A Field Grey Wehrmacht Artillery Officer’s Tricot Gabardine Tunic

This is a fine quality and well preserved Wehrmacht Artillery Officer’s uniform tunic. There is no evidence of any pips having been removed from the boards, so this tunic would have been attributed to an Offizier (Officer) rank. The tunic features two horizontal-slit breast pockets as well as two larger pockets at waist height with pebble grain cap buttons. Six pebble grain cap buttons run vertically along the opening of the tunic. All buttons show wear some marks. Two hook fasteners on the collar opening ensure a snug fit.

The breast eagle is a M40 aluminum embroidered type, and appears to be factory sewn just above the right breast pocket. The Iron Cross Second Class ribbon is looped through the second button hole on one end, and around the seam of the other, and appears to be hand-stitched to the tunic. There is an Iron Cross Second Class bar attached to the tunic to its original ribbon via 4 intact pins. Just above the left breast pocket is a ribbon bar with three awards; Iron Cross, 1914, Bavarian Military Service Cross, and War Cross of Honour with crossed swords.

A 3rd class wounded badge is attached to the left breast pocket, for those who were wounded once or twice by hostile action (including air raids), or frostbitten in the line of duty. The tunic features collar tabs with bright red through-lines attributing this uniform to an Artillerieoffizier. The Artillery officer shoulder boards are matching with a insignias signifying the 22nd Artillerie-Regiment, having seen action in the Battle of France in May 1940 and July 1944 in the Battle of Crete.

The interior of the tunic has a matching field grey liner that is completely intact with only a little discolouration due to age. The tunic features a large horizontal-slit pocket at breast-height and a smaller horizontal-slit pocket at waist-height with the dagger hanger belt strip with the dagger hanger clip in perfect condition in between. The sleeve liner is champagne coloured and perfectly intact. There are no markings on the interior of the tunic, but a manufacturer’s tag is attached to the inside of the collar reading “C. O. Warnstedt, Hamburg-Wandsbek”.