Odulf

Tally Schulflottille des B.S.O. (Befehlshaber der Sicherung der Ostsee), a snapshot dated 22.6.1939. 

Unterseebootsflottille Lohs (Sommer 1939)

On 06/06/2021 at 11:22, LarryT said:

Very nice photo. and information Odulf. As you said many photo albums have this type of photo.

 

Here is a photo of Kapitan zur See Hans-Paul Leithauser paying his respects at a memorial.

Note the grey uniforms of the honor guard. The memorial is unknown to me. Does anyone know its location.

The monument is in Hanko, in Finland. To commemorate the German support in the Finish Civil War (1918)

Looks like a Freikorps badge: "Schwarze Schar" (Bergerhoff.

No. 805.1 from the Katalog der Uniformabzeichen der deutschen Freikorps

Not many portraits around of MAA Officers wearing the field grey uniform, but I picked up this very nice and crisp studio photo of a Korvettenkapitän, signed "Hannsel (pet name for Johannes / Hans) Helgoland 1941/1942". At first sight his picture could be mistaken for another Army officer, but the buttons show anchors and the breast and cap eagles are gold, as are the Navy style laurels surrounding the cockarde at the front of his cap. The chin strap of silver as are the officer's style collarpatches. On the major style shoulder boards the flaming granade in yellow metal.

The photographer had his shop in Nordseebad Borkum. I wonder if he can be identified.

On 05/05/2021 at 16:43, nesredep said:

Hello,

 

Z.7 ZESTØRER HERMANN SCHOEMANN

 

 

 

Best,Morten.

 

Lovely picture. 20 mm Flak (AA-Quick Fire gun) this was the basic light artillery for all the Wehrmacht, Army, Air-Force and Navy. On the ships these were all over the decks. All the ship's complement were assigned to defening the ship, cooks, writers, stores accountants, administrative crews and other supporting personnel in the ship had to carry out duties in defending the ship. Thus, many ship mates had to follow courses and advanced training in managing A.A. guns (signified by Sonderabzeichen), but the main Artillery was left to the specialists, as were torpedoes, asdic, radar, engines management and other operational branches. War ships did not carry passengers, only complement - men with a military duty.

On parade and on leave the Soldiers of the Marine-Artillerie-Abteilungen and Schiffsstammabteitungen had to wear their blue uniforms, for duty in barracks and as field dress they had the grey-green uniform. So their lockers were filled with both grey-gree nand blue clothing. 

A post 1939 "Hemden-Mützen" or "Budenzauber" picture, appearently in private quarters, of Kriegsmarine room mates mixing both items of clothing in a play for camera (these are snap shots to be found in any private photo album.)

Not many motorcycles in the Kriegsmarine, but here is a BMW R35 (350 cc) with men of the Schifsstammabteilung der Nordsee.

Very nice Morten, I particularly like to see the Sonderausbildungsabzeichen with the rope border, indicating 1. Stufe (1st class) Waffenleitvormann

Beautiful image! I've seen this artistic facial hair before, particularly popular in the Imperial Navy, but also later with some hipster sailors in the Kriegsmarine like this cheerful chap (Verwaltungsmaat) in his tailored jacket.

Good show Larry! Crystal clear picture of a Technischer Beamter auf Kriegsdauer (a.K.) [for the duration of war], this category was to be distinguished by the silver cord border surrounding the branch badge on the lower sleeves.

What you say Larry, rare indeed, thanks for sharing!

A nice studio portrait of a KM Gefreiter, but... the photographer took this picture in Brest (France) in 1943 and the shoulder loops (Schiffsstammabteilung der Nordsee) became obsolete in September 1939.

Another example of old insignia being worn long after they were oficially expired.

Very, very nice Morten!

Beautiful photo Morten, excellent quality, is it originally a press photo?

Obviuosly it is not on taken on board of a U-Boot, in the mid-30s the Unterseebootschule in Kiel comprised the Schulverband (for U-Boot practice) with 6 older submarines as training boats: U1 , U2, U3, U4, U5, U6 (these are manifold pictured in postcards). To this flottilla was also attaced a surface ship for security and to collect the torpedoes. The photo was taken on board this support ship. In 1935 this was the old Torpedoboat "T158", later to be replaced by the old Minesweeper "M136". I think the latter is the stage for this picture.

A pleasant meeting/fare well scene with beer at the train station in the war years.

The WW1 veteran Hauptgefreiter (right) is wearing a new field grey uniform with the ribbons of the Iron Cross 2nd Class (1914) & Hindenburg Cross, and the seldom seen in wear Verwundeten-Abzeichen (Wound Badge) of the German Imperial Navy (instituted June 1918). Between them, a greenish Kleidersack/Sesack (kit bag), on top not a cel phone but a wooden label holding details of the owner.

The Gefreiter (left) is wearing a very short blue Überzieher (Jacket), when issued the lower seam would be at the length of the sleeve, but it was fashionable to shorten the lower seam (and alter the side pockets).

Nice one Morten. I. Torpedobootsflottille, stationed in Swinnenmünde, with 4 old black boats (built 1911/12). Here is a picture of "G8", the other three were "G7", "G10" and "G11".

Well, if it is the Engine branch, it is rare and (to my idea) unpresidented as the obvious reference books do not mention it. The only thing that springs to mind with me is possibly a Fähnrich of the Engine branch. Intreagueing!

7 hours ago, LarryT said:

NCO Engine Personnel.

Nice one Larry, are you sure about Engine, or is it a Kraftfahr unit?

Yes, my mistake, it's the Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie

21 minutes ago, nesredep said:

Hello Odulf,

 

Interesting photo and information.Here is a same photo from my collection!

 

Best,Morten.

That's an interesting little photo Morten, a WW1 veteran, in the Navy uniform, with an Infantry Assault Badge. Not very common, and it makes me wonder what story is behind this picture. And also without device on the shoulder loops. 

Studio portrait of a Obermaat (Petty Officer) wearing shoulder straps without a device. The picture was taken by a photo studio in the city of Utrecht (Netherlands), later in the war when the German Naval HQ had been transfered from Scheveningen (a fishing port near The Hague) further inland. He was almost certainly in the Staff of the Commanding Admiral of the Kriegsmarine in the Netherlands. His decorations indicate that he was on active war service before being transferred to staff duties.

Many insignia of the Reichsmarine (1920-1935) were continued to be worn in the Kriegsmarine (1935-1945), so it is not always easy to distinguish exactly the period for certain badges and patches. To me collecting photos of uniformed men and women is like collecting pieces of a puzzle, with the objective to complete the story of development of uniforms and insignia.

One of these pieces I received recently, this studio portrait dated 4 March 1929. We see a Torpedo-Obermaschinistenanwarter / Torpedo-Oberheizern (Leading Torpedo-Maschinist) wearing the branch badge of a Maschinist/Heizer (a cog wheel) above the chevron indicating his rate, and below the specialty badge of Torpedo-Mechaniker.

In the Kaiserliche Marine (Inperial Navy) the Torpedo branch was a separate branch, as Engineers, Paymasters, etc. The lower ranks were to be recognized by a red piping round the upper rim of the cap. Arming, repairing and firing torpedoes was a specialist job, because the torpedoes were electrical, so torpedo-mechanics also received  electro-technical training.

Later in time (before 1938), the Torpedo-Mechaniker was no longer considered a skill, but a special branch in the Navy. The former specialty badge (with the cog wheel and vertical torpedo) became the branch badge (the cog wheel with horizontal torpedo), as shown in the second photo dating post 1939.

But this first photo (and detail) shows that in 1929 the Torpedo-Mechaniker specialty badge was still used.

And the hits just keep on coming - very nice pics Larry!

7 hours ago, nesredep said:

Hi Larry,
Your new beautiful and rare pictures are an important addition to this good thread. Am a little surprised with little comments on the thread as so many people stop by and see. These days the Forums are better than Facebook which limits the posting with many things they can not stand this I understand but one must be able to show whole items.
 

Best,Morten.

Interesting observation Morten, but do we do this chasing comments or because we want to share our collections? We've kept it going, 24 pages of wonderful information, and that's a fact.

Good catch Morten, interesting picture of an Obergefreiter with 6+ years seniority. He has removed the circular spring from the crown of his hat (late 1930s)

On 31/10/2020 at 18:12, Luftsport said:

Coastal Artillery but blank black shoulderboards? I assume its the lowest rank?

I would assume not black, but green. I have no explanation why the SB would be blanc (perhaps turned upside down, as was done in 1939). Any how, an interesting picture! There are many things we don't know.