SS uniform

[Tony]

Hello all,

I have a pic here showing a sniper in the SS (sorry, I'm not allowed to show his head on the internet) and would like to hear your comments on his uniform.

I have been told all sorts from "a little boy dressing up in a make believe uniform," "the photo is a modern fake" and more.

What are your opinions on this possibly non textbook uniformed soldier?

Tony

[Laurence Strong]

3 things I noticed are, the arm eagle does not appear to be a SS style eagle, the cuff band seems centered to the front, where as I believe it should be centered to the side, and the collar tabs seem to be mounted not flush to the collar if you follow my meaning.

[Tony]

You seem to know your stuff Laurence (I wouldn't have spotted that) and that is also the reason for a lot of collectors dismissing this picture as a copy although it is 100% original.

The best explanation I have been told is that the tunic and insignia were put together in a hurry for the photograph.

Has anyone seen anything like this in the past?

Tony

[Dave B]

Oh-oh Tony mate,not this again

Btw,can you have a look at his belt buckle with a loupe,is it HJ,Heer?

Dave

Edited April 14, 2005 by Dave B

[Laurence Strong]

No I have not seen photo's like this in the past, and thanks for the compliment. :food-smiley-004:. And the belt buckle to me, is to blury to see anything. It could be that with the HJ award, and not being able to see the whole face, thus getting some estimate of the age, maybe it was a young guy, just transfered from the HJ to the SS and had Mom throw the badges on the uniform real quick for a photo. I can remember days like that when I was younger, you could not wait to "Dress up", and being a member of the SS would be a thing of pride back in those days. Although I can't fiqure out how he would have rank, enen if it's only SS-Strumann, maybe he could transfer experience from the HJ.

Actually after further reflection, with the wound badge. he might have transfered from the Heer, which might account for the eagle on the arm, and would also explain the rank.

Edited April 14, 2005 by Laurence Strong

[Tony]

Dave, I can't spot the difference between a HJ buckle and a SS buckle. You know I don't walk on the dark side.

Laurence, he is not yet 18 in the photo and it may have been taken after May 8th as his wound certificate is dated May 24th.

I don't know about the rank, he didn't have any Heer experience but I know he had manned a flak gun at the age of 14 which I believe was normal for the HJ.

Tony

[Tony]

Could sniper school have given him some rank? What is a Sturmmann?

Tony

[Laurence Strong]

Strumann = Lance Corporal, It's possible that the school would have given rank, but the wound badge would have indicated active service, my guess thats were the rank came from.

[Tony]

Strumann = Lance Corporal, It's possible that the school would have given rank, but the wound badge would have indicated active service, my guess thats were the rank came from.

←

He served on the front from the end of March till the beginning of May 1945. I know he was fighting in S. Germany but somehow ended up being in a British hospital for prisoners till his release in 1947.

Tony

["G."]

the SS runes look to be oversize, maybe cut outs and just pasted on for photo??

Why are you calling him a 'SS sniper' ? Do you have a soldbuch or anything else for the young man? , G.

[Tony]

Hello G,

Yes I have both his book and ID tag.

Tony

[John]

Hi all.

I know very little about this subject, and having just read through your posts, I was wondering, if you have the rest of his documentation, is there any reason to doubt the originality or the photo?

Furthermore, I have served in the past, and have seen lots of blokes throw together kit for a photo or an unexpected occasion, often making them 'incorrectly dressed'.

I must admit, through human nature alone, I'm inclined to agree with Mr Strong.

John

[Tony]

Hello John,

I started the thread because I've been told by so many people that the picture isn't original and wanted to show that not every soldier dressed according to regs. As you say, kit can be thrown together for an unexpected occasion.

This picture is 100% original, was probably taken just after the war ended and someone taking photos must have been an unexpected occasion. He is wearing an officer's tunic (?) with cufftitle loosely attached, the eagle is wrong as is the SS collar patch. His kit is more than likely thrown together from whatever they could get at the time.

He did serve in the Wiking division but only for a very short time.

Tony

["G."]

well , if he still had his first original ID tag it would be from his training/replacement unit. If a replacement tag it could be an SS tag. His soldbuch would show all the info . Is there a award of the sniper badge? or was he just a marksman?..How about some photos of buch and tag?! thanks , G.

:food-smiley-004:

[Dave B]

As I said to you earlier on the phone Tony,that wound badge sures looks like an Imperial one....do you think he borrowed it?

Dave

[Tony]

He probably did Dave. I have the citation but not the badge.

Here's the tag and a page from the book.

Tony

[Eric K.]

I've seen this in hand and I would bet my paycheck that the disk and the pics are 1000% original

Eric

[Tony]

How's it going Eric?

Yes that's the one you had a look at a while back and there really is not doubt that everything is original.

Looking at that disc you could make one yourself with as many different sized punches as you can find and say but look, that one is original so .......

Tony