Bargain?

[billbert]

Great thread Nick.... Billbert

[NickG]

Great thread Nick.... Billbert

Thanks Billbert!
I like that front line rugged officer's look (period modified enlisted combat tunics for field wear)
better than "bling bling" piped + bullion tailor made gabardine "best dress" text book closet survivors!!
Now that description is a mouth full!!! Credit goes to as tagged...yes "borrowed" images to share and learn!

[kapitein]

Pic post 105:

Vet: "got all these WSS jackets from a German soldier who already started to collect in 1945 during the battle of Berlin.
Totally forgot about them, glad I found them still in my ol dufflebag up in the attic. Although a bit dusty all untouched originals. I'm 100% sure about that! Getting old but I'm not stupid!"

Dealer: Ok I'll take them, credible story to pass on! Thanks!

Kapitein

[NickG]

Pic post 105:

Vet: "got all these WSS jackets from a German soldier who already started to collect in 1945 during the battle of Berlin.
Totally forgot about them, glad I found them still in my ol dufflebag up in the attic. Although a bit dusty all untouched originals. I'm 100% sure about that! Getting old but I'm not stupid!"

Dealer: Ok I'll take them, credible story to pass on! Thanks!

Kapitein

Yeah a story becomes nothing more than a sales pitch...not solid provenance, just hearsay...
(=information gathered by one person from another person, fabricated, enhanced , who knows?)

Anyway here some more period images of such enlisted tab applications, again mostly RK earners, as those are most photographed! In other words such applications were most likely more common at the front than probably documented!

[NickG]

more examples of simplefied tabs!
Including Prinz Eugen!

[NickG]

This image got me started researching simplified front-line officer combat tunics intended for field wear!
Note tunic and insignia remarks!

[NickG]

I chose to do a Panzer Abwehr impression ("Nederland Division") because besides the Panzers, the PAK gunners of the Pz Abwehr branch were the teeth of the German armed forces during the "Fighting retreat" period on the Ost front, when PAK units were constantly engaged in an attempt to slow down the Soviet T-34 onslought.

That's why this branch earned so many Knights Crosses, to name a few: Dutchman Gerardus Mooiman in Leg. Niederlande, first non-German award winning PAK gunner and later Flemish Remy Schrijnen (Langemarck), and his PAK unit was actually attached to "Nederland" during the engagement that earned him the RK! His Platoon Leader Untersturmfuhrer Jef Grooters shares my last name!
Kind of neat I think! (He did not survive the war)

Anyway the tunic has many many award loops so very appropriate for a PAK gunner officer! It definately did not belong to a
"NachschuB" supply officer, admin pencil pusher or communications Funker expert!!

Shown are the shoulderboards fitted with "P" for a PAK Untersturmfuhrer (golden P's with the gold mostly worn off...) ready
for my tunic application. These are the not so common shiny varient (exact twins are shown in Jack Pias 1974 SS regalia book!!!)
and
a better image of the modified officer rank (NCO BeVo) SS collar tabs, also ready for application to the tunic.
Just waiting for period thread to arrive from Pennsylvania (thanks to another WAF member who is following this thread !

[NickG]

Now a SUPER COOL image of another PAK gunner, again a foreigner and Knights Cross winner.
This is Untersturmfuhrer Leon Gille a Walloon volunteer from Belgium in the Div. Wallonien, who earned his Knights Cross
as a PAK unit leader on the Eastern Front in September 1944.

Of interest:
- simplefied enlisted tabs (no silver edge piping)
- (shiny) Untersturmfuhrer "P" cypher Pz.Abwehr boards (twins of mine!!!)

[NickG]

Compare boards!
More later once its all assembled on the tunic! All parts have now arrived! So stay tuned and thanks for the encouragement and PM's guys!.

Besides the tunic purchase on estand, other fellow WAF members got me ;
a BeVo sleeve eagle + period thread + cyphers + Pips! All found here to finish the restoration!
Thanks guys!

[jacquesf]

Nick, I am really enjoying the way you are going about this restoration Jacques

[NickG]

Nick, I am really enjoying the way you are going about this restoration Jacques

Thanks Jaques! Coming from a big collector like you means a lot to me!
Some guys thought unpiped collar tabs was a stupid idea for an officer impression...
so I had to bombard this thread with period examples to show that its absolutely a common feature
among front line officers in field tunics! I think I have made my point now!

[jacquesf]

My friend Andre had a untouched lightwight HBT Das Reich arty tunic which had the collar tabs without the piping. it is featured in one of the Beavor books, pages693/694 Vol 2. One of the nicest SS tunics I have seen. Jacques

[NickG]

My friend Andre had a untouched lightwight HBT Das Reich arty tunic which had the collar tabs without the piping. it is featured in one of the Beavor books, pages693/694 Vol 2. One of the nicest SS tunics I have seen. Jacques

Neat, I will grab that book from my library and check it out! Thanks for telling me Jaques!
btw here's another (final) example of this practice! Yes another RK trager, front kampfer!
Nice job aligning those pips! Definately not a "best dress" uniform. This one may get dirty!

[Ian Hulley]

As an aside do we have any ideas what is fastened to the right shoulder strap of the top guy in post #116 ? It goes round the strap, behind his shoulder, under his arm and back into his top pocket.

Kind of weird for a whistle lanyard ?

Ian

[kapitein]

Very interesting to see all these pics of field tunics with non standard officers insignia. Indeed front line use, this never got my attention. Great study thanks!

Wouldnt know what is attached to that strap, some leather money or picture pouch I presume? Guy must have been affraid to lose it, thats for sure and he probably thought it looked cool...

Kapitein