Need some GJ Help Please, Chaps

[ActionMan]

I originally posted thisd in General Quarters, forgetting that this forum was here - DOH!

I'd like to ask for some help please - my GJ knowledge and library is nil.

I'm trying to build up a Tropical GJ section to fight alongside my FJ in Italy

Would the uniforms here (ignoring Tom Cruise's DAK boots) be OK for Italy c. 1943/4 as well as N. Africa?

My understanding is that if I'm using them for N. Africa they would have an 'Afrika Korps' cuff title, whereas if they were Italy (and ex DAK) they would wear an 'Afrika' title instead?

Can I also confirm that this is an officer's tunic:

If it is, same question - could I use it for both N. Africa and Italy? Also what headgear would he wear - peaked cap/crusher or feldmutze (was there an officer's version)?

Would all ranks have green waffenfarbe?

Thanks very much,

David.

 

[ActionMan]

I originally posted thisd in General Quarters, forgetting that this forum was here - DOH!

I'd like to ask for some help please - my GJ knowledge and library is nil.

I'm trying to build up a Tropical GJ section to fight alongside my FJ in Italy

Would the uniforms here (ignoring Tom Cruise's DAK boots) be OK for Italy c. 1943/4 as well as N. Africa?

My understanding is that if I'm using them for N. Africa they would have an 'Afrika Korps' cuff title, whereas if they were Italy (and ex DAK) they would wear an 'Afrika' title instead?

Can I also confirm that this is an officer's tunic:

If it is, same question - could I use it for both N. Africa and Italy? Also what headgear would he wear - peaked cap/crusher or feldmutze (was there an officer's version)?

Would all ranks have green waffenfarbe?

Thanks very much,

David.

 

[pzrwest]

The Afrika cufftitle was instituted on Jan 15, 1943 and was intended as a campagne award, and was worn on the left sleeve. To wear the cufftitle the man had to serve at least 6 months in North Afrika, time requirement was waived if he was wounded, or became incapacitated as a result of contracting a tropical disease after serveing in the theatre for 3 months. The time was also waived ig the man receive any German award while serveing in the theater.(Angolia' book For Fuhrer and Fatherland). To be an officers tunic you just need to replace the shoulder straps with officer ones. And yes the piping is green. Yes the above uniforms could be worn in Italy as well as Afrika. Some officers did draw enlisted uniforms from unit stores and had their officers insignia applied, rather than wear their private purchase uniforms in the field. Hope this helps.... Harold

 

[pzrwest]

The Afrika cufftitle was instituted on Jan 15, 1943 and was intended as a campagne award, and was worn on the left sleeve. To wear the cufftitle the man had to serve at least 6 months in North Afrika, time requirement was waived if he was wounded, or became incapacitated as a result of contracting a tropical disease after serveing in the theatre for 3 months. The time was also waived ig the man receive any German award while serveing in the theater.(Angolia' book For Fuhrer and Fatherland). To be an officers tunic you just need to replace the shoulder straps with officer ones. And yes the piping is green. Yes the above uniforms could be worn in Italy as well as Afrika. Some officers did draw enlisted uniforms from unit stores and had their officers insignia applied, rather than wear their private purchase uniforms in the field. Hope this helps.... Harold

 

[ActionMan]

That's great Harold - exactly what I needed to know - thank you!

 

[ActionMan]

That's great Harold - exactly what I needed to know - thank you!

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Action Man,

The tropical uniforms in your first photograph would be seen being worn in North Africa, as well as, Italy, Southern France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Southern Russia. For the Italian Theater, you see a mix of Tropical, HBT's, and Wool uniforms plus sometimes mixing between Luftwaffe, Army, and Italian uniform items being worn.

My reenactment unit, Hochgebirgsjäger Btl. 4, was one of the Italian theater Gebirgsjäger units. Here's a photo that shows a typical example of the mixture of uniforms worn in Italy:

The other tunic in the second photo is a standard Enlisted Man issue M36 wool tunic. You would not see it in North Africa...maybe some in Tunisia, but would be seen in Italy during the colder months. But as Harold mentioned, EM tunics could be bought and are usually seen being worn my officers in the field.

Here's a typical Italian theater GJ officer wearing a private purchased summer tunic in a tan cloth with a dark green wool colar, wool ski pants, and holding his wool Bergmütze.

As to the color of the Waffenfarbe on the shoulderboards, it would depend on which unit the soldier belongs to within a Gebirgsdivision. HQ's and rifle regiments wore Green; Gebirgspioniers (mt. engineers) worn black; Gebirgsartillerie (mt. artillery) wore red; Gebirgsnachrichten (mt. signals) wore yellow, etc.

Berg Heil und Horrido!

"Papa"

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Action Man,

The tropical uniforms in your first photograph would be seen being worn in North Africa, as well as, Italy, Southern France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Southern Russia. For the Italian Theater, you see a mix of Tropical, HBT's, and Wool uniforms plus sometimes mixing between Luftwaffe, Army, and Italian uniform items being worn.

My reenactment unit, Hochgebirgsjäger Btl. 4, was one of the Italian theater Gebirgsjäger units. Here's a photo that shows a typical example of the mixture of uniforms worn in Italy:

The other tunic in the second photo is a standard Enlisted Man issue M36 wool tunic. You would not see it in North Africa...maybe some in Tunisia, but would be seen in Italy during the colder months. But as Harold mentioned, EM tunics could be bought and are usually seen being worn my officers in the field.

Here's a typical Italian theater GJ officer wearing a private purchased summer tunic in a tan cloth with a dark green wool colar, wool ski pants, and holding his wool Bergmütze.

As to the color of the Waffenfarbe on the shoulderboards, it would depend on which unit the soldier belongs to within a Gebirgsdivision. HQ's and rifle regiments wore Green; Gebirgspioniers (mt. engineers) worn black; Gebirgsartillerie (mt. artillery) wore red; Gebirgsnachrichten (mt. signals) wore yellow, etc.

Berg Heil und Horrido!

"Papa"

 

[ActionMan]

Harold, Patrick - thank you gentlemen, your help is very much appreciated.

David.

 

[ActionMan]

Harold, Patrick - thank you gentlemen, your help is very much appreciated.

David.

 

[kendalljamie]

Not trying to hijack the thread, so if this is inappropriate please delete...On a related subject, could the DAK short boots be seen in Sicily and Italy for troops other than GJ, such as the Hermann Goring Division? Were the canvas/leather boots only issued to those troops serving in Afrika or were they issued to troops bound for other parts of the MTO as well?

Thanks,
Jamie

 

[kendalljamie]

Not trying to hijack the thread, so if this is inappropriate please delete...On a related subject, could the DAK short boots be seen in Sicily and Italy for troops other than GJ, such as the Hermann Goring Division? Were the canvas/leather boots only issued to those troops serving in Afrika or were they issued to troops bound for other parts of the MTO as well?

Thanks,
Jamie

 

[pzrwest]

Yes you could see tan shorts worn in Sicily and Italy, would also depend on the time of year. As for the boots that I'm not sure. DAK troops that managed to get out of North Afrika to Sicily would most likely continue to wear their tropical boots

 

[pzrwest]

Yes you could see tan shorts worn in Sicily and Italy, would also depend on the time of year. As for the boots that I'm not sure. DAK troops that managed to get out of North Afrika to Sicily would most likely continue to wear their tropical boots

 

[kendalljamie]

Thanks Harold. That's my dilemma. Most of my figures are 'HG' Division, and not many from that unit escaped from Afrika. The division was immediately built up after Afrika and sent to Sicily. All the reference photos I have seen of the 'HG' in Sicily show the men wearing the tropical LW uniform, but their feet are not shown.

Jamie

 

[kendalljamie]

Thanks Harold. That's my dilemma. Most of my figures are 'HG' Division, and not many from that unit escaped from Afrika. The division was immediately built up after Afrika and sent to Sicily. All the reference photos I have seen of the 'HG' in Sicily show the men wearing the tropical LW uniform, but their feet are not shown.

Jamie

 

[RogueJK]

Not trying to hijack the thread, so if this is inappropriate please delete...On a related subject, could the DAK short boots be seen in Sicily and Italy for troops other than GJ, such as the Hermann Goring Division? Were the canvas/leather boots only issued to those troops serving in Afrika or were they issued to troops bound for other parts of the MTO as well?

Thanks,
Jamie

Tropical low boots were commonly used in Italy and the southern Balkans. I see no reason why the HG Division wouldn't have had access to them.

In fact, the cover of the Osprey Men at Arms book on the HG Division shows an officer wearing tropical low boots:
http://books.google.com/books?id=mM...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[RogueJK]

Not trying to hijack the thread, so if this is inappropriate please delete...On a related subject, could the DAK short boots be seen in Sicily and Italy for troops other than GJ, such as the Hermann Goring Division? Were the canvas/leather boots only issued to those troops serving in Afrika or were they issued to troops bound for other parts of the MTO as well?

Thanks,
Jamie

Tropical low boots were commonly used in Italy and the southern Balkans. I see no reason why the HG Division wouldn't have had access to them.

In fact, the cover of the Osprey Men at Arms book on the HG Division shows an officer wearing tropical low boots:
http://books.google.com/books?id=mM...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[kendalljamie]

I have that book and had forgotten about it The officer on the cover is described as being in Sicily or Italy 1943. Exactly what I was looking for and I already had it!

Thanks,
Jamie

 

[kendalljamie]

I have that book and had forgotten about it The officer on the cover is described as being in Sicily or Italy 1943. Exactly what I was looking for and I already had it!

Thanks,
Jamie