LOL…[Y]
and for other reasons. [;)][:$]
That must be where young Prince Harry got the idea for the SS party costume…
…and I still can’t fathom why Prince Harry thought that was a good idea…
or old photos of the Gotha-Saxe-Coburg.branch of the family on the European continent …
Hans and SG- Thanks guys! I knew I could count on you guys. At first I thought he could be a Panzer officer but after looking at his collar tabs I saw two wings on each collar so he could be in Luftwaffe. Little flashy for a first class as he sure looked like an officer with nice looking set of boots, cap and pistol. Maybe he did it on purpose to get dates…
What about the back of that photo? Did I get the correct information so I can share with my buddy Bob?
!(http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww137/aleffler/WWII Photos- BOB/IMG00708-20110626-1443.jpg)
I recall Hans knows little German… [:D]
Thanks Anthony! [B] Thought you guys would enjoy those “never seen” pictures for change. We all have seen those WWII photos repeatedly on TVs and in the books.
I’d be more than happy to get more photos on loan to share with you guys if you are interested…
The style of architecture in the first group of photos looks like it could be Wurzburg,Germany.Definately not France.
It’s called a “Walking Out” Uniform… Supposedly worn only for parades and off-duty formal occasions… Basically, a high-quality tailored version of the field uniform, although it was rather uncommon to see lower ranks in that type of uniform, since they were rather expensive… NCOs and Officers were required to have one, it was optional for Other Ranks… The NCOs were reimbursed for buying it, but not officers or the “Other Ranks”… The guy may have had a daddy on the Genral Staff or he was the son of a high-ranking Party Official… Most likely he bought the uniform to “go to town” with, since there’re few other reasons for anyone lower than a Obergefreiter to need one…
My wife’s a Native German Speaker, she says that’s what it look like to her…
Anthony- Thanks! You have been helpful… I agree it looks like it was held in German. While other pictures were taken in France but by different soldier because the different cameras were used.
Hans- You see? I am still learning… many thanks for the great information about the uniforms. My buddy Bob would be thrilled to hear all of this. Please give your fourth wife a big hug and kiss for us. Hope I got the number correct… [:D]
Guys- Here’s two more pictures… I have few more that I haven’t taken pictures of. Those two photos were in different size, quality and colors so I suspect they were not from same solider I posted earlier.
Where do you think it is? I suspect it was taken in the eastern front because of this building… orthodox church, right?
!(http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww137/aleffler/WWII Photos- BOB/IMG00711-20110626-1445.jpg)
Here’s last one… liked this photo because it was a great group picture of buddies taken on a ship. See how happy they were… their uniforms were in good condition and they didn’t look too thin or tired. So it has to be taken in early stage of WWII perhaps during the Invasion of France? I have more pictures showing ships & boats carrying soldiers across a big river I suspect the Rhine?
!(http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww137/aleffler/WWII Photos- BOB/IMG00713-20110626-1446.jpg)
Hope you enjoyed… have a good one!
Still in early stage of the war as the PFC ( one chevron ) is wearing a 1939 / 1940 issue tunic with 4 buttons ( called M40 by collectors ) .
I presume photo was taken on a barge.
Location unknown.
And they wore “shiny” high boots… it was discontinued at end of war if I am correct? Also at the end of war their uniform didn’t have pleds (spelling?) on their chest pockets so figured it was taken in early stage.
Bob has many pictures of the barge, ships and boats filled with the troops and it showed destroyed bridges by the river.
!(http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww137/aleffler/WWII Photos- BOB/IMG00713-20110626-1446.jpg)
The M-40 has five buttons, as does the M-36… (I think it’s just a wierd wrinkle in the fabric that’s got you confused… ) The only external difference between the two was the removal of the Bottle Green collar and Shoulder Marks from the M-36… However, the Bottle Green collars and shoulder marks were popular with the troops, and it was authorized as an addition, so many M40-issued Soldiers had them added at tailor-shops… Without seeing the lining, it’s hard to tell the difference… The next new tunic was the M43, which did away with one button, the pleated pockets, and the scalloped pocket-flaps, externally, and had changes to the sewn-in suspension system…
The “Marching Boots” (Jackboots) stayed in service until the end of the war, but the low-cut, gaitered “retreat boots” were issued to new troops, and to veteran troops as their jackboots wore out, starting in 1943… However, lotta “old guys” had more than one pair of jackboots, and you still saw them at war’s end…
The two Unteroffiziers (Corporals) are easily ID’d as NCOs due to the silver Tresse on the collars and shoulder marks… I’d guess that that photo was taken in the late Summer of 1940, that’s a SWAG based on the uniforms’ Lichtgrau collar Litzen in combination with the trees… Also, there’s a decided lack of any types of campaign ribbons, combat or wound badges, and their Waffenfarben isn’t white, meaning that they aren’t Infanterie…
BTW, the Gefreiter’s out of uniform… His trousers aren’t bloused into his jackboots…
CSI: von Hammer… [;)]
The pic of the Back of Photo, under the LW wideboy pic,
my interpretation, based on datestamps on the back of my mum’s photos:
Hand-written Date: april 1940
Shop: Photo Kessels
s/n #942
Lcn: Crailsheim,
South Germany, 1/2 way between Stutgart & Nuremberg.
Pic 1 & 2 look more Germany than France.
Pic 3 is interesting, the side-shot of the Podium.
My opinion only: the Elderly Gent in Picklehaube, could be local veteran/dignitary rolled out to ‘legitimize’ the ‘New Regeme’
Of interest the fat guy outside, 1st right of the podium, flat peaked-cap. This looks very much like a SA (Sturm Abteilung) uniform, which, if correct, would make this pic pre-war.
To my eye, & to what pics are on Google Images, I think it looks more like Rhoem’s Girth, but Lutze was also a bit portly, so could be either.
The SA, under Ernst Rhoem, were responsible for Hitlers security from 1920 (known then as the Saalschutz Abteilung) to 1934, when there was a “personnel change” to Viktor Lutze till about 1938.
Amy markings on the back of this photo?
ps. the open ‘Engine compartment’ on the FT-17 is the open drivers’ compartment door btw…
Hans- Well, by looking at his face he was probably only 18 years old… he was still a boy. I really enjoyed your assesment on the soldiers and their uniforms. Thanks buddy! [B]
Jon- You have been a great help!!! [B] I really appreciate you taking your time to share information about those photos. My friend would be thrilled to know more about this.
Knew I could count on you guys… FSM rocks!
Bloch MB 152
!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/HansvonHammer/Aircraft Profiles/Blochmb152.jpg)
All three pictures are taken in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany.
How do I know? Because I visit that city often as my mother lives there. It is the market square.
As you can see it still looks like that today!
Crazy to find the same exact shots of a different time.
