Let's See Those Wss Foriegn Volunteer Uniforms !!

[Spanish Freiwillige]

Great job on the Blaue Division tunic Jaime. I've heard mixed comments on whether any real spanish SS volunteer helmets still exist. The couple I've seen look authentic enough but I've heard they're fakes.

I will send you the article I wrote on original vs replica helemts of the spanish foreign volunteer!!

There are only two war time original helmets that I know of, another three that are relic, and two that are made with original components that is original decal applied post war!!!

[Gesetz]

@Jaime Sadurni, Goregeous tunic! However shouldn't it have collar tresses? I've seen pics of NCO not wearing it, but in most cases they would....except if the Spanish did otherwise?

[Spanish Freiwillige]

My friend you are right, comonlty NCO tunics had tresses but in the case of quick filed promotions they didnt. Yet I kind of like it as a late war future

I plan to replace the helmet with a M43 cap with trapezoid insignia and add the falange metal emblem on one of the sides


Lets say this display is 98% done

[markus]

Volunteers

Great tunics everyone! I always enjoy seeing European volunteer material even though it is not in my line of collecting. Keep up the good work!

[NickG]

SS Cossack? Note this is not my tunic...

If the owner wants it removed let me know! I don't remember where I got this picture from but worth sharing I think... Nick

[Michael Page]

French SS volunteers tunics are as well nearly inexistant in collection.
One is in a advanced collection, the vet bring it back stripped and it original insignias were re applied post war. He gave it himself to the actual owner (it was in a Militaria book some years ago).

Yes, that veteran (I think it was the author SOULAT) according to the article, unstitched all his insignia and hid it in the lining of his coat and then re-stitiched it after the war. However, someone else told me that the soldier had carefully hid his coat before surrendering, and returned to his hide years later and sure enough, the coat was still there.

I have the article with color pictures of the coat. I wonder if it's OK to post it here if I give credit?

[C. Kleijn]

I have the article with color pictures of the coat. I wonder if it's OK to post it here if I give credit?

Yes, should be sufficient! I am really looking forward to see these pictures.

[Spanish Freiwillige]

So we have Dutch, Latvian, Spanish, French, Swedish, Estonian, Flemish, Finns, Noregians ....

Who are we missing in here???

I guess still plenty of nationalities..

[Askold]

I have photos of Ukrainian SS tunics, but I can't post the pictures. If someone is interested I can mail the photos.

Cheers

[Fred S]

That french SS is really a nice one, also a very good reference, might make a 1/6 figure of it

Yes, a beauty. It's the one I was refering to.
The pics are really accurate as it seems that most of the french volunteers in Berlin didn't wear helmets, according to vet sources.
Mr SOULAT was rtf, and Henri Fenet was the hpstuf that lead them in Berlin (RK attributed in Berlin, he was one of the very first of the sturmbrigade and died a few years ago).

[Spanish Freiwillige]

Yes, a beauty. It's the one I was refering to.
The pics are really accurate as it seems that most of the french volunteers in Berlin didn't wear helmets, according to vet sources.
Mr SOULAT was rtf, and Henri Fenet was the hpstuf that lead them in Berlin (RK attributed in Berlin, he was one of the very first of the sturmbrigade and died a few years ago).

Is there confirmation about the RK award?

I have sources that say that the comander of the spanish waffen SS volunteers, Migule Ezquerra was warded the RK by Hilter but never received. Some say its true others say that is pure myth. So I am curious if Fenet was in the same situation

[Jean-Loup]

I was just reading Bobs description on page one of how a collector exhanged the sleeve of one of the tunics posted. I am suprised nobody responded to that. My personal opinion is that whoever changed that sleeve isnt a collector, but a complete moron, and he ruined a magnificient original piece by his actions!

"The initial collector that bought this tunic from Bill Shea removed the original sleeve, which had a repaired cut in it. The soldier was wounded and the medic cut the sleeve to attend to the wound. This collector replaced the sleeve with another and then replaced the sleeve eagle and Estonian sleeve shield. If you look closely though you can see the sleeve is a slightly different shade. As far as Willi knows the embroidered sleeve eagle is the original to the tunic. The shoulder boards were originally slip on but they have actually been sewn onto the top of the shoulder at the seam. Super piece..."

[Fred S]

Is there confirmation about the RK award?

I have sources that say that the comander of the spanish waffen SS volunteers, Migule Ezquerra was warded the RK by Hilter but never received. Some say its true others say that is pure myth. So I am curious if Fenet was in the same situation

Yes, they are records of it.
It was awarded by Wilhem MONHKE if I can remember.
4 "Charlemagne" were awarded the RK, each one in Berlin: Eugene VAULOT (Former LVF, the only one who wore it), Fran******231;ois Appolot, Henri Fenet and a german officer (Weber).
Fenet did only know postwar that he was awarded the RK.
Vaulot died in Berlin trying to escape with a Nordland kampfgruppe, Weber died postwar and Appolot is supposed to have been KIA with Vaulot but some vets stated, a few years ago, that he could escape Berlin and was still alive, which is a possibility.
The Appolot story is quite interesting: he was a 1940 french POW who had to work in Germany, was caught by the police due to sexual relations with german woman and the autorities gave him 2 choices: KL or join the german army. His "choice" was Kriegsmarine.
When the french KM had to join the SS CHARLEMAGNE, he ended in the Weber's kampfschule (supposed to be the elite of the Charlemagne) and ended the war in Berlin: so no records of him as an SS soldier in France....

[Fred S]

Yes, that veteran (I think it was the author SOULAT) according to the article, unstitched all his insignia and hid it in the lining of his coat and then re-stitiched it after the war. However, someone else told me that the soldier had carefully hid his coat before surrendering, and returned to his hide years later and sure enough, the coat was still there.

I have the article with color pictures of the coat. I wonder if it's OK to post it here if I give credit?

I'm not sure it was Soulat's tunic. A good friend of mine is still in touch with Soulat and with the actual owner of the tunic: I've just emailed him to ask as i can't remember, stay tuned...

I've heard of a stroy of a french vet that escaped capture, turned to a former 1940 french POW, repaired a vehicle and got back to France with real french POW which were so happy to return quick to France ina truck instead of train: that soldier save a few of his original stuff, maybe it's the same...

[Michael Page]

I'm not sure it was Soulat's tunic. A good friend of mine is still in touch with Soulat and with the actual owner of the tunic: I've just emailed him to ask as i can't remember, stay tuned...

I've heard of a stroy of a french vet that escaped capture, turned to a former 1940 french POW, repaired a vehicle and got back to France with real french POW which were so happy to return quick to France ina truck instead of train: that soldier save a few of his original stuff, maybe it's the same...

Good--let us know if he responds.

For some reason I had got it in my head that it belonged to Soulat however now that I look at the article it doesn't specify. I guess I had recalled that his name was in the article. IIRC Soulat was one of those who stayed behind when the others went to Berlin, so he may have been taken prisoner by the British as was the owner of that tunic (according to the article).

I once asked author Robert Forbes in a letter if he had seen the tunic, and he said yes, and mentioned the story that I posted above (about the veteren hiding it). He didn't mention the guy's name, and it seems to me he was respecting his privacy. Also if it had been Soulat, Forbes would probably have mentioned his name, as he had mentioned him by name before (since Soulat is an author). Then again Forbes might be thinking of another tunic.