Opinions Please

[areilley]

May I get some opinions on these shoulder boards, nothing melts or glows

[areilley]

Backs of Boards

Here is the reverse, the scan is a little more red than the boards are.

[C.O.Sargent]

Are these not shoulder boards for the 12 SS Hitlerjugen antiaircraft?

[areilley]

FlaK Cypher

Are these not shoulder boards for the 12 SS Hitlerjugen antiaircraft?

They are anti-aircraft and have the flak cypher, but why would you say the 12th HJ?

[C.O.Sargent]

Afew years ago I bought a pair like yours except they didnot have the pip, a friend of mine asked a collector of shoulderboards what he thought of he said that they were antiaircraft issued or worn by the 12SS thats all I know.

[areilley]

Your Boards

Afew years ago I bought a pair like yours except they didnot have the pip, a friend of mine asked a collector of shoulderboards what he thought of he said that they were antiaircraft issued or worn by the 12SS thats all I know.

C.O.S., do you still have your boards? If so would you post a picture of them? Thanks, I have not seen very many boards with the flak cypher. Thanks

[John T]

That is a nice cypher...do any of you guys know if this cypher represents anything special because I would think the color alone (red) would denote flak..so why the need for the cypher? It must have some special significance.

[C.O.Sargent]

Greetings Alan:I still have my boards will try a post a picture for you
regards Chris.

[areilley]

Flak Cypher

That is a nice cypher...do any of you guys know if this cypher represents anything special because I would think the color alone (red) would denote flak..so why the need for the cypher? It must have some special significance.

militarybuyer, the red waffenfarbe would denote any type of artilery, the cypher Fl would denote anti-aircraft. Andre Huesken, has some cyphers for sale , but ( COS take note) he says that they were used in the SS-VT.
If anyone knows more about the use of these cyphers, I would like to learn more.

[Gary Wood]

Alan,
These are an early cyphers and were worn by machine gun company's (Fla.MG-abt./SS-VT) enrolled in anti aircraft duties, the correct piping for this unit is white and examples I have seen in the past have all been on white piped shoulder straps not red.
cheers,
Gary

[C.O.Sargent]

Thanks for the insight Gary always nice to know more is there any way to explain why these cyfers would be on crimson red piped boards?

[areilley]

More Info on Fl cypher

Thanks for the insight Gary always nice to know more is there any way to explain why these cyfers would be on crimson red piped boards?

C.O.Sargent, I was looking through some old issues of The Military Advisor and found an article by Frank Thayer titled Shoulder Strap Cyphers of the SS in the Winter 1997/1998 issue. It is an excellent article in general but I copies the section on the later use of the Fl cypher. I think that it explains why there are some later war boards

[C.O.Sargent]

Thanks for the information Alan always good to find out more
Chris.

[Mark Holden]

I own a single NCOs(Fla.MG-abt./SS-VT) Shoulder Board. White metal cypher white piped indicating pre war/early war SS VT use. I'll post a pic once I return to the UK. Incidentally your straps look fine to me!

Cheers

Mark


PS Regarding The Thayer article in the MA look carefully and you will see he uses the same cypher to illustrate both repro and original. I do not have a copy of said article in front of me but I recall it was a Gothic Germania, maybe Oberbayern.

[John T]

So I take it by reading the above this cypher would be exclusive to the SS..very nice