A question about medical shoulderboards

[Mark_K]

Hi,

I have a question about the use of the 'Rod of Asclepius' (snake entwined round a staff) cypher on medical shoulderboards. How common is it / was it to see shoulderboards with medical cornflower-blue piping, but without the cypher? I was under the impression that most medical boards should carry the cypher, but sometimes they show up without it.

The example shown below is currently on the estand, and I have no issues with its originality (it looks fine to me), but I'm just curious about the lack of the medical cypher and what the army regulations were on the subject.

Many thanks,

Mark

[Mike Swan]

Mark,

Just my amateur opinion but I reckon only qualified medical personnel, or those close to qualifying, would wear the insignia.

The strap photographed probably applies to the various other support people in a medical unit eg. clerks, drivers, etc.

Mike

[Serg]

I see shoulder strap Oberfeldwebel transport division.

[Mike Swan]

I agree with Serg. I should have taken more notice.

Mike

[Tim O'Keefe]

Agree strap is transport not medical.

[OSS]

It is very common to see medical straps without devices, however the example shown is, as noted by others, probably transport (Nachschub) imo.

[Mark_K]

Guys,

Many thanks for your comments. They are very helpful.

All the best,

Mark

[Schulterklappen]

Medical Straps

You will also see medical Schulterklappen with numbers, embroidered & metal for NCOs & enlisted. I think this tends to be more of a prewar happening. Also, I have seen just plain medical straps with neither numbers or the Rod of Asclepius. Included among cyphers for medical straps are "L" (Lehr) and "A" (Arzt Akademie).

[Schulterklappen]

Arzt Akadamie

Though not the best Foto, here is a rare picture of M-36 Arzt Akadamie enlisted straps being worn on a Model 40 tunic, I believe.

[Schulterklappen]

Arzt Akadamie

A close up.

[longislandercjv]

There is a wide range of color variations for "blue".
(similar to "green" Hellgrun for Geburgsjagaer and wiesengrun for schutzen,
kradschutzen and panzergrenadier where waffenfarbe use was a matter of interpretation of the manufacturer as well as dye lot variations)
Dunkelblau was for sanitats , and leiche Blau for nachschutruppen, but there is quite a range of color variations used.

Also, the numbers "10" appear to be NSKK collar tab numbers rather than the standard military configuration.

[Mark_K]

Chris and Schulterklappen,

Many thanks for your help. There does seem to be quite a variety of embellishments - and sometimes a lack of them - on medical shoulderboards. I wasn't sure if that was a period thing, or something that had happened post-war, with collectors adding or taking off cyphers or numbers. From your comments, I now know that there was a real mix of medical boards in circulation before and during the war. That's very helpful.

Re. the metal numbers, I knew I had seen the style before, but couldn't remember where. You are absolutely right: they feature on NSKK collar tabs, and a pair of NSKK tabs with similar metal numerals appeared on the estand in the last couple of days.

Thanks again, this has been very useful.

All the best,

Mark

[Johnny R]

Gas troop and "street" decontamination units also wore cornflower blue piping early in the war and and did not wear the medical device, only the unit number.

[Schulterklappen]

Arzt Akadamie

Here is a pair of enlisted M-36 shoulder straps for an enlisted man assigned to the Arzt Akadamie. As you can see by the cyphers, the pair is a slight mismatch. Since the cornflower blue is dark and does not stand out well against the dark green badge cloth, the gothic "A" has been outlined in a light blue thread. This is similar to how the black thread of Pionier cyphers was outlined in white thread for contrast.

[Schulterklappen]

Saintaets Abteilung 29

Here is an example of a 1st model Feldbluse strap from Sanitaetsdienste 29. The numbers are chain-stitched with no outline.