grantsmil

An M43 Police cap with metal badges and a sewn-in 'pinched' crown.

The front

The crown is pinched with some stitches.

Here is a similar great coat, although this is made of wool and lined with a dark grey blanket material.  Unlike your's, Gerard, there is no visible ink stamp on the inside to tell me when or where it was made or issued.

An M40 jacket [?].  The shoulder straps had been removed.

One of the buttons, (the same as I have seen on the Windbluse) I agree is it a similar appearance to some US types

I am not much further into being able to definitely say what this jacket's intended use was. Several helpful people have pointed me toward accepting this was made for locally raised police in the Fezzan region of Libya (a southern & western region).

The suggestion is the jacket was intended for native volunteer troops raised as police or police auxiliary by the Germans in North Africa during the WW2 campaign. The reason it does not appeared to have been issued or used much at all, may be that by the time this jacket was made the Fezzan region was mainly lost to the allies and not really considered as significant as other more vital areas. The axis base police and other volunteers slowly dissipated.

With no organisation to be supplied this jacket remained in transit stores in Czechoslovakia never to be sent to North Africa.

I have found some images of native troops in Libya with what might be this jacket, but the images are so poor and grainy that any positive identification cannot be made.

Thank you Josemann57,

To know the correct translation is very useful. The variation between the 1951 Libyan flag and the representation seen in this badge is quite pronounces. The badge is professionally made and looks to be a Bevo construction. It was suggested that this badge was the fore runner to to flag adopted in 1951, designed by Omar Faiek Shennib, and even that it was the inspiration of the later flag, however, that is conjecture & speculation.

I suspect Ulsterman was very close to the mark with his suggetion it is a locally worn jacket for locals, possibly under control of the Axis powers.

Still hunting for images.

Ulsterman,

Thanks for the help. I had a look at www.historical-media.com, and browsed the albums but without success. It may be that the album was taken down or I just failed to find the images. It is certainly a good place to watch regulary.

I have another Police 'combat' tunic, but stripped of badges, I have found some collars but no sleeve eagle. It's in quite good condition all things considered. I also have about 4 or 5 breaches and a pair of 'combat' trousers. (& one belt)

I have only recently been getting into non-military uniforms and picked up some odd bits including RAD, NSKK and some political (SA) as well as a nice uniform to the red cross (DRK)

Below is a recent addition, the side cap.

Dear Grant, Possibly "Fezan Police" - Libya. Regards, Owain

Thank you very much.

This is very interesting, if the date stamp in the jacket is correct this was issued during or after 1941 & was made in Germany.

Perhaps I am looking at a German raised or supported local protection force? More research is required.

An early dated jacket.

The sleeve badge still has the name of the city Wien displayed above the eagle. The stamps show the jacket was made in 1939. The jacket is in a surprisingly good condition but the 'Erel Fiber Tschako' (1937) has suffered as little.

Hanging in one of my cupboards ....................

Might I say what a very nice and impressive collection on one rack.

Thanks for sharing.

Grant

I have an unknown cotton jacket with a cotton badge on the left upper sleeve. My initial impression was the jacket may have been from a German Ost-battalion, or some working group associated with the German army of the Second World War.

I can not identify the badge. A friend unsuccessfully attempted a translation.
The flag appears to be similar to the Libyan flag from 1950, but there are some important differences.

Can anyone assist? I would be very appreciative if anyone could give me a translation of the Arabic script.

Here is a late model police jacket

The sleeve badge.

These guys were not military personnel but ordinary policemen.

I thought that might have been the case. But the only reference to police/gendarmerie or fire brigade showed different uniforms, although my police references all appear to be pre-war. The younger man is wearing a tunic I cannot identify and may well be a local Turkish police (or other government official) type tunic, it would be interesting to find out.

These guys were not military personnel but ordinary policemen.

I thought that might have been the case. But the only reference to police/gendarmerie or fire brigade showed different uniforms, although my police references all appear to be pre-war. The younger man is wearing a tunic I cannot identify and may well be a local Turkish police (or other government official) type tunic, it would be interesting to find out.

I would suggest that the uniform is Finnish. The jacket and badges are of the type worn in Finland between 1918 and 1922. Sometimes described as the 'Swedish type uniform'.

I have just adjusted my monitor and I can now see the S within a circle on the arm band. I am sure that is one of the Finnish Civil Guard arm bands

I would suggest that the uniform is Finnish. The jacket and badges are of the type worn in Finland between 1918 and 1922. Sometimes described as the 'Swedish type uniform'.

I've never seen ANY insignia being worn on army caps.

The images shown here are from the image of the taking of the surrender of Jerusalem in 1918 by two British sergeants. The two men shown wearing the cap badges of the crescent moon and star are the only clear images I have ever seen of Turks wearing cap badges in the Great War. This is a particularly famous photograph, and I would not be surprised if the names of the two gentlemen were not known.