Italian Camo M44 tunic

[Fred Fokkelman]

i'm convinced and i have a lot of proofs some SS production gone to OZAK zone also to not SS troops. For example some SS m43 and SS stug with italian wool gone to Polizei.
In Ozak were very skilled tailor-field production of camo items.
There were found excellent field made camo cap, excellent camo rework for example.
It's very easy to believe to the Sahariana made in Italian camo... remember in 1944 sahariana were produced also in Reich.
It's also quite also to spot in pics m44 in Italian camo.
Talking with a LSSAH veteran who fought in Italy in 1943 / 1944 he said to me LSSAH troops were equipped with local items, shirts, pullover but also light tunics and reworked items from Italian depots.

There must have been some local professional tailors. Looking at the trousers and jackets posted on this thread they don't look fieldmade to me.

[viva_giulio]

Of course. There were also small companies

[Zauberflöte]

There must have been some local professional tailors. Looking at the trousers and jackets posted on this thread they don't look fieldmade to me.

Herewith some nice examples of identical custom made garments of LW soldiers stationed in Italy. It is very likely these were locally produced and indeed not (field)made by the company tailor. The markings in the subject tunic of this thread would rule field made out all the same IMO.

The tunic posted in post #14 for example, is identical to several I have seen worn in period photos by Polizei troops in the Balkan.

[17thairborne]

Jacquesf, viva_giulio

Thanks for the support, and information

Frits,
I'll look for that book. Sounds like a nice one to add to the collection. I have found one copy available so far and will look further. A very expensive book, but no doubt worth it.

Fred,
Will post some when done!

[Fred Fokkelman]

Herewith some nice examples of identical custom made garments of LW soldiers stationed in Italy. It is very likely these were locally produced and indeed not (field)made by the company tailor. The markings in the subject tunic of this thread would rule field made out all the same IMO.

The tunic posted in post #14 for example, is identical to several I have seen worn in period photos by Polizei troops in the Balkan.

These are wonderful pictures, thank you! Nice to see the breast pockets rather low attached to the jacket. Are the soldiers wearing these combo's panzer personnel (summer coveralls)? The pockets on the trousers indicates that.

The one posted # 14 looks like some kind of Windjacke.... Very nice.

[Fred Fokkelman]

BTW, I just noticed the two LW soldiers are wearing M43 Italian camo caps. Cool!

[Zauberflöte]

.... Are the soldiers wearing these combo's panzer personnel (summer coveralls)? The pockets on the trousers indicates that.
...

Actually Fred, if you look carefully you can see in the photo on the left that the soldier wears a short tunic in M44 style. In the photo on the left - I assume- he has tucked his tunic in to his trousers, believing both garments are indeed identical (even their caps are! Notice the metal eagles taken of tropical sun helmets).

[Fred Fokkelman]

Yes, you're right, those are metal eagles... Amazing. I don't know for sure if the tunic is tucked away into his trousers as they look identical. Perhaps the belt is covering lower end.

Do you have any idea when the picture was taken?

[17thairborne]

Judging from the holes in the shoulder of the M44 IT camo jacket, I believe the type of buttons used were screw post type. The holes are not from simple stitches being pulled where a button was taken off, but actual perforations through the material. A screw post button holder fits snugly therein. Here are some images. I think I will find two original grey0ish/ green buttons with screw posts to mount a set of SBs on this jacket.

[17thairborne]

Details:

[17thairborne]

The screw/post shoulder board button arrived from GE today. They have a very nice field grey tone to them which match well with the camo colors. I have a very nice set of LW Signal wool shoulder boards coming from Don at the Soldier's Museum. Once they arrive, I'll set them up. I will be obtaining a set of uberfallhosen, tropical shirt and tie that will work nicely with the jacket. Those should arrive in a week or so.

[17thairborne]

THis might also look nice with the HG boards! Although they do look a bit long. I'll compare them with the signals boards when they arrive.

[17thairborne]

the problem with most shoulder boards is the tongue is too wide where they are stitched to the outside of the boards and the loops on the IT camo jacket are narrow. Being an "M44"style jacket it seems to be made for the late war style boards with the thin tongues. I have this pair coming in the mail and they should slip on without bunching up the tongue of the boards or crumpling the shoulder of the jacket. The HG and the Signal boards both had the wide tongues and just did not look right, so I'm going with these as a my final answer!

Comments appreciated on the boards!

[Zauberflöte]

the problem with most shoulder boards is the tongue is too wide where they are stitched to the outside of the boards and the loops on the IT camo jacket are narrow. Being an "M44"style jacket it seems to be made for the late war style boards with the thin tongues. ....

Or made for Polizei (which always have small tongues) and for whom many camo items in Ialian fabric were made (as mentioned before). This would be more logical IMO.

Anyhow, your boards look okay, custom made as well.

[17thairborne]

I did not know the Polizei used the same color of wool as the LW, How about the tress? Is this not the typical LW NCO tress? Did the Polizei use the same also. I have 0 knowledge of Polizei stuff. Thanks for helping.

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