Landwacht Nederland sign on photo

[Dmv]

Hello, just got this photo.

Is the sign of the Dutch SS volunteer "Landwacht Nederland", later the dutch Landstorm Nederland?

12-03-1943: Grenadier-Regiment I Landwacht Nederland
16-10-1943: SS-Grenadier-Regiment Landstorm Nederland
01-11-1944: SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Brigade 'Landstorm Nederland'
10-02-1945: 34.SS Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division 'Landstorm Nederland'

If above is correct this name only existed for 7 months...

The two guys with side caps are ss. Officers are polizei.

Any info welcome, also on the 3rd kompanie of the 1st batalion?, 1st regiment? If I got the sign right...


( p.s. I know it's not insignia or uniform, but this forum is the most logical to place it)

[Rednas]

Very nice photo!

Yes, seems to be the 3.Kompanie - 1.Batallion - 1.Regiment Landwacht Nederland. A unit mostly filled with Dutchmen. Because of a lack of SS officers the men of this unit were trained under a Kader of Polizei officers.

The first Batallion came into action when they were rushed against the swift Allied advance into Belgium. They were put alongside the Albert channel around Hasselt, where the Prinses Irene Brigade (PIB) was one of the enemy units. The PIB was made of Dutchmen under allied command. So Dutchmen were fighting against each other there. This situation later repeated itself in Holland in '44 and '45.

Later on the 1st Regiment became the 83.Grenadier Regiment of the Landstorm Nederland Brigade (later on Division).

The NCO on the right seems to be the Hauptscharführer or "Spieß" (you can spot this because of the 2 lines of tresse on his lower arm).

[C. Betz]

Rank

"The NCO on the right seems to be the Hauptscharführer or "Spieß" (you can spot this because of the 2 lines of tresse on his lower arm)".

While the two rings on his sleeve would certainly denote the assignment of Der Spiess, his shoulder board indicates the rank of unterscharfuhrer.

Charles Betz

[Rednas]

"The NCO on the right seems to be the Hauptscharführer or "Spieß" (you can spot this because of the 2 lines of tresse on his lower arm)".

While the two rings on his sleeve would certainly denote the assignment of Der Spiess, his shoulder board indicates the rank of unterscharfuhrer.

Charles Betz

Your right, I was mixing the SS rank with the Wehrmacht equivalent. In the wehrmacht, the official term for the function of the Spieß is "Hauptfeldwebel" (which isn't the rank, any NCO rank can be the Hauptfeldwebel).
Is there also a name (other than Spieß) for this function in the SS?

[C. Betz]

Der Spiess, Formal Title

The formal title of appointment was SS-Stabsscharfuhrer. Not to be confused with SS-Strumscharfuhrer.

Charles Betz

[nicoh]

Rednas wrote : Later on the 1st Regiment became the 83.Grenadier Regiment of the Landstorm Nederland Brigade (later on Division

this is partly true. Only II.Btl and III.Btl of the original Landstorm Nederland were used to form SS-FrwGren Rgt 83, I. Btl was used as I.Btl/SSFrwGren Rgt 84

one question, do you have a date for this picture. If so, perhaps I can identify the officers and place.

Nico

[Dmv]

Guys, thanks for all the info!

this is partly true. Only II.Btl and III.Btl of the original Landstorm Nederland were used to form SS-FrwGren Rgt 83, I. Btl was used as I.Btl/SSFrwGren Rgt 84

one question, do you have a date for this picture. If so, perhaps I can identify the officers and place.

Nico

Nico, I don't have a date, the backside is blank. But if this is right:

12-03-1943: Grenadier-Regiment I Landwacht Nederland
16-10-1943: SS-Grenadier-Regiment Landstorm Nederland

it would be between that date since the sign reads LANDW and not lands.

Would be nice to have a place or even names!

[nicoh]

Yes the dates are the correct ones for the change-over in name, so if I am not mistaken teh place is Vught.

The Officer standing under the sign appears to be the company commander between end april 1943 and june 1943 Oberleutnant der Schutzpolizei Erich Neudel. I will check this one again, with special emphasis on his decorations, when I am at home.

The others appear to be the Zugführer, who at the time were all Meister der Schutzpolizei and the Stabsscharführer. These are more difficult to identify although their names are known.

Somuch for now

Nico

[Dmv]

Hello Nico, any more info on the names and place? Thanks!

[nicoh]

Landwacht Nederland sign 1943

Hi

as promised:

Company commander (standing under sign): Oberleutnant der Schutzpolizei Erich Neudel, 14.08.1907

Place is the Frederik Hendrik Kazerne in Vught.

Stabsscharführer is unknown, seems to have been a Waffen-SS man, instead of a Schutzpolizeiman (due to him wearing also a cufftitle below his Spiess rings on his left arm.

The Platooncommanders at the time (4.43-6.43) were:
I.Platoon Meister der Schutzpolizei Casimir dembinski, 30.09.1898, Berent
II.Platoon Meister der Schutzpolizei Herbert Wünsche, 14.11.1902, Koblenz
III.Platoon Meister der Schutzpolizei Otto Fischer, 20.05.1899

As I do not have pictures of these Platoon commanders I can not be sure which are in the picture.

The other 2 visible men (one with hammer) are ordinary soldiers

Should you find more of this kind of photos please let me know

regards

Nico