Heer Infantry, The Wehrmacht goes to War:
Starting out with the basic shirt and cap:
Note the M1915, had no real collar and was able and withe pin-strip look to it, the Reichswehr was similar I think with the M36 uniform stand and fall collars, which were uncomfortable with another collared shirt underneath it. This this showed up and most of the army wore them under their jackets, gray turned green, and later cheaper made. The shoulder boards were applied when the jacket was not being used, like in hot places, casual use, on the base, etc.
Senior Lance Corporal, 5th Infantry Regiment. Prewar (M36):
The WWII German Army Uniform had followed suit in rank and much of its structure from the Reichsheer (Reich Defence) aka ‘Reichswehr’ during the Weimar Republic (1921–1935). Their traditions went back to the Imperial Army, the old German Empire. The Reichsheer was renamed Wehrmacht ‘Heer’ in May 1935. The Army was slow, and traditions hard to change, so few changes had been made. But the Army grew from the limited peacetime defense force of some 100,000 men to several million soldiers, sailors, and now, airmen, in a major build-up of forces, The country thought it was good, but the government used it for more propaganda, lines were being drawn, Hitler’s power soon grew out of control, but the world chose to ignore it.
The following bunch of infantryman uniforms, in large are all the model M36, and one uniform really could have covered the lot, but, you see, it is a collection of shoulder boards that lead to the lot, and as numbers were only applied on prewar, and early war uniforms, and soon deemed impractical, and a security problem, and replaced first with the dark green, and then in uniform matching field gray. And has made for some interesting information.
The pictures are of the same period (Pre-War / Early War) and the last, a troop training in a gas mask, it shows the same style of “Reichswher” shoulder boards but different regimental numbers.
Enlisted Man from 2. Kompanie, Infanterie Regiment 9:
Infanterie-Regiment 9 of Potsdam descended from the famed 1st Prussian Regiment of Foot Guards of the German Empire's Deutsches Reichsheer. Garrisoned at the cradle of the Prussian army and rich with tradition, it was nicknamed Graf Neun or 'I.R. von 9' because of a high percentage of Prussian aristocrats and purported arrogance in its ranks. In the years 1933 to 1935, the regiment was responsible for the military training of the LSSAH. Following the re-establishment of the Wehrmacht, it fell under the command of the 23. Infanterie Division.
The regiment first saw action in Poland occupying the Danzig Corridor. In Oktober, it transferred to the western border of Germany in the area of Gemünd. From here it crossed the German-Luxembourg border on 10 Mai 1940 at the start of the Battle of France advancing to Bastogne, to the Meuse near Charleville, then fighting southward to the Swiss Border. In early September 1940, the regiment was transferred to East Prussia and remained there until the start of Operation Barbarossa. It fought as part of Armee Gruppe Mitte's fight against Vyazma in the assault on Moscow. Withdrawn from the Ost Front it was transferred to Charleroi, Belgium where it was reorganized into Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9.
Hauptmann, 17th Infantry Regiment, 31. Infantry Division:
The Wartime History of the Infantry Regiment 17 closely follows that of the 31st Infantry Division that was formed in October 1936. The division was composed of recruits from the regions of Brunswick and Braunschweig in north-central Germany. The 31. Infantry Division was engaged in action in Poland in September of 1939, fighting in the southern sector where it acquitted itself and had suffered few casualties. In May 1940, during the campaign of France, the 31. Inf. Div. was part of Heeresgruppe B. 6. Armee, XI. Armeekorps, where it was engaged in heavy fighting in Belgium, and France during the initial breakthrough period of the offensive, evidently made its way to the Loire demarcation line by the end of hostilities.
An exact from the original war diary, commending the engineer unit of the division mentions…. six Pioneer-Kompanien of Pioneer Abteilung 31 u. 45, plus a Kompanie from Pioneer-Abteilung 2, bridged the Loire near Ancenis on June 22-23. In 22 hours, using the equipment of 14 bridge columns, a 375-meter 16-ton bridge was erected…..
The 31. Infantrie-Division followed the 2. Panzergruppe as part of the XII Armeekorps in the central sector of operations in June 1941 Offensive against the Soviet Unions Forces. They incurred prolonged bitter fighting in the attempt to encircle Tula southwest of Moscow in late 1941, and they suffered heavy casualties. A report that indicates how bitter the fighting was in the sector of Suchinitzki from Kampfgruppe von Gilsa during the winter of 1941/42 relates-” at the beginning of January 1942, the fighting in the Yuchnow area went on with the greatest bitterness and with no-quarter. Panzerjager Abteilung 31, for example, defeated the village of Kostino as rear guard on January 21, 1942, at 2:55 pm the last radio report from it came in - the right side of its town lost, then nothing else was heard from them.
The 31. Infantry Division remained in a mostly defensive posture in the central sector of Heeresgruppe Mitte for most of 1942. As part of 9. Armee, XLVI. Panzerkorps, the Division next found itself engaged in the critical battles at the Kursk Salient taking part in bitter rear-guard skirmishes at the Middle-Dneiper. Subsequent fighting retreats west, barely at Kampfgruppe strength took place by October 1943.
The heavy losses to the 31. Infantry Division in the Fall of 1943 is indicated in a memo from Grenadier-Regiment 17, which included 28 major battles. During this period 35 of the regiment’s 70 officers fell in action, and the total strength of the unit sank from 1400 men to 70 men. A cadre of 31. Infantrie-Division veterans who had escaped destruction provided the basis for the formation of the 31. Grenadier-Division.
The officers-uniform depicted here, carries the traditional unit insignia, that, is seen on the Schirmmutz he wears with the Infantry / Grenadier-Regiment 17, Totenkopf of the Brunswick Infantry Regiment 92. This was granted to wear with 1. and 4. Companies and in 1939 was extended to the Regimental Staff, the I & II Battalions, along with the 13. and 14. Companies. This Officers’ decorations include the KK-I Badge, the Infantry Guilt/Combat Clasp, and Silver Infantry Assault Badge, and Silver-Wound Badge, and the German Cross in Gold. and on the ribbons bar, the EK-II War Merit Cross with Swords II Class, “1st-Russin Winter Medal”, and Long Service ribbon, also of note it the 2 Tank-Kill strips on the Right sleeve, indicating he took out two tanks by hand! The Colar and National insignia are first-class officer quality stuff, He could wear officer breeches or trousers with boots and an officer belt and holster completes the uniform. The Regiment had 3 Knight’s Cross winners including one from 1. Kp. Feldwebel Otto Chowanetz.
Obergefreiter, 10 Kompanie, Infanterie Regiment (motorized) 33:
Infanterie Regiment 33 formed in Oktober 1835 in Dessau, Werkreis XI, and became part of the 13th Infantry Division in 1936. Transformation into a motorized unit began in 1937, with both the Regiment and the Division receiving the “Motorized” classification. In September 1938 the regiment and the division took part in the Occupation of the Sudettenland which lasted up intel 1939. In September of 1939, they took part in the Invasion of Poland followed in Mai 1940 with the Battle of France.
The Obergefreiter or “Senior-Lance Corporal”, wears the Infantriesturmabzeichen, along with the Sudetenland Campaign.
gEFREITER, Infanterie Regiment (mot.) 35:
Infantrie-Regiment 35 was created in Tübingen, Wehrkreis V in October 1934 and made a part of 25 Infantrie Division in 1936. In November 1940 the Regiment was Motorozer and thus retitled, as Infantrie-Regiment (motorive) 35. They were held in reserve to protect the Western Front during the Polish Campaign in 1939, but then the regiment took part in the Battle of France, in 1940 and went into Russia in 1941, with Operation Barbarossa.
The Gefreiter wears the Infantriesturabzeichen in Bronze (for Motorized Infantry for 3 separate Assaults) as well as the ribbon for the Kriegsverdienstkerux mit Schweterm II. Klasse.
Unteroffizier, 6. Kompanie. / Infanterie Regiment 62:
Infanterie Regiment 62 was part of the 1935 expansion of the Reichswehr into the Heer in WehrekreisVII as part of the 10.Infanterie Division. The regiments 6 u. 8 Kompanies were used as test units for the new MG34 in light and heavy modes. The following year the regiment became part of 7. Infanterie Division and re-equipped with the new K98k service rifle and the MG34. Additionally, troops were issued the new Strumgepack combat equipment in place of the Tournister for combat operations.
In Marz 1938 the regiment took part in the Anschluss as well as the Oktober Occupation of the Sudetenland. The regiment fought in the Polish Campaign before returning to Mönchengladbach. In May 1940 the regiment attacked the Jaliana Canal to the Meuse River ending the campaign following 2,250 kilometers of combat marching. Stationed in the area of St. Omer, near Calais, the regiment remained in training for ’Operation Seelöwe until April 1941.
The Unteroffizier wears what appears to be a custom-made Feldbluse made of a slightly darker Feldgrau cloth. Schulterklappen with chain-stitched regimental numbers is sewn into the shoulder seams. For his actions in the Battle of France, he received the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse as well as the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber. While walking out he wears enlisted Schirmmütz with a black leather belt and enlisted buckle.
Unteroffizier, 5. Kompanie, II Bataillon, Infanterie Regiment 77, 26. Infanterie Division:
The 26. Infanterie-Division was part of the 1. Welle, or 1st Wave of the war mobilization of the Heer on 26 September 1939. The 26. Infanterie Division spent the early war years on the West Front, taking part in the Battle of France in May/June 1940 under the commands of the 16. u. 12. Armees. Transferred to the Soviet Frontier in June 1941 under Heeresgruppe Mitte the division participated in the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. After the Battle of Kursk in July 1943 the division was absorbed into the 174. Reserve-Division. The division was disbanded after casualties were sustained near Kowel on September 10, 1944; surviving troops were transferred to 253. Infanterie-Division. A new 26. Volksgrenadier Division was formed on 17 September 1944 in the Warthelager in west-central Poland), near Poznan by absorption of the 582. Volksgrenadier Division as well as remnants of the old 26. Infanterie Division. This new division spent the rest of the war on the Western Front under Heeresgruppe B until it entered U.S. captivity in the Harz in 1945.
The Unteroffizier’s Feldbluse Model 36 retains the sewn-in shoulder boards with the early style 77 chain stitch cipher. Unique is the retention of the early style tress on both the collar and boards of this Bluse in a post-Battle of France period. Worn as part of a walking-out uniform the Unteroffizer shows off the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse ribbon as well as his Infanterie Sturmabzeichen and Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz along with the ribbons for the Memellandes and Sudetenland occupations that he participated in before joining I.R. 77. With this uniform he wears an enlisted Schirmmütz.
Schütz 1. Kompanie, Infanterie Regiment 84, 8. Infanterie-Division:
8. Infanterie-Division was formed in Oppeln on 1 Oktober 1934 under the cover name Artillerieführer III which was used until 15 Oktober 1935. It was mobilized in August 1939 and partook in the Invasion of Poland, the Battle of France, and Operation Barbarossa the |invasion of the Soviet Union. On 1 Dezember 1941, it was reorganized and re-designated 8. leichten Infanterie-Division. It was again re-designated on 30 June 1942 as 8. Jäger Division.
On 10 Marz 1939, 1. Bataillon marched to the new German-Czech border and on 14 Marz together with units of the Leibstandarte “Adolf Hitler” occupied Moravian Ostrau in Czechoslovakia. On 17 Marz the Bataillon marched south and occupied the two rural cities Friedek and Mistek. The regiment was used to protect the Olca area. After a stay of about two months, the regiment marched back to its garrisons.
Upon editing, it looks like the shoulderboards on this uniform are slightly different. I don’t think I realized at first, but the 84s are slightly different, it look’s like to me! As I have mentioned, many of the uniforms were made, using real insignia like collar tabs and shoulder boards, sleeve ranks, etc. They really may be different, I believe most of my uniforms with numbered boards were real shoulder boards, and then, years in the making of that collection.
Gefreiter, 106th Infantry Regiment (M-36 Uniform):
Infanterie-Regiment 106 was part of the 15. Infanterie Division was formed in October 1934 in Würzburg. It was originally known as Wehrgauleitung Würzburg. Shortly after the unit was established it was given the cover name Artillerieführer V to circumvent the Versailles Treaty limits on the number of infantry units allowed in Germany. With the formal announcement of the creation of the Wehrmacht (which had covertly been in place for over a year) on 15 October 1935, the cover name Artillerieführer V was dropped and this unit became known as the 15.Infanterie-Division.
The French invasion of Germany-A is little known as the Western Front action The 15. Infanterie-Division did not take part in the Polish Campaign, during the operations it was situated along the Western Front in the Saar Region between Saarlautern and Saarbrucken. Although the Western Front was, for the most part, quiet while the bulk of the Wehrmacht took part in operations in Poland, the French did in fact launch a limited and initially somewhat successful offensive against the German frontier which managed to occupy about 200km of German soil and 50 German villages. This was the French Saar Offensive and it was launched on 7 September 1939.
The French attacked the lines of the German 1. Armee in an arc to the south of Saarbrucken, notably occupying the Warndt Salient, among other areas. When the French launched their attack German units pulled back to the Westwall in the North along the Saar River and the French quickly took the ground they gave up. Soon after the offensive was launched the French began to realize the futility of holding German territory in the region unless additional operations were launched. Poor French planning and a lack of French offensive spirit precluded a wider offensive so in less than a few weeks German units retook much of the ground they had lost initially. French operational losses were light, about 28 KIA. During these operations the 15. Infanterie-Division was involved directly, initially pulling back to the Saar River against the French advance and soon after moving forward again to reoccupy their lost ground.
When the Germans attacked France in May 1940, the 15. Infanterie-Division had moved from the 1. Armee sector to the 16. Armee sector, and was at the time in Armee-Reserve. As soon as the 16.Armee pushed into Luxemburg, the 15.Infanterie-Division began to move forward, and by the evening of 11 May had itself crossed completely through Luxemburg. On the 12th, the 15. Infanterie was at the front line in the region of Virton in Belgium and stayed in this region under the XIII. Armee-Korps until 25 May when it was pulled from the line and transferred to the 2. Armee sector, arriving in position along the Aisne River around 1 June, and 9 June attacked across the Aisne directly against the 45th French Infantry Division, where it was held until the French were gradually and then completely pushed back. It then moved over the Vesle River, the Marne River, and finally the Aube River in the region of Vinets. Arriving on 18 June along the Loire River, once again opposite the now crushed remains of the French defenders. The 15. Infanterie-Division ended the Campaign against France stationed in and around Nevers along the Loire River in central France.
Between July 1940 and July 1941, the 15. Infanterie-Division was located in the region of Dijon in France under the 12. Armee. In July of 1941, it was transferred to the Ost Front where the bulk of the Wehrmacht had already launched across the Soviet border and punched its way inland. The 15. Infanterie arrived at the front and came under the control of Heeresgruppe Mitte. There it advanced north of Minsk to the region of Mogilew where it entered combat against the Soviets. It then took part in the attack and defensive combat in the Jelna Bend at Tokarewo and between Ustrom and the Dnieper River. Shortly thereafter, it fought near Wjasma and then advanced to Nara and took part in defensive fighting near Tarutino and Iklinskoje and fighting on the Schanja where it later fought defensive combat in the region Wjasma between the start of 1942 and April of that year, when it was transferred back to France for rest and refitting. The division remained in France throughout the rest of 1942 in the region of Bordeaux on coastal defense operations between Loire and Girondemundung.
The 15. Infanterie-Division was once again transferred to the East in February 1943 and was committed to fighting west of the Donets as a component of the 4.Panzerarmee. It suffered heavy losses during the Battle of Dnepropetrovsk in the summer of 1943 and later participated in the grueling defensive battles of Southern Ukraine. In August 1944, the division was encircled west of the lower Dnestr, managing to break out, but only after suffering serious losses to its establishment. After a small time in reserve, it returned to the front at Kampfgruppe strength to help oppose the Soviet breakthrough into Hungary in October 1944. Battered, and only a burnt-out shell of its former strength, the division was surrounded in the large pocket east of Prague in May of 1945 where it surrendered to the Soviet Army.
The Gefreiter has been with the regiment through its first tour in Russia as noted by the campaign ribbon. A wounded veteran of the French and Russia Campaigns he has also been awarded the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber as well as the Kriegsverdiesnt Kreuz II. Klasse. Perhaps in his walking out uniform while on coastal duty in France, he wears a Heeres Dienstanzug Model 1936 with the regimental number embroidered into the Schulterklappen along with a Feldmütz with white Infantrerie Waffarben.
Unterfeldwebel Spieß, Infanterie Regiment 109, 35. Infanterie Division, Frankreich, 1941:
Raised in 1936 the 35. Infanterie Division first saw combat in the Battle of France and then remained on occupational duty there until June the next year, when it took part in Operation Barbarossa. The division remained on the central and southern sectors of the eastern front before being forced back to East Prussia in 1945.
The Infanterie-Regiment of 1939 was made up of 3 Infanterie-Bataillons each composed of 3 Schützen-Kompanie and 1 Machinegewehr-Kompanie. Additionally, there was an Infanterie-Geschütz (Artillery)-Kompanie, Panzerjäger-Kompanie as well as Regimental-Stabs (Headquarters). Each regiment had 85 Offizier, 494 Unteroffizere, 2,474 Soldaten and 7 Beamte. 641 horses pulled 196 wagons of various configurations. The division had 34 heavy and 25 light vehicles as well as 46 motorcycles.
Der Spieß Each Kompanie had an appointed Hauptfeldwebel. While any NCO could presumably hold this appointment, it generally went to a soldier holding the rank of Oberfeldwebel. Der Spieß's duties included administrative tasks necessary to run the company, including personnel and supply issues. The German soldier had a fondness for nicknames, and the Hauptfeldwebel acquired several. Informally, he was called Der Spieß (the Spear), in homage to the ancient practice of arming NCOs with edged weapons rather than firearms. Specifically, this related to a time when the senior NCO in a company was armed with an officer's style sword which for some reason was called a Spieß. The Hauptfeldwebel was also known, more informally, as die Mutter die Kompanie (Company Mother).
4. Kompanie Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125:
The Grenz-Infanterie-Regiment 125 was raised on 10 November 1938 in Saarbrücken, in military district XII. The regiment was organized with only two of the normal three Bataillon. The I. Bataillon was garrisoned in Trier and later to be relocated to Lebach. The II. Bataillon was garrisoned at Baumholder Trüppenurbungsplatz, a military training area, and then relocated to Merzig. The regimental mission was the defense of the St. Wendel section of the border with France. During mobilization, the regiment was brought to strength with the addition of the III. Bataillon was re-named Infanterie-Regiment 125. First seeing combat in France it was then transferred east to the Balkans and into Serbia at the end of September 1941. In Oktober 1942 it was redesignated Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 125 and was deployed to Afrika.
Oberschutz Infantry Regiment 132:
Infanterie Regiment 132 was formed in 1938, in Vienna, from soldiers of the Austrian army. This regiment saw actions under the command of the 44. Infanterie Division in Poland and the Battle of France. After a 9-month period of coastal defense the division was transferred East, and on 22 July 1941 the division invaded the Soviet Union as part of Army Group South fighting at Kiev, Belgorod, Kharkov and finally at Stalingrad where most of the 44. Infanterie Division was destroyed. In the summer of 1943 parts that survived Stalingrad formed the 44. Reichsgrenadier-Division Hoch und Deutschmeister. Formed in Belgium, it was sent to Northern Italy seeing action in November 1943 until January 1944 near Monte Casino. The last months of the war they where stationed in Austria to refit then joind with the 6. SS-Panzer Armee to attempt the recapture of Budapest.
The Oberschutz wears the Heeres Dienstanzug Model 1936 with his awarded Infanterie Sturmabzeichen from his actions in France along with his Kriegsverdienst Kreuz II. Klasse ribbon. When walking out he’ll wear issue Hosen with either shoes or Marchstiefel along with the Feldmütz M-38 and cartridge belt with buckle.
“New” Oberfeldwebel, 159 Infantry Regiment., 69 Infantry Division, Norway 1940-1942:
Initially formed as part of the Zweite Aufstellungswelle, or Second Wave of reserve division activation in August 1939, from the Münster-based 16. Artillerie Kommando, the unit spent the first months of the war in the Eifel region of northwest Germany. In April 1940, the division participated in the German invasion of Norway. A small party of soldiers from the unit landed at Egersund where they seized the telecommunications cable linking Norway with mainland Europe. A further 900 soldiers from the division were put ashore near Bergen where they captured the defensive fortifications as well as the city after engaging Norwegian forces in combat. The largest element of the division, some 5,000 soldiers in 250 transport planes, landed at Sola airport after it was seized by German paratroopers.
The division then captured the nearby city of Stavanger. After the successful Norwegian Campaign, the 69. Infanterie. The division remained in Norway until November 1942. Dezember 1942 brought a divisional transfer to Leningrad as part of Heeresgruppe Nord 18. Armee. The division remained in the area and was pushed back to the Pskov area by Soviet offensives through Februar 1944. Juli 1944 found the division transferred south to Heeresgruppe Mitte, which was reeling from repeated Soviet assaults. Falling back to Memel and then evacuated to East Prussia, by the beginning of 1945 the division was one of four defending the besieged city of Königsberg. Subjected to intense aerial bombing and artillery assault, the surviving members of the unit surrendered to the Red Army shortly after the city fell on 9 April 1945.
The Oberfeldwebel wears the Model 1935 “Waffenrock”, a special event uniform, like getting decorated by the Fuhrer, or Parade use. It displays his long service in both the Reichswehr as well as Heer. A Zugführer, he has earned both the Eisners Kreuz I. u. II. Klasse as well as the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber for actions in Norway. He still displays his S.A. Sportsabzeichen. With the “Rock,” he will wear piped trousers with shoes along with Schirmmütz für Unterführer. All are piped in Weiss Infanterie Waffenfarben.
Heer / Wehrmacht Fallschirmjäger Infantrie Kompanie (EM):
In 1937 the first group of German Army soldiers went to parachute school and the Fallschirmjager Infantrie Kompanie was formed. This Obergefrieter wears the new M36 tunic with a distinctive dark green collar and internal support straps. The collar insignia is the prewar style piped in white for the Infantry. The distinctive pointed; un-piped shoulder boards are embroidered with the Fraktur "FI" (Fallschirm Infantry). This paratrooper has earned the Heer Fallschirm Abzeichen for successful completion of the parachute school. The Obergefreiter's uniform is completed with the first pattern "stone-gray" trousers and Feldmutz. The Heer FJ was eventually pulled into the Luftwaffe, forming the Sturm or Assault Regiment and later the 3rd FJR. As FJ these soldiers fought in every major action and on every major front of the war in Europe and Africa. A few would end up with the Brandenburgers Group, which would become a part of Grossdeutschland, and then they came under Waffen-SS control and suffered for it. Note: The Paratrooper in the first “Period Picture” at the bottom, Has the Paratrooper Badge, and the slides flopped over on his shoulder boards to hide FJ insignia, still he cant hide the shield on his sleeve.
Feldwebel, “Fallschirm-Infanterie-Bataillon”
The Fallschirm-InfanterieKompanie was formed on 1. April 1937 at the Albrecht der Bär Kaserne in Stendal. The Ausbildungs u. Ersatz Kompanie was composed of volunteers from various Heer Infanterie Regiments. Each member had volunteered for an unknown, new, secret unit and had already passed a series of stringent physical and psychological tests.
The Kompanie began parachute training in Mai 1937 at Fallschirm-Schule Borstel. Less than half of the volunteers passed this course. Graduates and other subsequent volunteers made up the Kompanie organization which consisted of Stabs-Trupp (Headquarters) Nachrichten-Trupp (Signals) 3 x Infanterie Zug Schwer-Waffen-Zug (Heavy Weapons) Machinengewehr-Trupp (MG-Section) Mörser-Trupp (Mortor-Section) Pioneer-Trupp (Combat Engineer Section) Expansion to Bataillon size occurred in Juni 1938. During Oktober 1938 the Bataillon took part in the annexation of the Sudetenland, Fall Grün. The Bataillon was not involved in combat. In November 1938 the Bataillon transferred to Rosalies Kaserne in Braunschweig.
Later in the same month, it received its standard from Generalmajor Eugen Ott, with the words ‘If you do not risk your life, you do not deserve to win your life’. Due to Luftwaffe resistance to a Heer FJ unit, the Bataillon was transferred to Luftwaffe control on 1. Januar 1939. Heeres Fallschirm Abzeichen The formal award document or Verleihundsurkunde for the Heeres Falschirmschützabzeichen was awarded only twice, on 1. September 1937 and 18. Dezember 37. All members of the Fallschirm-Infanterie Kompani u. Bataillon who graduated from Fallschirm-Schule after these dates was given the badge and the license, but not the formal award document.
A total of approximately 400 documents were awarded. The Heeres Fallschirmschützabzeichen is worn on the Feldwebel Dienstanzug Model 1936. With the transfer to Fallschirm-Jäger Regiment 1, he saw combat in 1940 and was awarded Luftwaffe combat awards which will be worn on a Luftwaffe Bluse. Until then the Feldwebel will wear Feldgrau with the Heer’s Schirmmütz für Unteroffizier. Period photos show the wear of Fallschirmstiefel, not marching boots with the Heeres uniform.
“NEW” Gefreiter, Fallschirm-Infanterie Bataillon:
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht formed the Fallschirm-Infanterie Kompanie 1. April 1937, expanding it to Bataillon strength 1. Juni 1938. An all-volunteer unit it drew qualifying members from all parts of the Heer and conducted their parachute training under the Luftwaffe cadre at the Fallschirmschule at Stendal. Abolished as of 1. Januar 1939 it was transferred to the Luftwaffe as II./Fallschirmjäger-Rgt 1 . The Gefreiter wears a Waffenfrock Model 1935 for a ceremonial occasion during the Bataillons brief existence. This, along with most of his Heer uniform and headgear would be turned in and replaced by those of the Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger. All members of the Bataillon continued to wear their Falschirmschützen Ab zeichen des Heeres.
