Battlefield pick up SS visor from Normandy

[Dr. Strangelove]

Er...

Aye, Gentlemen, what we have here is a story of right Head wrong Hat or vice-versa.

[NickG]

Aye, Gentlemen, what we have here is a story of right Head wrong Hat or vice-versa.

Must be... or otherwise a very eccentric paratrooper who preferred wearing an SS visor...
Is there an A.Both (perhaps not Armin and not an officer, nor officer candidate) in the SS who served on the St-Lo front? perhaps not even KIA?

[Gestapo66]

Replay

Nice fotos but i belive that was yust solders youking, since wearing other formation insignia was forbiden in the german army as is in all other armys!

But sometimes there were some surcumstances that SS solder was isued tunic with heer brest eagle steal atached on it but that was yust a mistake.

I can belive that since Luftwaffe paratrupers and waffen SS solders bouth were isued camo stuff that sometimes there were mistakes made by suplai office and in my belife SS paratrupers were isued Luftwaffe items only becourse SS didnt have such gear at the time!!!

Can you emagine how woud be treated ordinary Heer solder by his felow Heer solders if he woud wore SS NCO cap ?

IG

[Robert H]

... or use this what is available. Under this circumstances nothing is forbiden nor an interest for regulations was there. Didn't we know about SS soldiers is pilot suits, or if the wind blows or the sun shines to wear any cap before I get a cold or a sunburn. Which collector cares for the pure reality and history? For sure no "mistakes" for my view as they where to many.

[NickG]

... or use this what is available. Under this circumstances nothing is forbiden nor an interest for regulations was there. Didn't we know about SS soldiers is pilot suits, or if the wind blows or the sun shines to wear any cap before I get a cold or a sunburn. Which collector cares for the pure reality and history? For sure no "mistakes" for my view as they where to many.

True!
WAF member Solkors had posted this image earlier this month...I guess anything is possible in those hectic times!
Dress regulations were not often adhered to...there was a war to be won!
Still strange...

[sjl]

So someone blows your head clean off... and your hat doesn't have a mark on it? I can't eat soup without getting a spot on my tie.

And a French kid takes an SS hat as a souvenir when being found with it by generally humourless German occupying forces would mean losing your own head?

Quite a story.

[Dennis S]

Believe me , Kids do a lot of dumb Sh!t.

Good story anyway.

[Theodor]

Here is one good story about SS and skulls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsNLbK8_rBY

[solkors]

Great find , Theodor!!!
And finally, someone thought the pic I posted recently is of interest...thanks NickG

solkors

[jotuntroll]

Hi
Could he have given a command of a group of wss soldiers because of loss of wss officers in a co operation?...and therefore given a wss visor.

[vonStubben]

The End Approaches

I am not saying that I believe or disbelieve the story attached to this hat as stranger things have happened, but, I would like to add this picture from the book "Wenn Alle Bruder Schweigen", which shows a LW Para. Officer (if he is Para and not Flak) wearing an SS enlisted/NCO belt and buckle (perhaps he just took it from the guy to his left), but it does show the practice of mixing uniform pieces within the various ranks and military branches of service.

[Scott A. Hess]

I agree with Robert, when people are shooting at ya, sometimes you come to the party dressed as you are, with what you can find, especially late stage in the war.

[sjl]

I'm still wondering why it is not covered in brains and arterial blood. Losing your head and three vertebrae is a tad messy.

[münster]

a peak under the hood, shows owners name! "A.Both. Bochum 4N.4"
Anybody with a clue what the meaning of this is?
Unit info I assume?

Bochum is a small city in Germany.

[Steinar]

Perhaps he was resting, the hat was not his head, and then the bomb or something hit nearby, some shrapnel cut his head off and the pressure from the explosion blew the cap away.