Charlemagne SS Division uniform pictures

[NickG]

I found these images on another forum and worth sharing here...for those who like to study foreign volunteer tunics and insignia!
Here are 2 late war French SS Charlemagne Div troopers.
Of interest (besides having the last SS pattern French legion shields on the lower sleeve position) is the SS Funker signal blitz raute (diamond) worn in the UPPER (Heer) position, as opposed to LOW on the sleeve as regulated by the SS!!
You would have expected the Legion shield to be between the sleeve eagle and rank dot as customary late 44-45 and the signal blitz on the bottom of the sleeve!

[NickG]

something like this

as opposed to this! THE CORRECT WAY to place the blitz in the SS

[Dr. Strangelove]

Well

Thanks for the fotos NickG, now if you only had one with the Charlemagne cuff-title in use.

[NickG]

Thanks for the fotos NickG, now if you only had one with the Charlemagne cuff-title in use.

yeah that would about as easy as finding a "Metz 1944" cuff title picture! (only 1 known so far!)
The Charlemagne title was only issued to the engineer unit (pionier)...

Anyway here's a better image of the other (non blitz funker ) trooper!

[NickG]

upper position

Here's the French shield worn in the upper position which was more common late war! Note (narrow) French ribbon bar and tunic lacking collar tabs, shoulderboards!!

[Fred S]

Hi,
The first pics don't show Charlemagne soldiers but 7th SS Sturmbrigade (named postwar Frankreich), pictures from Poland, Galicia, august 1944. Still french SS. Attached to the Horst Wessel then.

The 7th SS sturmbrigade worn the tricolor on the lower sleeve position, the Charlemagne on the upper sleeve, under the eagle as most volunteers worn their shield.

Hope this help.

Here's another one, look at the grenadier on the left, you'll notice the shield

[Fred S]

again

[Fred S]

again..

[Fred S]

.

[Bob Hritz]

Thank you for posting these exciting photos.

Bob Hritz

[NickG]

Good info, now we can identify the distinction between Charlemagne Div and SturmBrigade troops (its Brigade size predecessor) and consequently the time span of these images (1944 versus 1945), based on the placement differences of the national shield! Something I was not aware of myself. (I thought it was just personal preference or something!

The fact the the signal blitz was placed on the UPPER Wehrmacht position on the sleeve was really the main reason for me to post the 1st picture.

Many of these guys started as Heer troops so that might be a reason for this signal blitz "Heer look" and perhaps later on this funker blitz shifted to the proper SS (lower) position, when the radio men started wearing their tricolor shield higher on the sleeve!

Interesting
Nick

[Fred S]

Thank you for posting these exciting photos.

Bob Hritz

You're welcome Bob!
One more. It must been ustuf Lambert but no one is 100% sure.

[Fred S]

The fact the the signal blitz was placed on the UPPER Wehrmacht position on the sleeve was really the main reason for me to post the 1st picture.

Many of these guys started as Heer troops so that might be a reason for this "Heer look" and perhaps after the funker blitz shifted to the proper SS (lower) position when the radio men started wearing their tricolor shield higher on the sleeve!

Interesting
Nick

Well Nick, men who joined the sturmbrigade came mostly from political party, NSKK or milice, and only a few LVF. So I don't know ifit could explain the funker blitz question. Maybe just because they already hadthe tricolor and the lower sleeve?
That was different with the Div Charlemagne: LVF (so Heer), Sturmbrigade, milice, some ex 1940 french POW, KM, and some guys that joined individually (I had the luck to meet one that joined at 16 a few weeks after Overlord).

Nothing to do with national shield but here's a picture that do not come often: recruiting office for the sturmbrigade, North of France.

[Fred S]

Here's the French shield worn in the upper position which was more common late war! Note (narrow) French ribbon bar and tunic lacking collar tabs, shoulderboards!!

I think this soldier was Pierre Rusco, former LVF soldier, former french army soldier , he joined the Charlemagne with the LVF. If it's him he survived the war and wrote a book back in the 80's (or 90's )

[Fred S]

Pierre Rusco postwar "fantaisy" portrait. I have somewhere a wartime (LVF) pic of Rusco, hope I'll find it.