Uncategorised Afrikakorps mystery

[Andrew Harris]

Hello, guys.

Could you help me to understand who we have here?

Shoulder boards:

Buttons:

Reverse:

"Mal im Tropendress! Dein Freund Heinz. Dez. 1942"

I can't identify:

- tunic
- shoulder boards
- buttons

Identified only helmet: http://afrikakorps.forumcrea.com/viewtopic.php?id=15 (posts #7-10). Also notice the photo in the post #10 - there are no any insignia on them too!

Rostyslav.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Is that French?

[Paul R]

It does not look German to me.

[Odulf]

Probably a German Merchant Navy telegraphist

[Odulf]

I have just had it verified, the buttons are of the Telefunken Company; this organisation trained and seconded communications officers (telegraphists and wireless) o/b merchant ships.

[Andrew Harris]

I have just had it verified, the buttons are of the Telefunken Company; this organisation trained and seconded communications officers (telegraphists and wireless) o/b merchant ships.

Wow! Thank you very much!

Could you also provide me with link about these buttons/tunic/shoulder boards?

Rostyslav.

[Odulf]

I'm sorry Rostyslav, there is little to none information about these uniforms. I had it verified through two collectors of brass buttons, who recognised the Telefunken buttons and thus confirmed my educated guess.

When wireless communications were introduced, the companies who produced these new and very complicated contraptions, also trained the operators. They were placed on board large ocean going ships as communications officers, but with a special status. Usually they wore some sort of simple uniform, to distinguish them as part of the ship's complement, but they had no other status than their responsibility for the "wireless hut".

Perhaps information can be had from the Telefunken Archives in Germany.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Odulf

[Andrew Harris]

Once more thank you, Odulf!

Greetings, Rostyslav.

[Laurence Strong]

Very interesting. Thanks for finding that out Edgar

Larry

[peter monahan]

I believe that Marconi Radio did the same for the British Merchant Marine. My late father-in-law, a Canadian, was hired in London by Marconi but served aboard a tramp steamer, the SS Pensilva. He wore a Merchant Marine uniform with RO badges. In fact, it was the only thing he owned as he abandoned ship after sending an "S S S" [submarine attack!] signal as the Pensilva went down, half a day out of England in September 1939!

[Laurence Strong]

Hello Peter

I found this for you...

".....It was part of a 32 ship Convoy HG-7 travelling from Durban in South Africa to Dunkirk with a cargo of maize. On the 19th November 1939 the ship was intercepted and sunk by U-49 north west of Cape Oretegal, Northwest Spain and sunk at 12:19pm in position 46'51N 11'36W without loss of life. The Captain and crew were rescued by the Destroyer HMS Echo and transferred to the Destroyer HMS Wanderer before being landed at Plymouth....."

http://www.pensilvahistorygroup.org/places/16-s-s-pensilva

Larry