Smoke Troop Oberst’s Shoulder Boards

A picture postcard, measuring 86x138mm, near mint condition. The photo was taken during the 10th anniversary of the NSDAP Parteitag (party rally) in Weimar On July 4 and 5 of 1936. (Only since 1927 was this mass rally held in Nuremberg, hence its name in English speaking countries: Nuremberg Rally.) It shows a Wehrmacht General talking to a highly decorated First War veteran. On his neck he wears a Red Eagle Order with Swords decoration. He also wears the Breast Star of the same Order. Among the other decorations, there is an Austrian Order of St. John medal, as well as an Iron Cross 1st Class.

Tropeneinheitsfeldmütze; Exterior in olive green cotton, machine-embroidered tropical eagle in gray on a brown base stitched in place on the crown, machine-embroidered national tri-colour cockade on a brown base sewn on the front, stiffened visor, two silvered zinc ventilation eyelets on either side, interior lined in red cotton, sweatband consists of a matching olive green cotton placed upon a brownish-green moisture-resistant base, stamped in black ink with the serial number "0/0496/0340", dated "1943" and size marked "54", 170 mm x 250 mm x 110 mm, stiffened visor exhibits a crack just to the right of centre with a nip in the fabric at the edge of the visor, soiled. As worn.

Footnote: Tropical versions of the M1943 were produced in both tan and olive green cloth, with light blue eagle on the same colored cloth. In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, tropical uniforms headgear and equipment were quickly developed and issued in time for the DAK (Deutsches Afrika Korps = German Africa Corps) personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941. The M41 tropical field cap was introduced in early 1941 and the design of the cap was loosely based on the Mountain Troopers "Bergmütze" with minor variations. Officer ranks caps were distinguished from EM/NCO’s with silver piping for the ranks of Leutnant to Oberst and gilt piping for the ranks of Generalmajor to Generalfeldmarschall while EM/NCO’s ranks caps were not piped. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a particular identifying "waffenfarbe" (Branch of Service Colour). Originally the M41 tropical field caps had a branch of service soutache applied to the front consisting of an inverted "V" encompassing the national tri-color cockade but regulations of July 10, 1942 abolished the use of the soutache and instructed it to be removed from the caps, although the directive was not strictly adhered to.

Bade in zinc, in good condition.

Bronze Grade for Combatants: Bronze gilt, 32.5 mm, replacement ribbon, scattered gilt wear evident on the obverse, light contact, near extremely fine.