Heer question - shoulder board

[Stijn David]

Hello,

I will receive the following shoulderboard (Infanterie - Oberfeldwebel) within the next few days from the weaers family togheter with a few other bits and bobs.

What is the meaning however from the red cloth piece between the 2 rankinsignia?

This shoulderboard did belong towards a former Oberfeldwebel that did belong towards the Gren.Regt. 407 and who survived the Kurland battle, etc ...

Looking forward towards your opinions.

Cordial greetings,

[Guest Rick Research]

I have heard that these were supposed to indicate the battalion within a regiment, but have no idea why that should have been necessary or desirable.

[Stijn David]

Hello,

Thank you Rick for your information, anyone elso who can say something about this?

I have seen a colourtable from shoulderboards where there was one drawn withs such a red insignia, there it does say that it depicts regiments. However that i do not believe. In the case of the red one it says => nr. 13.

This person was from sept. 1943 towatds the end of the war active in the 13./G.R.407

So as far as i do see it now, i beliebe 13. Kompanie was tracable through this red stripe, any other comments?

Cordial greetings,

[Wood]

I have read an article on these somewhere, (My memory!!!) and sort of agreee with Rick. I believe that they were used to distiguish various companies/parties in an attack so that they would know who they were supposed to be with, or something like that. Different coloured tapes or cords were used in various places on the shoulderboard, sometimes two different colours at once.

Regards,

Pete