WOW a nice gift given to me from a Veteran friend when we met again in Arromanches last week. I think most of them are SS, he told me they were cut from dead Germans while on a reconnaissance mission in the Ardennes to identify German units in the area ?.
Blimey, nice gift indeed. I've got quite a bit on German epaulettes and boards so I'll have a shufti. But first - a Vodka needs pouring (and hopefully someone who actually knows what they're looking at will potter along in the meantime. )
I edited thread title to include 'German' . To attract attention of those that will know. Thank you. Father did so enjoy his trip to Normandy.
Handbook on German Army Identification - 1943 A page: German Uniforms 1935 (1934) Die Uniformen der Braunhemden Not an interest of mine. Just titles in the memory as you search for other things.
Top first is for the rank group (Dienstgradgruppe) "Mannschaften", individual rank (Schütze ..., Oberschütze, Gefreiter, Obergefreiter, Stabsgefreiter, all below NCO grade) according to additional insignia on upper left sleeve. "FP" means "Feldpost". Second is a Beamter (civil servant), in combination with "FP" the rank would be Lagermeister in the Feldpost branch. Third is a Sonderführer. A special duty rank in Leutnant level without certain military authorizations.
To the right a Leutnant level. Numbers normally stand for the Regiment, a brigade size three (normally) battalion (Batallion) unit. I cannot detect any distinct SS insignia, though this might be possible as well, as the SS used similar Schulterstücke or Schulterklappen. Epaulette in German means special Schulterstücke worn on parades, not in the field. Source: Brian L. Davies: Uniformen und Abzeichen des Deutschen Heeres 1939 - 1945, Stuttgart 1973
You may find of interest illustrations of epaulettes worn by German Officers, WOs, Sergeants, Corporals, Lance-corporals and men on page 33 of my War Memoirs, which I extracted from my Battalion Intelligence Officers file! Joe Brown
None are for the SS. The two on the right with #6 look to be WWI. The one at bottom left is for 110th infantry regiment, though the colours are not very clear and it would help to show pictures of the reverse. I think your veteran friend's memory must be playing up! Jerry
