REAL Italian SS Collar Patch.........

[Jens]

This Picture is by no means doctored ! J believe the photo also have been shown in the magazine "DF"

Jens

[Robin Lumsden]

The Yoke and Arrows badge was the emblem of the Spanish Fascists, or Falangists, having been adopted from the traditional coat-of-arms of the Catholic monarchy of Ferdinand and Isabella. An Italian unit fighting in the Spanish Civil War adopted the badge, calling themselves the 'Red Arrows', and this version appears to have been subsequently adopted by the Italian SS Legion in September 1944 following a visit to Germany by the Italian philosopher Julius Evola and Italian Waffen-Hauptsturmfuehrer der SS Leale Martelli. Both were accompanied by Karl Wolff (then Supreme SS and Police Commander in Italy) during their visit, which included a stay at Wewelsburg Castle.

So this badge was definitely produced and worn. The Italian SS were also known to have worn runic collar patches, and blank collar patches.

But here's the big question.

Can anyone post a picture showing the 'Dachau' Italian collar patch with fasces being worn?? Or the fasces sleeve shield??

[pegasus]

italian

its said to be for the 1st Battalion of the 29th Division have pictures of these collar pach but can send them
pegasus

[Gary Cain]

Hello Guy's,
There were multiple varieties as Robin indicates. Most common were the continental form which has the pleats in the pocket and the tropical form is the same for all intents and purposes as the German variety( they did copy it from the Italians after all!). At the Treffen in Lich back in 2000 I believe there was a
Officer from the Nembo outfit and he was wearing a tailored sahariana suit It was veeeeeerrrryy nice!


Cheers
Gary

Roman.
That's an Italian one.
They came in different colours, with and without collars.

[Robin Lumsden]

A Belgian member asked me to post this for him.

[Basil]

From the photos which are known, the Italian SS wore a strange combination of Italian and German uniform items and insignia. I had an email exchange with Hugh Page Taylor a few years ago (he is writing a book about the Italian SS) and he believed this particular collar patch to have been a special distinction for a particular battalion - as someone indicated above.

As for the Italian Dachau patches being worn, my suspicion is that the large numbers found at Dachau indicate that they didn't actually get issued; certainly not in large numbers at any rate.