Paul R

Wow!! Those prices are a bit steep, for a repro. Thank you for the link!! It in itself is a good reference! The Iron Crosses are very scary looking! They cost almost as much as the originals! PAul

Was there a photo here?

That is an interesting sketch. How long has that part of the prison housed inmates? Is it still in use today? Lets see some more drawings!

You continue to amaze me! Your forestry collection is great, although the GFM boards are something I have serious doubts about... unless GFM Goering wore them . I enjoy those Heer Middle Level NCO boards as well. Paul

Can these be bought as repros at a decent price? They would be great for decorating a tunic! Paul

Thanks Kevin!! I learn something new everyday. I am surprised that they would keep the name!!!

I love the set!! One of the better ones I have seen!

A nice and unissued one too!

I have just looked back, to the board. It is an officer for the DDR Volunteer Fire Police. Paul

Reichsbahn- WW2 German Rail System. I dont think that the East Germans would use the term "Reichs" for anything, especially pertaining to any govt services.

There is nothing small about this collection!!! I love it! What was contained in the wooden box that was brought back by your family member?

Rick, do you know?

What color is the top half? Brown or black?

Thanks for the confirmation, Rick!! BTW, great examples!!!

Exactly! I think that they are actually for a volunteer fire fighter.

Thank you John, for your kind words and explanation on the Swallows nest! If anyone has any to post, please do!

Hi Jon, Thank you for posting this great periodical. Does it get into details on the Felddivision?

Hi Dave, Thank you for posting this very rare set! It appears to be the wine red branch color for Luftwaffe Justice Officials(Justizdienst)!

Next are some collar tab examples for the Officers... Leutnant

Here is a listing of the various Collar insignia. Remember, that the shoulder boards and straps had the same piping as the outer piping on the collar tabs for enlisted ranks. For Officers, the branch color is only present on the shoulder board underlay. The base color for all collar tabs was Rifle Green Rifle Regiments and Guard Companies- Rifle Green(with a black line separating the piping from the body of the tab). Recon and Bicycle Companies- Golden Yellow Artillery Regiments, Flak Battalions, and Tank Destroyer Battalions- Bright Red Engineer Battalions- Black Signal Battalions- Golden Brown Supply Units, Field Police Units(until 03Jun43)- Light Blue Military Police Units- Orange (added 3Jun1943) Veterinary Units, including farriers, were transferred from the Heer and were supplemented by Luftwaffe Personnel. Veterinarians were transferred in from the Heer and maintained their Heer uniforms. Luftwaffe EM/NCO Veterinary Techs and Farriers were given their own waffenfarbe of Carmine on 07Jul1943. The collar tab was solid carmine in color, without piping. The straps had a carmine piping, as well. The White branch color was designated on 10Jul1944 Luftwaffe Rifle Regiments(except for the 20th LW Field Division) NOTE- There was not a panzer division in the LW Field Divisions, thus no pink piped tabs. Any such tabs should be considered for the Jaeger/Tank Destroyers from the Hermann Goering Division. *Rifle Green was approximately the same light green as seen on Air Traffic Control Service, but just slightly darker. Here are some EM examples from my collection. Unissued FD Artillery Unissued FD Communications Unissued FD Engineer Issued FD Rifle Regiment(Jaeger)

Insignia configuration: The following is the manner of insignia configuration for the Luftwaffe Field Divisions, starting in 1943. I will list the branch colors shortly. Enlisted and NCOs- Shoulder straps with piping of the branch color. Collar tabs are rifle green with piping in the branch color. Officers- Shoulderboards are made from matte gray cords(like the Heer) with the underlay of the branch color. Collar tabs are rifle green with the standard LW aluminum twist piping.

I agree!!! A most beautiful Noncombatant bar!

Luftwaffe Field Divisions The first Luftwaffe ground combat units were formed in the winter of 1941/2 for fighting in Russia. The units were quickly formed in response to the overwhelming losses of the Wehrmacht earlier that winter, that resulted in German retreat. Sometime in February, 1942, Brigade Meindl was consolidated for combat on the Northern Front in Russia. On the 17th of September 1942, Goering issued a proclamation for the institution of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions. By the end of 1942, Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1-22 and Field Corps I-IV were assembled and placed under control of the Heer for deployment on the Eastern Front. In order to train these former Airmen, the needed instructors were transferred from the Heer to the Luftwaffe. By this point in the war, the Heer was in dire need of combatants while the Luftwaffe had a surplus of men. While it would have made more sense to simply transfer men into the Heer for training and deployment, Goering wanted a land combat unit of his own. While these men had better equipment than their Heer counterparts, their lack of training and experience resulted in very high losses. as a result, the Luftwaffe Field Divisions were transferred to the Heer's control by Hitler's direct order on 20September1943. During the time period between September1943 and May1944, several field divisions and corps were disbanded. The remainder was reorganized along the lines of Heer Infantry Divisions and returned to the front(the Flak units and other personnel suitable for the new Fallschirmjager units remained with the Luftwaffe). Despite the fact that the Heer took complete control of the Luftwaffe Field Divisions, they maintained their association with the Luftwaffe by use of the term, "Field Division (Lw) or (L)". Also despite being transferred to the Heer, the Luftwaffe retained their standard uniforms and insignia. The use of camouflage articles was wide spread, with some specialty items being developed and issued. There are many period photos that suggest a hodge podge of uniform articles commonly being worn by FD members(mixture of Heer and LW uniforms and insignia. In the early days of the LW Field Divisions, the soldiers maintained the waffenfarbe of their former units. In 1943, a new system of branch colors was introduced. These colors followed the Heer's waffenfarbe system.

That is a great question. Of my books, Davis seems to get into the most detail on them.( "Uniforms and Insignia of the Luftwaffe, volume 1: 1933-1940", page 140). All that he states about the origin is that, "The practice of German musicians wearing swallows nests is a very old tradition...". Maybe someone else can help shed some more light on this!

These are not within my focus, yet I feel good about it from my limited exposure to them!