R.A.D. RAD combat vet Unidentified badges + prosthetic arm?

[Jock Auld]

Guys,

These are from today and I am struggling with the badges, Inf sturm probably a woulnd badge in silver, what are the 2 below them?

Any ideas?

also his left arm looks a bit limp is it a prosthetic perhaps?

Cheers

Jock:)

Edited August 4, 2013 by Jock Auld

[Guest Rick Research]

That appears to be an NSDAP members pin closest to his belt buckle--an unusual place to put one. Too tiny scans to tell on the other.

From the way he's positioned in the group shot, I'd say you're absolutely right about his left arm-- a silver Wound Badge would have been granted for such an injury.

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Jock.

At first glance I am tempted to call the other a Hitler Youth Pin.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Jock Auld]

Thanks Guys,

Here is a reshow, I have had a pop with the usb microscope, bit better?

Thats the best I can manage sorry.

Jock:)

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Jock.

At first glance I am tempted to call the other a Hitler Youth Pin.

Bernhard H. Holst

Jock:

in your latest images the shape of the pin does not seem to be like a Hitler Youth pin but the upper portion appears wider than the lower section.

B.H.H.

[Paul R]

Great photos. I wonder what his specialty is for the RAD? Construction forman? Many disabled veterans went into organisations like SHD, LSW, RAD, as well as becoming beamte to their parent service. I like seeing these photos.

[Jock Auld]

Jock:

in your latest images the shape of the pin does not seem to be like a Hitler Youth pin but the upper portion appears wider than the lower section.

B.H.H.

B.H.H,

Yes it is more of a shield shape, quite odd, not a tinnie I would have thought, perhaps something foriegn, who knows?

Thanks

Jock:)

[Jock Auld]

Great photos. I wonder what his specialty is for the RAD? Construction forman? Many disabled veterans went into organisations like SHD, LSW, RAD, as well as becoming beamte to their parent service. I like seeing these photos.

Paul,

Sadly we will never know but I am sure he would have had a lot of transferable skills for instruction?

Anything from recrute training to defense construction, map reading etc, I suppose. The lads around him look young and is that a bed they appear to be standing around?

Maybe he was giving them a hard time and had them move their bed outside as a punishment, that happened to my entire room in basic training, we were 'grotty fookers' so the staff said so we had to move the entire room onto the Regimental parade Square, I look back and laugh but it was a pain at the time!

Jock:)

[Odulf]

It is remarkable that he does not wear a sleeve shield on the left upper arm, also puzzling is the stripe in the outer seam of the breeches/trousers.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Odulf

[Jock Auld]

It is remarkable that he does not wear a sleeve shield on the left upper arm, also puzzling is the stripe in the outer seam of the breeches/trousers.

Do you know I didn't even think about that.

Perhaps as a veteran that possibly left bits of himself on a foriegn field he was granted some liciense with uniform code?

He may also have been a bit resentful of having to leave his former combat unit and only did the minimum to comply with the 'remfs', pure speculation on my part?

Are you sure there is a stripe could that just be my crap photography or where the trouser is finished?

Jock:)

[Guest Rick Research]

The mystery tiny badge is a membership pin--I've never seen being worn on a uniform--of the NSKOV-- basically the Nazi Disabled Veterans Care Association. That bolsters the prosthetic arm theory.

[Guest Rick Research]

No sleeve shields were worn in the field-- here is a group shot from 1940.

No R.A.D. unit shields, and only a few wearing "Deutsche Wehrmacht" armbands instead of those lovely big red Shoot Me I'M A nazi armbands!

[Odulf]

He may have been an NCO in the RAD, and drafted as a soldier earlier in the war. That happned to thousands of RAD men. For instance, all the Knights Crosses worn by RAD men, were won when serving with the Armed Forces and not whilst performing RAD duties. RAD men who were wounded or decorated RAD in combat were celebrated and cherished by the RAD, as example of the true spirit.

That makes the wearing of the party badge on his RAD tunic, in combination with war decorations, some what odd, as it was only a membership badge, not a (Party) decoration (like the Gold NSDAP badge). Young and unexperienced soldiers would wear their HJ or Party badges on the uniform, but later in the war, and after badges for combat action had been gained, these insignia disapeared fron the chest of the soldier's tunic, as they were not much appreciated in the combat zone.

Obviously he is giving instructions at "Bettenbau" to newly drafted RAD men; hardly instructions one would expect from an expierienced front soldier. This all makes it an intreaguing photo. I cannot say if the stripe on the trousers seam is a fluke of photography. However, the RAD were pretty strict with their dress regulations, so I do not expect that any old soldier would have met much sympathy for creating his own fashion.

[Odulf]

No sleeve shields were worn in the field-- here is a group shot from 1940.

RAD 1940 platoon BnW.jpg

No R.A.D. unit shields, and only a few wearing "Deutsche Wehrmacht" armbands instead of those lovely big red Shoot Me I'M A nazi armbands!

Arm shields were worn with and without the Deutsche Wehrmacht armband in 1939 and 1940, but this guy is wearing the Hakenkreuz armband without a shield badge...

Between 1938 and 1941, on the Westwall and in Poland, RAD units were added to the Wehrmacht as axilliary pioneers, thus replacing their red armband by a yellow armband.

Enclosed some pictures of RAD men with and without the Shield Badge, for reference.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Odulf

[Jock Auld]

I have been staring at it and sqinting 'like a Japanese sniper', is the party badge a party badge as the white portion looks larger than those I have, if it were not might it explain the odd position of his awards?

Jock:)