S010395 TROPICAL PITH HELMET SHIELD INSIGNIA. (Tropenhelm Abzeichen)

BACKGROUND: Originally tropical uniforms, headgear and equipment were first developed and introduced in late 1940 and early 1941 for wear by DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), army personnel serving in North Africa. As the Waffen SS were not engaged in North Africa they were not originally included in the issue of tropical items. Regulations issued in early 1941 actually prohibited Waffen SS personnel from wearing any army tropical garments and headgear in spite of the fact that components of the Waffen SS had served in tropical regions in the Balkans, Greece and southern Russia as early as 1941. Eventually Waffen SS tropical clothing items were officially introduced and the army style tropical pith helmet was one of the items introduced for wear by Waffen SS personnel. The only variation between the army and the SS tropical pith helmets was the difference in the attached, identification shield insignia.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The insignia consist of the right hand side SS runic shield and the left hand side NSDAP party shield. The stamped alloy, SS runic shield features embossed, sharply angular, first pattern, SS runes with subtly raised outer edges and black painted interiors, on a lightly pebbled background shield shape base with a raised lip to the outer edges. The slightly recessed, solid reverse has all three attachment prongs remaining and is well marked with embossed manufacturers initials and date, "J.F.S. 43", indicating manufacture by Josef Feix & Söhne Gablonz in 1943. The stamped aluminum NSDAP party shield features a central, embossed, black painted, canted, swastika with raised outer edges on a white painted circular field with a raised outer edge and a red painted, lightly pebbled background shield shape base with a raised lip to the outer edges. The slightly recessed, solid reverse has two of the original three attachment prongs remaining and is well marked with embossed manufacturers initials and date, "J.F.S. 43", indicating manufacture by Josef Feix & Söhne Gablonz in 1943. Scarce Waffen SS tropical pith helmet insignia. Very nice condition.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $

To Order this item, please use one of the two e-mail addresses below to contact us. Please make sure to quote the item number in your e-mail

MILITARIA WANTED!  If you have items for sale, please contact us. We specialize in selling single pieces and entire collections. Over 3 decades in the business and we do all the work for you. Get the best return for your investment.

-E-Mail Address pawmac@nbnet.nb.ca  Or  guild@nb.aibn.com

To return to the main page please CLICK below