29th Div. Italian SS insignia

[Dennis S]

Different manufacturer's made these red tabs that is why you will find some slight variations in material most were wore by members in FLAK units. I believe that Italian SS volunteers were probably issued surplus of "Flak" tabs. I don't think that they were red tabs specifically made for the Italian SS but that is my opinion.

Rene Chavez
http://axis101.bizland.com

I don't have explicit proof, but I agree and now we must add Landschutz recruited
from the Provinces annexed by the Reich after the Italian Armistice .

[Askold]

I don't think this photo of Ronconi has been posted yet. We can clearly see a red rank tab:

[Askold]

Note the metal eagle used on the sleeve:



and on the side of the cap:

[Dennis S]

Here is another that was posted on another forum.

Two italian SS Legionarios wearing German style SS smocks in Italian camo also note the hat eagle worn on the guy on the right. The civilian attired man in the center is wearing a war mutilated badge on his civilian lapel.

[Dennis S]

Here is another of sketches of Italian SS from studio photos from a periodical . I assume the Italian SS newspaper Avanguardia

The fellow in the civilian clothes (upper right) may be the same as man as the one between the two camouflaged SS men in the preceding post.

[Dennis S]

Here is a copy of the studio photo of Renco Allesandro in the above periodical sketch.

[Dennis S]

Here is a colorized photo of Ronconi posted by Askold , the black color tabs may be the color artists interpertation.

[Raffaello Carola]

private photo note the paint shield.
cheers
Raffaello

[NickG]

Some 29th insignia I was able to collect.
The printed Italia shield some actually attribute to Org Todt, others to 24th SS Div Karstjäger (Italian freiwilligen) not 29th....
The sleeve eagle is controversial as it lacks pointy fletching... (see post 114) but other than that very accurate...(front and back)
The Dachau tab btw is a Xerox...still looking for an affordable one (meaning $125 or less) ....placement for positioning only!
and would love to still add an Italian made red backed sleeve eagle too! (see post 161) but Dennis S owns them all!

[Askold]

What a wonderful collection Nick! Those rank tabs must be very hard to find

[NickG]

What a wonderful collection Nick! Those rank tabs must be very hard to find

Thanks Askold! Yes tough but not impossible...These red Italian SS rank tabs are often mistakingly identified as SA...
but the black line makes them SS... SA would have red in the center of the tresse matching the tab color!
See example of proper SA tab in Red for comparison...

and a well known period image of Italian SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Armando Gioleo showing the red rank tab in wear
and white (inf) + red backed nebenfarbe on shoulderboards! (as opposed to white on black)

[NickG]

Close up mirrored tab set:

[COLLECT36]

Some 29th insignia I was able to collect.
The printed Italia shield some actually attribute to Org Todt, others to 24th SS Div Karstjäger (Italian freiwilligen) not 29th....
The sleeve eagle is controversial as it lacks pointy fletching... (see post 114) but other than that very accurate...(front and back)
The Dachau tab btw is a Xerox...still looking for an affordable one (meaning $125 or less) ....placement for positioning only!
and would love to still add an Italian made red backed sleeve eagle too! (see post 161) but Dennis S owns them all!

NickG;Great and rare pieces of insignia that are nearly impossible to find and in excellent condition!Photo is really a nice one as i am Italian i appreciate it more and as historical items these are great! CDR

[NickG]

NickG;Great and rare pieces of insignia that are nearly impossible to find and in excellent condition!Photo is really a nice one as i am Italian i appreciate it more and as historical items these are great! CDR

Thanks CDR! I will be in Italy in less than 3 weeks but doubt that I will find more of these while visiting!
Here close ups of another red SS rank tab!

[MarcoPennisi]

True! I've never seen these worn in period pictures (yet)...
so far....

The curvy shape of the shield is typical of the Wehrmacht issues vs the squared shape of regulation W-SS shields. OT shields introduced on Sept 30th, 1944 are noted for having the nation’s name written in German, "ITALIA" being not that.
A wartime pic of the "ITALIA" shield in wear can be found in vol. 2 of “Deutsche Truppen in Italien”. There you see this insignia stitched to the left upper arm of an Italian volunteer serving with the Luftwaffe at San Damiano air base (near Piacenza).
MP