François Saez, Paul Williams & Gordon Williamson

JAGDGESCHWADER UDET

This cuffband was introduced on 20 December 1941 by Luftwaffen-Verordnungsblatt 429c/59. It was to be worn by all members of Jagdgeschwader 3, and commemorated General Ernst Udet, General-Luftzeugmeister or Chief Air Armaments Officer of the Luftwaffe.

A jovial and well-liked officer, Udet was a personal friend of Goring and was well thought of by Hitler. He had, nevertheless, failed to cope with the tremendous pressures placed upon him and the intrigues of those who wished to oust him and on 17 November 1941 committed suicide. His death was represented to the German people as the result of a plane crash during the testing of a new aircraft and JG3 was named in his honor.

The cuffband bore the inscription “Jagdgeschwader Udet” in Gothic script.

Two examples of the NCO / enlisted man cuffband