Heer Panzer ‘Oddities’

Enlisted, Off-White Panzer-Training Wrap:

This typical training uniform in the off-white (non-dyed) was used in Germany by the Reichswehr as their work and drill suit, they were quite basic in appearance, with no insignia on them, it was a 2-pocket infantryman’s style jacket for all branches of basic training. They flowed over to Panzer Training from there, but the Panzer-Wrap cut pattern has not been widely photographed and is believed to have been used by some of those assigned to the school, for use in the vehicle teaching and training of tank crewmen.

This represents the typical, basic training wrap if they were issued items to Tank Trainees. They may have used specialty groups in conjunction with tank-factory assigned personnel, and more and more pictures are showing up, as a training/work uniform, they did not have insignia, if any it was the slip-on shoulder boards.

It may be the uniforms were obtained when a soldier graduated to particular vehicles or tank assignment, like from Panzer IV at the training school. Some may have been later dyed “Reed-Green” for field use, but by the middle of the War they were being produced in the green dyed material, as a lightweight summer uniform by 1943.

NCO’s, Off-White Drill Wrap:

Another example, this one is a bit more elaborate, with extra buttons, and a large pocket on the front. This time the work wrap is that of an NCO, and a bit more dolled up. possibly a teacher or assigned to a tank factory to familiarize tankers with their new vehicles or test the vehicles before sending them off to the front.

The White Cotton and HBY uniforms were a natural color, and the less bleached ones an off-white. This one has the common “Pocket” on the front, large and hand for a notebook or gloves and the like, many had them later added. Some of these jackets did see front-line use in the summers, and/or over the black wrap in winter.

Unterfeldwebel, Begleitkompanie 16. Pz. :

Little is known about this uniform, yet it is shown in period photographs, as well as similar uniforms. The bone-white HBT uniform was long used as a ‘Work Uniform’ in the German Army. In WWII the need for a summer / lightweight uniform was a need arose in the Mediterranean and Eastern Front, this same cloth was used, and the material was dyed green, and using the work uniform cut, special wrap cuts went into production. Sometimes the work uniforms and wraps were dyed in the field, all became known as the ‘Reed-Green’ summer uniform and seems to be very in a very blue-green, and pine green to various shades of added and more medium greens even Mouse gray, and black that washed out seem to have existed.

The HBT panzer uniform went through a second pattern revision, with added a large pocket on the front of the wrap, and the trouser leg, for holding maps and paperwork. Since this was a mid-war modification it is truly odd to see this uniform in white which makes it stand apart from others. It was odd to have insignia on these uniforms too, but this one has it, using standard black backer-panzer insignia piped in the rose color for ‘Panzer Waffenfarbe’ applied. It is not meant as a winter uniform (though could have been worn as an over-garment to some) so we figure it was to make the NCO stand out, like a panzer school instructor, NCO training, or specialty training, but it would have been hard to keep it white in a WWII tank, keeping from getting soiled would be a challenge in itself.

The boards show his affiliation with the Begleitkompanie, of the 16 Panzer Division. He has been in combat and won the Iron Cross, he was in the Czech Occupation, as there is the ribbon for that too. He’s a veteran too having the Tankers version of the Assault Badge, and Black Wound Badge.

He wears a standard M-43 Panzer Cap but matching white trousers with zippered pockets in the photo, a gray shirt, and black shoes.

“NEW” Soldat, 115. Panzer Bataillon, Panzergrenadier Division 15:

In Sicily, Juli 1943, the new 15. Panzergrenadier Division was formed from units already on the island. These troops were divided among the divisions three Panzergrenadier Regiments. Along with these regiments, 60 tanks of the Panzer Division 15, previously intended for north Afrika, were added and designated as 115. Panzer Batailion.

The allied invasion, Operation Husky, pushed the German forces east across Sicily. Failing to secure the line against the US 1st Infantry Division at Troina on Highway 120, the division continued a fighting retreat. Along with most of the German forces and their equipment, it evacuated from the port of Messina to the Italian mainland.

The Soldat wears the Tropenanzug für das Deutsche Heer or tropical Army uniform fitted with continental-style Panzer insignia. His uniform was issued before deployment south and the application of the traditional Panzer-style Litzen has been done at unit level. Privates don’t such modifications on their own.

If his Bluse had the Afrikakorps Ärmelstreifen previously sewn in place, it was removed following the assignment to Panzergrenadier Divison 15. A 115. Pzr.IV and crew. This Offizier waits while the Kubelwagen’s driver replaces a tire on Highway 120. Vehicles were loaded on a barge for the evacuation across the Straits of Messina to the mainland.

Leutnant 1. Panzer Regiment 1. Panzer-Division Greece 1943:

1. Panzer Division was formed on 15 October 1935 and was headquartered in Weimar as one of three tank divisions created at the time following Germany’s renunciation of the Treaty of Versailles earlier in the year. The treaty forbids the development of tank forces which Germany had circumvented by secretly developing tanks and operating a covert Panzerschule in the Soviet Union.

In 1938 the division participated in the Anschluss of Austria and the Occupation of the Sudetenland. 1939 brought an action in the occupation of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland. In May 1940 the division was part of the invasion of Luxemburg and Belgium and the Battle of France.

Following the French surrender, the division garrisoned there until September of 1940 when it moved to East Prussia where the cadre was dispersed from the core of 16. u. 18. Panzer Divisions. Crossing the German-Lithuanian frontier as part of Army Group Nord the division was involved in heavy fighting during Operation Barbarossa. By mid-August, had only 44 of its original 155 tanks. It continued to advance towards Leningrad until early October when it was transferred to Army Group Center to take part in the advance on Moscow.

The division advanced within 20 miles of Moscow before being forced to retreat during the Soviet counterattack. The division was part of the defense of the Rzhev Salient during early 1942, initially being very short on tanks and fighting predominantly as infantry until being resupplied during Spring. Engaged in the defense of the 9. Army supply lines in the center of the Ost Front the 1. Panzer suffered heavy casualties from Soviet attacks in the winter of 1942-43.

Transferred to France for rest and refit in January 1943 the division spent a month before being mobilized and sent to Greece as part of reinforcements to oppose anticipated Allied landings. With the landings coming in Sicily, not Greece, the division took part in the disarming of Italian forces after their defection from the Axis in September 1943.

The division was brought up to strength and upgraded with Panther and Tiger tanks returning to the Ost Front in the late fall of 1943. The standard uniform in Greece was the Tropical Bluse worn with continental insignia in a photo from 1. Panzer Regiment’s deployment in Greece. After the disarmament of the Italian forces, their duty was enjoyable.

This uniform depicts one of these rare tropical uniforms in use with the 1st Panzer Group in Greece. The addition of standard continental insignia to the uniform became the norm as clearly shown by the period photos. The Leutnant has added officer quality buttons making use of the S-clip retainers standard to this style Bluse. The Leutnant is serving in Greece with the 1 Panzer Division.

The “1” on the rose-piped shoulder insignia indicated his regimental affiliation. His awards indicate service in Russia, with the Leutnant perhaps having rejoined his unit after attending Junckerschule following promotion from the ranks of seasoned NCOs. He has also earned the Eisneres Kreuz II. Klasse and Panzerkampf-abzeichen in Silber.

This Bluse possibly saw service in the following summer in Russia or perhaps was shipped home or left behind as summer turned to fall in Greece. The Bluse was worn with matching tropical trousers and boots, some have mixed Panzer uniform items, as shown in the photos with an issue light shirt and black tie, with a Feldmütz für Offizier. While onboard his Panzer he wears the standard double-prong buckle belt with a side arm, perhaps a map case.

Deutschekreuz Winner Heer, and likely a Panzer Ace:

This is a rather particular panzer jacket, if you look closely, it’s all custom.

Sometimes a Hero has no name, or the distinguished names are lost to time, That seems to be the case of this Panzer Hauptmann. Decorated with the **German Cross in Gold, *Panzer Assault Badge for 75 Battles, Two Tank Destruction Badges, the Iron Cross 1st Class, (2nd class not used here), and the Wound Badge in Silver this young officer is the epitome of the German Combat Officer of the War.

In the photograph (probably a Battalion or Regimental photograph) he is seen in a posed but informational group setting (probably taken at a time of Rest and Recovery) before they would return to combat.

We of course can speculate, but it is clear that he has the positional power to create and wear a modified combat uniform. A standard Panzer-Wrap has been seriously modified, into a far more practical and functional zip-up jacket. He has the typical shirt and tie, underneath it. A large amount of the front has been just removed, to provide the two from panels that now zip together. Out of the saved material, he has applied two zipped closed patch pockets. Adding rose piping to the collar indicates more custom work, that reflects on the earlier uniform look. This is one rare jacket.

Note: The Combat Assault Badge with 75 on it, dates back to 1943, so we can date the jacket to some time after that. So we can speculate, that this officer likely wore the practical M43 cap, in one of its forms. Not seeing his trousers in the picture, being a sharp dresser I guess the panzer-black ones would be in line, tucked into panzer ‘Shor’ Boots. No belt is visible either and appears to be a pretty ‘lean’ soldier.

* The German Cross in Gold was awarded for Combat Service, recognized for actions above the Iron Cross I, but less than the Knights Cross.

*Did he survive the war? Did he earn the Knights Cross by the war’s end? I have found no more information. In time more will possibly come up, until then this is a good representation of what was sometimes done to the uniforms if allowed to.

*Also, I thought I had identified this uniform’s wearer, but maybe not, I am still not positive. I have found in the Book “The Panzer Soldiers” a Nerar identical zip-front jacket, worn by Oberfeldwebel Herbert Eisner, from Panzer Regiment 23. he too has the German Cross in Gold!

*And on the uniform wore the Prag Ribbon and a short bar, above the Hitler Youth diamond-pin, and the Iron Cross 1st class and that’s it!, but rather the two zip-breast-pockets, he had two slash pockets near the belt line and different ranking shoulder boards, he wore a black M43 style cap with a metal eagle on it, He may have been an officer candidate though the book by Wade Krawczyk says that’s not the case and implies maybe a unit identification band, he is seen in an early model of the Panther Mk V Tank (Panzer). So make of that what you will, he may have just had the same idea to make one of his panzer wraps like this.

*This man has been identified, but I misplaced the information.

Note: I have no idea who has the copyright on the photo, it is off the internet, to find a similar uniform is all, and I give all credit to the copywriter. as with all the old pictures taken off of the internet searches.

Oberleutnant, 22./ Panzer. Regiment. July 1944, custom jacket from Fallschirmjäger smock:

The Panzer Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division, the 22nd had ceased to exist following the battle of the Kasserine Pass in Africa It was Reconstituted in France in June 1943, where it remained for rehabilitation and garrison duty until the Allied landings in Normandy and was the only Panzer division to engage the invasion on 6 June From the Ashes The division was formed from the elements of the newly created Schnelle Division West, a concept for a highly mobile type of formation that was intended to be able to cover a great deal of territory to reach any point of invasion.

German industry could not provide the vehicles for the unit, Schnelle Brigade West. Largely fitted out with captured French half-tracks and light tanks that had been armored and up-gunned by a mechanical engineer by the name of Alfred Becker. Working at a conversion facility, Baukommando Becker, near Paris Becker provided the unit with most of its transport and all of its assault guns.

On June 17, 1943, Schnelle Brigade West was upgraded to Schnelle Division West, and on June 27, 1943, was assigned the name 21st Panzer Division. Major Becker was assigned the command of the division's anti-tank battalion, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 200. The division was under the command of Rommel, who was responsible for German forces on the center Western Front.

Invasion! Rommel had been away from the front during the first days of the invasion on leave to visit his family; he re-assumed command on 9 June. The division was grouped with two SS units under the command of SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich which were to push northwest to retake Bayeux but this plan was abandoned when the divisional staff was killed in a bombing raid. The division continued to fight as part of the front throughout June and July.

Between 6 June and 8 July, the 21st Panzer reported the loss of 54 Panzer IVs, with 17 Panzer Vs The last major action the 21st Panzer took part in during Operation Bluecoat holding against the attack of the Guards Armored Division on August 1st. What remained of the division was mostly destroyed in the Falaise Pocket, a small part managed to escape across the Seine River at Rouen and merged with the 16th Luftwaffe Feld Division.

The 21st Panzer was not committed to offensive actions in Operation Wacht am Rhein, assigned to provide cover to the flank of the attack. On 29 December, 21st Panzer reported the following strength: 72 PzKpfw IVs, 38 PzKpfw Vs, and 8 Flakpanzer IVs. Sent to the Ost Front in late January the division surrendered to the Red Army on 29 April 1945. The Oberleutnant is perhaps following a division directive to make use of camouflage garments. As a combat leader, he may find himself outside his command Panzer subject to enemy observation and fire.

In France recovering from destruction in Africa the Panzer Regiment officers may well have obtained Fallschirmjäger jump smocks and had local tailors make them into shortened over jackets. He has applied standard Panzer insignia to the collar and shoulders of the jacket along with an officer-quality BEVO national eagle. Along with the over jacket, the Oberleutnant will probably wear his standard Panzer uniform with ankle boots.

Photos show that at this point of the war, headgear use was varied but he will probably make use of the Eineheitsfeldmütz für Offizier Model 43 or the classic, pre-war Feldmütz.

Heer Panzer Hauptmann, in Waffen-SS, 44 Dot pattern Camouflage Wrap:

Some casual-looking photos, some perhaps from a command group, show some diversity in this unit, and at this point in the war of this unit. I’m talking about “Heer” Wehrmacht troops in Waffen-SS issue uniform stock, only seen with SS Troops, while the Waffen-SS at the time wore Wehrmacht camouflage, and the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe used the same as the Heer.

A survey of the awards warn in the group-shot, indicates an experienced bunch. All of them are trained and combat-proven, this may have been at a place of rest and refit, before heading off to combat once again, it’s some kind of meeting.

Our focus is on the officer fourth from the left who is wearing a standard SS-panzer wrap known as the 44 Dot, This places the photo to probably the winter of 1944-45. The officer has added his Heer (Army) insignia from a standard Heer panzer uniform, like the officer to his left. He also appears to be wearing HBT-style trousers identifiable by the large pocket on his leg. Like most of the others, he wears matching-style boots.

Were these officers on the way to the Ardennes!? Did you have any service? Perhaps later more information will be added but for now, we see a unique modification of a uniform from one branch of the Wehrmacht used with another. It is quite possible they were working alongside a large group of SS Troops when they received new uniforms, and just grabbed them as needed because that’s all that was available.

Heer / Wehrmacht, Panzer Major in SS-Blurred-Edge Camouflage Conversion:

A young Heer Panzer major on leave near the war’s conclusion wears a Waffen-SS camouflage Panzer Jacket and trousers. Both pieces of the uniform are produced in the Normandie or Blurred Edge …or Leaf Pattern Camouflage pattern. This print was utilized in the production of a wide variety of standard SS garments. This being the case a well-placed Army officer could, if he wished, obtain a set from a Waffen-SS contact.

Army production of camouflage uniforms was restricted to the Zeltbahn, Stahlhelmbezuge Turnjacken, and Winterbeklleidung. This meant that Heer soldiers wanting camouflage uniforms had to have them tailored-made or utilize issued items from the SS and Luftwaffe.

It is easy to see how a young officer would be attracted to the SS-Panzer Uniform for its practical applications. What is more difficult is that he would be allowed to wear it anywhere except at home, on leave, or at the front, where such issues were minimal and ranked lower on the scales of importance.

Looking at the photographs, it was taken on a lake or river, perhaps by a waterside dock or troop barge. The uniform appears to be new, or, at least pressed.

The suede gloves and stripped Officers-Belt indicate he’s in a walking-out posture. Completing this uniform the officer wears marching boots, along with the issue shirt and tie.

Flexing easily at the visor we can see the cap is a “Feldmutz” fur Offizier or Crusher Cap that has had an Officer’s type chin-chord added to it. The Waffenfarben would be Rose, which would match his collar and shoulder insignia, which has been added along with the “Heer” Nation Eagle on the Right Breast (Where the SS has used Heer-Eagles but on the Left Sleeve).

This, by regulation, was forbidden, on camouflaged uniforms, until the “Special Sleeve Rank” using Green or Yellow sets of bar and Oak-Leaves, for these uniforms were introduced in the final year of the war, and used by the Heer and the Waffen-SS. But the practice at this point in the war was also being overlooked and just ignored.

There is just one decoration in the photo, the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse ribbon on his lapel. The lack of decorations for a Major at this point in the war is something of an oddity in itself. one has to wonder if there are over-hitch loops for the commonly worn by this point in one’s service, like the Eisirne Kreuz Klasse I, Panzerkampfabzeichen, and Deutsches Kreuz possibly, for at a later time?

The last picture shows how close the Wehrmacht often worked with the Waffen-SS. In this shot, an infantryman from the Grossdeutschland Division grabs a smoke with a Soldat from the Totenkopf.

Ritterkreuzträger Adelbert Schulz, Commander, 25 Panzer Regiment:

Generalmajor (Major-General) and division commander in the German Army during World War II. He was one of 27 people to be awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, and he was one of the youngest Generals.

He took part in the occupations of Austria and the Sudetenland. During the Western Campaign, and in 1940 was promoted to Captain. He participated in the invasion of Belgium and attacks on French and British positions and he assisted in the breakthrough to Cherbourg, serving under General Rommel. On 29 September 1940, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.

As part of the Army Group Center, in Klin, Shulz attacked a Soviet force eight times larger than his own. Despite being outnumbered he covered the retreat of German troops and the evacuation of the field hospital, with more than 4000 wounded. For these actions, he was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 31 December 1941. On 6 August 1943, he received the Swords to the Knights Cross and, with that a promotion to Colonel.

The 7th Panzer Division subordinated to the 4th Panzer Army under the Command of Hermann Hoth started a counteroffensive against the recently evacuated city of Kharkov, on 11 March 1943. Albert Shultz, who had just recently before, been put in command of the Panzer-Regiment 25, led his Kampfgruppe in one of the most successful engagements of the “Gespensterdivision” (Ghost Division) - His soldiers destroyed more than 100 enemy tanks and artillery positions during the annihilation of the Red Army’s 3rd Tank Army.

On 14 December, Schulz received a radio message that he would receive the Diamonds to the Ritterkreuz, and was ordered to report to the Fuhrer’s headquarters. Schultz refused to go on the grounds that he was too busy fighting on the Eastern Front and had no time to receive it the matter at hand was too important. The Honor was eventually awarded to him on 9 January 1944, and he was promoted to Major General and made division commander in charge of Rommel’s former division.

Generalmajor Adelbert Schultz led tanks of the 7th Panzer Division in an attack against the enemy positions at Shepetivka on 28 January 1944. Standing in the opened hatch of his tank, Shultz was hit by artillery shrapnel in the head. Shultz succumbed to the injuries the same day even though he had been immediately evacuated to a field hospital. His death was announced on 30 January 1944 in the Wehrmacht.

In the photos, Schultz is shown prior to the massive battle at Kursk in 1943. He is wearing a Waffen-SS four-pocket camouflage tunic made of plane-tree over print fabric, with green blotches or spring colors on one side and autumn brown shades on the other.

The Heer-Colonels uniform shows shoulder insignia with the regimental number applied to them. The uniform has a “Heer” style National Eagle has been added. Shulz wears no other decorations other than the Knights Cross. e was a modest man apparently and was wise enough to not have a flashy uniform on the battlefield.

He wears standard Panzer trousers, with the “Officers” style Feldmutz wore, with the issue shirt, and boots, His other gear is probably in the command vehicle.