1st Pattern Parkas used by WSS

[pete]

Who knows the details on the "Steel gray"? version of the 1st Parka design. How can I tell if a parka is ss OR NOT? Does Steel Gray denote SS or most commonly worn by SS being Steel gray versions of Pattern 1?

Pete

[Konigstiger]

I have heard/read that the dark grey ones were SS and that the garberdine wool grey side material was SS but who knows if its true. Id like to see the correct answer myself

[9SSHohenstaufen]

i have heard this also, any information would be great.

[Mark Holden]

I think the whole steel Gray colour thing with SS parkas is an old wives tale. I'll stick with them being the mouse gray army type, with shade variations, after all look at the various shades M36/M40 tunics were made in.

Cheers

Mark

i have heard this also, any information would be great.

[9SSHohenstaufen]

I think the whole steel Gray colour thing with SS parkas is an old wives tale. I'll stick with them being the mouse gray army type, with shade variations, after all look at the various shades M36/M40 tunics were made in.

Cheers

Mark

yes but some actually are made of different material alltogether, a rougher(yet more warming) garbadine wool type blend which many have said are "ss". the truth to this i dont know, but they deffinately exist and for an ss issue parka, this seems likely to be as ss often received nicer garments then standard heer troops.

[Remy Spezzano]

yes but some actually are made of different material alltogether, a rougher(yet more warming) garbadine wool type blend which many have said are "ss". the truth to this i dont know, but they deffinately exist and for an ss issue parka, this seems likely to be as ss often received nicer garments then standard heer troops.

For the first winter season both the Army and WSS used the same issue fieldgrey reversible to white parka and pants. Look at all the photos of Peiper during the battle of Kharkov Feb. - Mar. 1943. It wasn't until the next winter season that the WSS introduced their own winter parkas in camo reversible to white. The design had a few slightly differences then the Army version.

[9SSHohenstaufen]

For the first winter season both the Army and WSS used the same issue fieldgrey reversible to white parka and pants. Look at all the photos of Peiper during the battle of Kharkov Feb. - Mar. 1943. It wasn't until the next winter season that the WSS introduced their own winter parkas in camo reversible to white. The design had a few slightly differences then the Army version.

hi remy, im aware of this fact actually, and it doesnt have to do with what i was talking about, i meant that the mousegray parka was produced in two materials, a garbadine wool blend and a normal mousegray cotton, the latter of which i beleive is standard heer issue, while the wool was given to ss.

[Remy Spezzano]

9th SS I understand the point you were making. I just want to clarify that the fieldgrey parkas issued to the WSS were not specially contracted by the SS.

The fieldgrey parkas issued to the WSS units were the same issue parkas the Army received. OK maybe it's very well possible the production run made from the gaberdine type wool all ended up in the hands of the SS units at the time of distribution but this does not officially make the parka an SS parka.

For me an SS item is one that was specifically designed and issued to the WSS. An example would be the pull over fur lined anorak.

[9SSHohenstaufen]

9th SS I understand the point you were making. I just want to clarify that the fieldgrey parkas issued to the WSS were not specially contracted by the SS.

The fieldgrey parkas issued to the WSS units were the same issue parkas the Army received. OK maybe it's very well possible the production run made from the gaberdine type wool all ended up in the hands of the SS units at the time of distribution but this does not officially make the parka an SS parka.

For me an SS item is one that was specifically designed and issued to the WSS. An example would be the pull over fur lined anorak.

i think that you are right when saying they might have ended up in the hands of the ss units. if they were specifically made for ss or not isnt certain, but it still seems as though it could be so, which is why i am curious to see if others would put in any information they have as well. the parkas in either case are very collectible winter peices and is still a standard peice to both ss and heer troops, i need to get my hands on the wool variant as i have the standard style. they seem to be fairly common as 3 of my friends own the gaberdine wool type ones.

[pete]

.........

Does anyone have a "steel gray" darker gabradine wool material 1st WH pattern reversible parka in their collection to show some comparisions?

I had one and im trying to get one back!

Pete

[Scott A. Hess]

I have a gabardine set of reversible pants..not the parka...but I cant say really if its "steel-grey" or field grey...

[Bobwirtz]

I believe that Remy is correct. These were the first of the parkas and were made for both the Army and Waffen-SS, but not by the SS-Bekleidungswerke until the following year when their own style with Waffen-SS camouflaged material was added to the one (primary) side. Up until that time the mouse-gray parkas were made for all forces. The SS didn't have their own mouse-gray parkas manufactured, however, there were probably several manufacturers that made these. I don't believe the Waffen-SS ended up with any particular one, be it made with cotton or wool... it's just the way things were distributed. You go into a warehouse full of winter clothing and pull out 45 pallets loaded with parkas and issue them to the unit that comes in with a supply chit. I believe that Remy is pretty much up on these as he has written several articles in Armes Militaria magazines about them. Cheers, Remy!!!

[werner]

Hi,

The major difference between heer and ss feldgrau parka are the pockets !!!
On heer parka, they are straight cut and on the ss, they are scalloped edge.



Regards
Werner

[hayleyp]

ss parka

Who knows the details on the "Steel gray"? version of the 1st Parka design. How can I tell if a parka is ss OR NOT? Does Steel Gray denote SS or most commonly worn by SS being Steel gray versions of Pattern 1?

Pete

hi pete p.m. sent