SS Tropical Uniform

[Bobwirtz]

Actually the numbered collar tabs for Deutschland (1), Germania (2) and Der Fuhrer (3) were removed around the Battle of France in May 1940. These were all with the SS-VT Division. This division was named "Deutschland" at one time and then "Reich" before it's final designation of "Das Reich". Soon after the Der Fuhrer Regiment was pulled to form Division Germania but because of the confusion between the regiment and division, and because many of the new recruits were foreign volunteers, the name of the division was changed to "Wiking".

Take for example the 6. SS-Gebirgs-Division "Nord"... there was never a cuffband authorized for this division, although there was an Allgemeine Oberabschnitt (or SS District) called NORD. The two regiments in the NORD Division were named and authorized a cuffband: Reinhard Heydrich and Michael Gassmair. LSSAH had a division name and cuffband but none of her regiments were named. Some started out with unnamed regiments, like the Totenkopf Division, but later the two SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiments were named... first Thule and later, after the death of their beloved commander, Theodor Eicke, the other regiment was named in his honor. You really need to go through some of the books that give an Order of Battle for the Waffen-SS.

Bob

[Mike C]

Hi Bob,

Actually Germania went to Wiking and ended with the final designation of SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania"; "Der Fuhrer" stayed with DR as (in time) SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 4 "Der Fuhrer".

Mike

[Bobwirtz]

You're correct Mike... my fingers were typing faster than my brain again!

Bob

[Mike C]

Hi Bob,

Been there and done that...again and again! Cheers,

Mike

[Rene Chavez]

The 1st (LAH), 16th (RFSS), 24th (Karstjaeger) and 29th W-SS Divisions served in Italy; the 4th (Polizei) in Greece. This picture could have been of a soldier posted from the 2d Division (DR) to a unit serving in Italy where he would have retained his cufftitle if his new unit had not yet been awarded one. There is a good picture of an officer (with APB and DF cufftitle) serving in the 24th Division in northern Italy.

Mike

Hi I believe in the Axis Forum you will find the officer you are talking about: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=5024

Rene Chavez
Http://axis101.bizland.com

[Bobwirtz]

Rene,

Yes, that is the one (or series). Good work. Notice that the tropical field cap he is wearing with two buttons on the front is field- or private-made with two-piece insignia.

Bob

[Horrido!]

Wow, those are great photos! I had never seen them in all years I've studied WWII. It amazes me how there's an never-ending stream of media that seems to come out of that conflict.

BTW....he's also wearing mountain boots.

Alex

[billmunny]

great photos

There is also a photo of this series in our colleague Robin Lumsden's book "Himmler's Black Order." The photo includes the Der Fuhrer officer with the continental tunic, shorts and tropical boots as well as others including another SS officer in long pants walking into captivity--great photo!