NIGEL THOMAS, colour plates by STEPHEN ANDREW
GERMAN ARMY 1939-1945. BLITZKRIEG
Most rank insignia was manufactured in two versions - dress-quality for the Waffenrock, dress greatcoat and piped field tunic, and field-quality for the field tunic and field greatcoat.
For all uniforms general-officers wore dress-quality plaited shoulder-boards formed from two 4mm gold bullion (or, from 15 July 1938, golden-yellow 'celleon' thread) cords with one 4mm bright flat aluminium braid central cord on a bright-red branch colour facing-cloth backing. A Generalfeldmarschall had silver crossed stylised marshal's batons, other general-officers had 3-0 German silver or white aluminium pips 2.8-3.8cm wide. Branch insignia was in silver-plated aluminium. From 3 April 1941 all three cords of the Generalfeldmarschall were in bright gold or golden-yellow 'celleon' with miniature silver marshal's batons.
Dress-quality plaited shoulder-boards for field officers consisted of two 5mm wide bright flat aluminium braids on a branch colour facing-cloth backing and 2-0 pips 1.5cm, 2.0cm or 2.4cm wide, made of galvanically brassed aluminium, from 7 November 1935 gilt aluminium. During wartime they were made from golden galvanised or lacquered grey aluminium. Field-quality boards had matt aluminium, later feldgrau braid. M1935 branch insignia, introduced 10 September 1935, was, from 7 November 1935, made of brass-plated or gilt aluminium, and, during the war, of gold-coloured galvanised or lacquered grey aluminium or zinc alloy.
A tank-driver Gefreiter, exhausted by the Panzers' 'drive to the sea' through France in May 1940, enjoys a cigarette by his tank. He has not opted to wear his M1935 feldgrau field greatcoat over his M1934 special tank-crew uniform to protect it from the grime of battle. Note the drivers' goggles, civilian shirt and M1936 pullover. (Brian Davis Collection)
A classic view of a tank commander, wearing the 1934 special tank-crew uniform and the 1934 padded beret with tank commander's earphones. This officer is wearing the aluminium wire aiguillettes of a General Staff officer. France, May 1940. (Friedrich Herrmann)
TABLE 4. SELECTIVE LIST OF GERMAN ARMY BRANCH AND UNIT INSIGNIA. 1 SEPTEMBER 1939 - 25 JUNE 1940
| Units | In existence | Branch colour | Shoulder strap insignia | Other distinctions (comments) |
| Combat Troops - Staff (Kommandobehörde) | ||||
| General Officers (Generate) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | None | Larisch collar-patches, red trouser-stripes |
| Armed Forces High Command (OKW) officers | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Crimson | None | Gold Kolben collar-patches, crimson stripes |
| Army High Command (OKH) officers | 1.9.1939-25.6.1940 | Crimson | None | Gold Kolben collar-patches, crimson stripes |
| General Staff (Generalstab) officers | 1.9.1939 -25.6.1940 | Crimson | None | Silver Kolben collar-patches, crimson stripes |
| 5 Army Group (Heeresgruppe) Staffs | 2.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | G (Nord, Süd, A, B, C) | |
| 14 Army (Armee) Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | A / 1-10, 12, 14, 16, 18 | |
| 2 Armoured Group (Panzergruppe) Staffs | 5.3.1940 - 25.6.1940 | White | XIX, XXII | |
| 33 Corps (Korps) Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | I-XXXIX series | |
| 6 Motorised Corps (Korps(mot.)) Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | XIV, XV, XIX, XXII, XXXIX, XXXXI | |
| XVI Motorised Corps (Korps(mot.)) Staff | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | XVI | |
| Combat Troops Infantry (Infanterie) | ||||
| 143 Infantry (Infanterie) Division Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | D / 1 -557 series | |
| 431 Line Infantry (Infanterie) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | 1-664 series | |
| Line Infantry (Infanterie) Regt. 17 | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | 17 | Brunswick skull cap-badge |
| 4 Motorised (Inf.(mot.)) Division Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | D / 2, 13, 20, 29 | |
| 12 Motorised (Infanterie(mot.)) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | 5, 15, 25, 33, 66, 69, 71, 76, 86, 90, 92-3 | |
| Infantry Regiment Groβdeutschland | 1.9.1939 - 30.9.1939 | White | GD monogram | Groβdeutschland title |
| Motorized Regiment Groβdeutschland | 1.10.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | GD monogram | Groβdeutschland title |
| Hitler Escort (Führer-Begleit) Battalion | 29.9.1939-25.6.1940 | White | GD monogram | Führer-Hauptquartier title (12.1939) |
| 3 Anti-Aircraft (Flak) Bns. | 6.10.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | FI / 31-2,46 | |
| 6 Light Infantry (Jäger) Bns. in Infantry Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light green | 2 (I), 4 (II), 10(I), 15(III), 17(III), 83 (III) | |
| 4 Mountain (Gebirgs) Division Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light green | D / 1-3, 6 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| 11 Mountain (Gebirgs) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light green | 98-100, 136-143 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| 1 Commando Bn. (Bau-Lehr Bataillon zbV 800) | 10.1.1940 - 31.5.1940 | - | - | Any appropriate uniform |
| 1 Commando Regt. (Brandenburg zbV 800) | 1.6.1940 - 25.6.1940 | - | - | Any appropriate uniform |
| Penal Bn. (Sonderabteilung I, II, IX, XIII) inmates | 8.1.1940 - 25.6.1940 | White | None (no shoulder-straps) | Uniforms without insignia |
| Combat Troops - Mobile Troops (Schnelle Truppen) | ||||
| 1 Cavalry (Kavallerie) Division Staff | 25.10.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | D / 1 | |
| 4 Mounted (Reiter) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | 1, 2, 21, 22 | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| 4 Mobile (leichte) Divisional Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | D / 1-4 | |
| 7 Motorized Cav. (Kavallerieschützen) Regts. | 1.9.1939 -25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | S/4, 6-11 | |
| 4 Armoured (Panzer) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | 33, 65-67 | Skull collar-patches, black |
| 10 Armoured (Panzer) Division Staffs | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | D / 1-10 (6.7.39) | Skull collar-patches, black uniform |
| 17 Armoured (Panzer) Regts. | 1.9.1939-25.6.1940 | Pink | 1-8, 10-11, 15, 23, 25, 31, 33, 35, 36 | Skull collar-patches, black uniform |
| 1 Armoured Instruction (Panzer Lehr) Bn. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | L | 1936 Spanien 1939 cuff-title |
| 11 Motorised Rifle (Schützen) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | S / 1-3, 12-4, 33, 69, 86, 110-1 | |
| 7 Motorised Rifle (Schützen) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | S / 4, 6-11 | (Ex-Motorised Cavalry Regts) |
| 5 Motorcycle Recce. (Kradschützen) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | K / 1-2, 6-8 | |
| Motorcycle Recce. (Kradschützen) Bn. 3 | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | K / 3 | Dragoon eagle cap-badge |
| 3 Armd Recce. (Panzeraufklärung) Bns. | 1.3.1940 -25.6.1940 | Pink | A / 4-5, 8 | |
| 15 Mounted Recce. (Aufklärung) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | A / 54-187 series | |
| Mounted Recce. (Aufklärung) Bn. 179 | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | A / 179 | Dragoon eagle cap-badge |
| 32 Div. Recce. (Divisionsaufklärung) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | A / 1, 3-12, 14-9, 21-8, 30-2, 35, 44-6, 156 | |
| Div. Recce. (Divisionsaufklärung) Bns 33, 35-6. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | A / 33-4, 36 | Dragoon eagle cap-badge |
| 10 Motorised Recce. (Aufklärung(mot.)) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Golden yellow | A / 1-8, 20, 29 | |
| 148 Antitank (Panzerabwehr) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | P / 1-672 (divisional series) | |
| 144 Antitank (Panzerjäger) Bns. | 16.3.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | P / 1-672 (divisional series) | |
| 3 Mtn. Antitank (Gebirgspanzerabwehr) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | P / 44, 47-8 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| 4 Mtn. Antitank (Gebirgspanzerjäger) Bns. | 21.3.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Pink | P / 44, 47-8, 55 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| Combat Troops - Artillery (Artillerie) | ||||
| 147 Artillery (Artillerie) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | 1-557 (divisional series) | |
| 4 Motorised Artillery (Artillerie (mot.)) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | 2, 13, 56/20, 29 | |
| 4 Mtn. Artillery (Gebirgsartillerie) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | 79, 111-2, 118 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| 2 Mtd. Artillery (Reitende Artillerie) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | R / 1-2 | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| 1 Mtd. Artillery (Reitende Artillerie) Regt. | 10.1.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | R / 1 | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| 10 Armd. Artillery (Artillerie) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | 73-6, 78, 80, 90, 102-3, 116 | |
| 40 Survey (Beobachtung) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | B / 1-36, 39, 40, 43, 44 | |
| Ordnance officers (Offiziere(W)) | 1.9.1939 -25.6.1940 | Bright red | Gold crossed cannon | |
| 3 Smoke (Nebel) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 30.9.1939 | Bordeaux red | 1, 2, 5 | |
| 9 Rocket Projector (Nebelwerfer) Bns. | 22.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bordeaux red | 1-9 | |
| Combat Troops - Engineers (Pioniere) | ||||
| 148 Engineer (Pionier) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Black | 1-557 (divisional series) | |
| 4 Motorised Engineer (Pionier) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Black | 2, 13, 20, 29 | |
| 5 Mtn. Engineer (Gebirgspionier) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Black | 54, 82, 83, 85, 91 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap. |
| 10 Armd. Engineer (Pionier) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 14.5.1940 | Black | 37-9, 49, 57-9, 79, 86, 89 | Skull collar patches. Black uniform |
| 10 Armd. Engineer (Panzerpionier) Bns. | 10.5.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Black & white | 37-9, 49, 57-9, 79, 86, 89 | Skull collar-patches, black uniform |
| 220 Pioneer (Bau) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 22.12.1939 | None (1-360 sorties) | RAD uniforms | |
| 220 Pioneer (Bau) Bns. | 23.12.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light brown | 1-360 series | |
| 15 Fortress Pioneer (Festungsbau) Bns. | 9.12.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Black | 19-314 series | |
| 4 Fortress Engineer (Festungspionier) Bns. | 7.2.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Black | 305-8 | |
| Fortress Instructors (Festungswerkmeister) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Crimson | White Fp | Black & white shoulder cords |
| 5 Railway Eng. (Eisenbahnpionier) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Black | E / 1-4, 68 | |
| Engineer Specialist Generals (Generating.)) | 1.1.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Silver cogwheel | Larisch collar-patches, red trouser-stripes |
| Engineer Specialist officers (Ingenieure) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Orange | Gold cogwheel | |
| Combat Troops - Signals (Nachrichtentruppe) | ||||
| 148 Signals (Nachrichten) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | 1-557 (divisional series) | |
| 4 Motorised Signals (Nachrichten) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | 2, 13, 20, 29 | |
| 4 Mtn. Signals (Gebirgsnachrichten) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | 54, 67-8, 91 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| 10 Armd Signals (Panzernachrichten) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | 37-9, 77, 79, 82-5, 90 | Skull collar-patches, black uniform |
| 1 Signals Instruction (Lehr) Battalion | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | L | 1936 Spanien 1939 cuff-title |
| 14 War Correspondent (Propaganda) Coys. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | 501-690 (Field Army series) | Propagandakompanie cuff-title |
| Supply Troops (Versorgungstruppen) | ||||
| 608? Mot. Transport (Kraftwagen) Cols. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light-blue | N / 1-557 (divisional series) | |
| 920? Horsedrawn Transport (Fahr) Cols. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light-blue | N / 1-557 (divisional series) | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| 20 Mtn. Horsedrawn Transport (Fahr) Cols. | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light-blue | N / 79, 94, 111, 112 | Edelweiss badges. Mountain cap |
| Medical Corps (Sanitäts) General-Officers | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Silver Aesculapius staff | Larisch collar-patches, red trouser-stripes |
| Medical Corps (Sanitäts) officers | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Dark-blue | Gold Aesculapius staff | Red cross armband |
| 166 Horsedr.Med. (Sanitäts) Coys-NCOs & men | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Dark-blue | 1-557 (divisional series) | Red cross armband; medical cuff-badge |
| ? Mot.Medical (Sanitäts) Coys - NCOs & men | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Dark-blue | 1-557 (divisional series) | Red cross armband; medical cuff-badge |
| 166 Field Hospitals (Feldlazarette) - NCOs & men | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Dark-blue | 1-557 (divisional series) | Red cross armband; medical cuff-badge |
| Veterinary Corps (Veterin#228;r) General-Officers | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Silver snake | Larisch collar-patches, red trouser-stripes |
| Veterinary Corps (Veterin#228;r) officers | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Crimson | Gold snake | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| Farrier Instructors (Hufbeschlaglehrmeister) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Crimson | White horseshoe | Yellow wool shoulder-pieces |
| 148 Veterinary (Veterin#228;r) Coys - NCOs & men | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Crimson | 1-557 (divisional series) | Cavalry breeches & boots |
| 27 Guard (Wach) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 31.3.1940 | White | 502-631 series | |
| 10 M.P (Feldgendarmerie) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - early 1940 | (None) 531, 541, 551, 561, 571, 581, 591, 682-3, 685 | Gendarmerie uniform; green armband | |
| 10 M.P. (Feldgendarmerie) Bns. | Early 1940 - 25.6.1940 | Orange | 531, 541, 551, 561, 571, 581,591,682-3, 685 | Sleeve-badge & Feldgendarmerie title |
| 10 M.P. (Feldgendarmerie) Traffic Control Bns. | 26.10.1939 - early 1940 | None (751-760) | Gendarmerie uniform: pink armband | |
| 10 M.P. (Feldgendarmerie) Traffic Control Bns. | Early 1940 - 25.6.1940 | Orange | 751-760 | Sleeve-badge & Feldgendarmerie title |
| 201 M.P. (Feldgendarmerie) Troops | 1.9.1939 - early 1940 | None (1-557) | Gendarmerie uniform: green armband | |
| 201 M.P. (Feldgendarmerie) Troops | Early 1940 - 25.6.1940 | Orange | 1-557 (divisional series) | Green armband |
| Army Patrol Service (Heeresstreifendienst) | 18.11.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Any colour | Original unit | Adjutant's lanyard |
| Security Troops (Sicherungstruppen) | ||||
| 24 Army Rear-Area Commanders (Korück) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | K / 501-672 series, Norwegen | |
| 14 District Commands (OFK) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | K / 540-680 series | Kommandantur gorget? |
| 49 Territorial Rifle (Landesschützen) Regts. | 1.9.1939 - 31.3.1940 | White | 1 / 1-3 (Army District series) | |
| 21 Territorial Rifle (Landesschützen) Regts. | 1.4.1940 - 25.6.1940 | White | L / 22-183 series | |
| 306 Territorial Rifle (Landesschützen) Bns. | 1.9.1939 - 31.3.1940 | White | I / I-XII / XVIII (Army District series) | |
| 238 Territorial Rifle (Landesschützen) Bns. | 1.4.1940 - 25.6.1940 | White | L / 201-912 series | |
| 33 POW Camps - officers (Oflag) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | KG / II / A-XXI / C (Army District series) | |
| 45 POW Camps - NCO's & men (Stalag) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | KG / I / A-XXI / E (Army District series) | |
| Army Officials (Heeresbeamten) - dark-green underlay (except chaplains) Special rank insignia | ||||
| Court Martial (Reichskriegsgericht) Generals | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | None | Larisch collar-patches, green stripes |
| Court Martial (Reichskriegsgericht) Officials | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bordeaux red | None | |
| District Administration (Intendantur) Generals | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Silver HV | Larisch collar-patches, green stripes |
| District Administration (Intendantur) Officials | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Gold HV | |
| Paymaster (Zahlmeister) Officials | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | White | Gold HV | |
| Field Postal Service (Feldpost) Generals | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon yellow | Silver FP | Larisch collar-patches, green stripes |
| 166 Field Post (Feldpost) Offices | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Lemon-yellow | Gold FP. (1-557 divisional series) | |
| 37 Field Sec.Pol. (Geheime Feldpolizei) Groups | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Light blue | Gold GFP (1-637 series) | |
| Chaplain-General (Feldbischof) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Violet | No shoulder-boards | Gold collar-patches, violet cap-band |
| Chaplains (Pfarrer) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Violet | No shoulder-boards | Silver collar-patches, violet cap-band |
| War Substantive Chaplains (Kriegspfarrer) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Violet | No shoulder-boards | Violet cap-band |
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Music Directors (Musikinspizienten) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Bright red | Lyre | Gold Kolben patches: special shoulder-boards |
| Bandmaster officers (Musikmeister) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Branch colour | Lyre / Number of attached regt./bn. | Special shoulder-boards |
| Band NCOs & men (Musiker/Trompeter) | 1.9.1939 - 25.6.1940 | Branch colour | Number of attached regt./bn. | Shoulder 'wings' |
| Special Officers and NCOs (Sonderf#252;hrer) | 1.9.1939 - 2.3.1940 | None (silver Aesculapius staff or snake) | Uniform of attached unit | |
| Special Officers and NCOs (Sonderf#252;hrer) | 21.3.1940 - 25.6.1940 | Grey-blue | None (silver Aesculapius staff or snake) | 'Old Prussian' patches, grey-blue cap-band |
Dress-quality shoulder-boards for captains and subalterns consisted of two 7-8mm wide bright flat aluminium braids placed side-by-side on a branch colour facing-cloth backing with 2-0 gilt aluminium pips and branch insignia as for field officers. Field-quality boards had matt aluminium, later feldgrau braid.
Music Directors wore field officers' shoulder-boards with two 4mm wide bright flat aluminium braids with a 3mm wide bright-red central silk cord, all on a bright-red facing-cloth backing (from 18 February 1943 the branch colour as for bandmasters) with a gilt aluminium lyre and 1-0 gilt aluminium pips. Senior and Junior Bandmasters wore shoulder-boards consisting of five 7mm wide bright flat aluminium braids placed side-by-side, alternating with four 5mm bright red silk braids on a branch colour facing-cloth backing (white, light-green, bright red or golden-yellow or black) with a gilt aluminium lyre and up to two gilt aluminium pips. Field-quality boards had matt aluminium, later feldgrau braid.
Technical NCOs had distinctive plaited shoulder-boards with devices and pips in white aluminium; these were made from grey aluminium or zinc alloy during the war. From 23 September 1937 Farrier-Instructors wore interwoven triple golden-yellow woollen cords with a double golden-yellow woollen cord edging all on a crimson branch colour underlay, a horseshoe and 1-0 pips. From 9 January 1939 Fortress Engineer Foremen wore the same shoulder-boards in black artificial silk with a white artificial silk inner edging all on a black branch colour underlay, with a cogwheel (from 9 June 1939 a Gothic Fp) and 1-0 pips. On 7 May 1942 both sets of shoulder-boards were changed to red, with bright aluminium and red interwoven cords, with a double red cord edging. Farrier-instructors had a crimson underlay and a horseshoe, fortress-engineers a black underlay and Fp, and 2-1 pips.
Dress-quality rank insignia for senior NCOs consisted of 3-1 bright aluminium pips (1.8cm, 2cm or 2.4cm wide) on M1935 bluish dark-green cloth shoulder-straps, with branch colour piping and edged on all sides by 9mm wide bright aluminium 'single-diamond' pattern yarn braid introduced 10 September 1935. Field-quality rank insignia consisted of the same pips and braid on the M1933, M1934 and M1935 unpiped, and M1938 and M1940 piped field shoulder-straps. 9mm silver-grey artificial silk braid was also worn, with grey aluminium and zinc alloy pips during the war, and from 25 April 1940 feldgrau matt artificial silk or cellulose-fibre wool braid. Branch insignia was of the same metal as the pips. A Hauptfeldwebel/Hauptfeldwebeldiensttuer wore a second 1.5cm wide bright aluminium 'double-diamond' pattern yarn braid above the cuff of the Waffenrock, and two 9mm braids on the cuff of other uniforms.
Junior NCOs wore the same shoulder-straps and braids as senior NCOs, the Unterfeldwebel wearing braid around the shoulder-strap, the Unteroffizier omitting braid across the base of the strap. Dress-quality branch insignia was fully embroidered in the branch colour on the shoulder-strap, while field-quality insignia was in branch colour wool or cotton yarn, and from 19 March 1937, also in artificial silk, embroidered in a chain-stitch pattern. Engineers' black and Medical Corps' dark-blue unit insignia were outlined in white chain-stitch on bluish dark-green shoulder-straps to render them more visible. During the war the embroidery was often full flat thin yarn.
Other ranks wore the same shoulder-straps as junior NCOs, with branch colour branch insignia but without braids. The M1936 rank insignia consisted of chevrons, point-down, of 9mm NCO braid combined with embroidered silver-grey or aluminium thread pips (hand-embroidered bright aluminium bullion on privately purchased items). The insignia was sewn on to a triangular (circular for Obersoldat) backing of bluish dark-green facing-cloth, changed in May 1940 to feldgrau uniform cloth, and black for tank crew uniforms. This rank insignia was adopted on 25 September 1936 (with effect from 1 October 1936) and developed from the original Reichswehr system adopted 22 December 1920.
From 26 November 1938 rank insignia on the white and reed-green twill fatigue-uniforms consisted of 1cm wide feldgrau fabric and 'single diamond' braid with two thin black inner pipings. A Stabsfeldwebel wore a braid ring below two braid chevrons point-up, on each lower-sleeve; Hauptfeldwebel two rings; Oberfeldwebel, a ring and a chevron, Feldwebel, a ring only. Unterfeldwebel and Unteroffizier wore braid collar edging only. This NCO insignia was replaced by new sleeve rank insignia introduced 22 August 1942. Men wore chevrons of the same braid and feldgrau fabric, with braid pips sewn on to white or reed-green backings.
Two soldiers in M1935 field uniform, the NCO (left) carrying an MP28/II Schmeisser submachine gun, guard British prisoners in northern France, May 1940. Note the general absence of field equipment - M1938 gas mask canister and M1931 canvas bread-bag and bayonet - but no Y-straps. (Josef Charita)
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