bow and arrow look. I think the bow and arrow emblem was to become a sort of pan-turkestan/eastern emblem, as it was used by Idel-Ural legion too:

[Zauberflöte]

Thank you for your observations Askold.

Indeed, I always thought the same, still, if you f.e. take the pictures in the excellent book "Deutsche Truppen in Italien" in which also the Turkistan Div. is covered , you can see that without exception all men wear the 2nd pattern shield. Although the photo's are not dated, all were taken in Reggio Emilia, Italia except for 1 that coincidently shows the 1st pattern shield being worn.

After the Anti-partisan maneuvers (November 23, 1944 - January 15, 1945) the Turkistan division was deployed between Reggio Emilia and the Adriatic Sea coast. It is therefore safe to assume that these photo's in the book were taken between January and early April 1945 (the Gothic line collapsed in April). Subsequently, the bow and arrow shield could indeed very well have been the official emblem of the Turkistan division?

Thus could it also be that the Mosque shields (1st and 3rd pattern) were indeed only worn by the Turkman battalions which were moved from Central-Asia to France in 1943. There are several pictures that indeed show only this pattern shield worn in that area (France) and in that particular period (1943-1944)...?

I realize, perhaps a long shot. But I can't find anything conclusive about this...

[Zauberflöte]

Bringing this one back up in order to find out if anyone else has a conclusive saying in this...

Thanks.

F.