Show us your Militaria

[Jeff Londerée]

This sewing kit came from the same estate as the wallet I posted earlier. I can only assume Connie was the girl from his wallet photo.

 

[Binary Blue]

East German Prison Guard Visor Cap
I bought it at a flea market in Amsterdam.

Anyone know more about it? I think it's an officer's cap.

 

[Fastuni]

Well... correct - officers cap, as can be seen from the typical German silver cord for officers. Pull it straight at the two knobs.
What else can be said... it's from the late 60's to 80's. And MdI means "Ministerium des Innern" (Interior Ministry).

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Another addition to my growing OIF/OEF collection.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Vietnam 1st Pattern Jungle Fatigue Uniform dated 1963 named to an Army Sergeant First Class (SFC) with Senior Parachutist Badge and Special Forces SSI

 

[Giftmacher]

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Not mine but I came upon this WWII helmet display at the County Fair yesterday.

 

[Redfan45x]

Right now I don't feel like messing with the image posting stuff, with my slow wifi lately.
But I have a original German helmet from ww2, a soldbuch, and a German WW2 Wehrmacht Tunic.
Also have an original Imperial German flag from the WW1 era hanging on my wall, I like the German Empire a lot more than Nazi Germany. And find WW1 in many ways more interesting

 

[DNO]

I got really lucky again. Obtained these in an auction sale dispersing the estate of the fellow's widow. He was one of three brothers, all of whom volunteered for the RCAF in the second world war. Two of them came back...one of his brothers was killed while flying with RAF Coastal Command in the Mediterranean.

This man, the middle brother, joined in 1940 and trained as a wireless/air gunner. He shipped out as a Sergeant and was promoted while overseas to Flying Officer. He served with 436 Squadron, RCAF, in India and Burma. The squadron operated Dakotas (C-47's) and dropped supplies to the troops in Burma. As such its very rare...aside from the defence of Hong Kong, which fell in 1941, the only Canadian units that served in the Pacific were two RCAF transport squadrons (apologies to the crew of HMCS Uganda..forgot them!).

It's a exceptionally rare uniform to a Canadian.

I picked up his duffle bags, Khaki drill shorts, pants, shirt and tunic as well as his service dress cap that he purchased in Rawalpindi. I also got a number of handouts and notebooks from his air gunner/wireless courses, including various sheets on recognizing German and Japanese aircraft.

Here's his tunic, pants, cap and swagger stick:






The inside of the cap, with the Rawalpindi hatters label:



Some of the air recognition notes:



And a pair of 1933 pattern RAF aircrew gauntlets, marked by the Air Ministry and dated 1940:



And finally, the gentleman himself, taken prior to shipping out. I missed his blue RCAF uniform that he wore on his return to Canada...he bought it in Victoria BC in 1945.

 

[Fastuni]

Also have an original Imperial German flag from the WW1 era hanging on my wall, I like the German Empire a lot more than Nazi Germany. And find WW1 in many ways more interesting

"more"? Is there anything to like about the "Third Reich"?
And why would you out of all things want to pick an SS Officer as an avatar then?

 

[1930artdeco]

DNO, you scored big time with that RCAF set!

 

[mikepara]

"more"? Is there anything to like about the "Third Reich"?
And why would you out of all things want to pick an SS Officer as an avatar then?

Good point. You might as well go the whole hog and have Himmler as an avatar.

 

[Redfan45x]

"more"? Is there anything to like about the "Third Reich"?
And why would you out of all things want to pick an SS Officer as an avatar then?

I find the Wehrmacht and many of it's generals interesting, people like Rommel who were loyal to GERMANY not Nazism. People who were even officers in WW1, and who obviously hated Hitler in the fact they often tried killing him. And I think the Waffen-SS is also an interesting military force.
But I like the German Empire more because to me they're just more interesting, they weren't "evil" and I like the old Prussian/German spirit they had. And being someone who comes from a family of German immigrants, I like German history. Also being a 19 year old with aspergers I've always been obsessed with Germany in all times of history, especially Pre-Christian Germania and it's tribes. I also think the uniforms they had in WW1 and WW2 are nice looking.
If it bothers people so much, I can change it to a picture of something to do with Imperial Germany. As I hope people don't find that offensive, which I don't know why they would. It would be like finding a picture of a British soldier in the British Empire days offensive.

Good point. You might as well go the whole hog and have Himmler as an avatar.

Honestly if people are going to find a historical military picture offensive for whatever reason, than I could go as for as to say your picture of what I assume is a British soldier offends the Irish and Welsh in me due to the way the English have treated them throughout history.
Either way, the picture is gone now. Hopefully a avatar of some Germanic/Norse art from a old helmet of Berserkers doing a ritual dance isn't offensive, unless someone finds Paganism and European tribalism bad now lol.
Oh well, sorry for the Nazi officer avatar I guess.

 

[Luftwaffles]

To be fair, he looked like a tank crewman... not exactly in any position to be committing crimes, eh?
But that's neither here nor there.

Besides, everybody knows a Pickelhaube with a dunkelblau uhlanka is MUCH more manly than field gray and a stahlhelm.

 

[Redfan45x]

To be fair, he looked like a tank crewman... not exactly in any position to be committing crimes, eh?
But that's neither here nor there.

Besides, everybody knows a Pickelhaube with a dunkelblau uhlanka is MUCH more manly than field gray and a stahlhelm.

Yes it is, that old Prussian militarism in the WW1 style is awesome, I was thinking about using a picture of the Kaiser in military garb as my avatar but figured some uneducated person might think "uuauaaa german that mean nazi me smash all german evil , must fight for freedom!"

 

[Fastuni]

To be fair, he looked like a tank crewman... not exactly in any position to be committing crimes, eh?

How would you come to that peculiar conclusion?

W-SS units, also Panzer, were involved in numerous (war) crimes, from murdering civilians (including "anti-partisan operations") to prisoners of war.

Also among the W-SS Panzerdivisions was the Division "Totenkopf" recruited from concentration camp guards and staff.

Beside that W-SS soldiers from various units often "served" in and around concentration camps, when not currently at the frontline (i.e. wounded, recovering from sickness, after front-leave etc.)

The often tried attempt to separate "good frontline W-SS soldiers" (or trying to equate them with the regular military) from "evil rearguard camp guards" is apologetic and revisionist baloney. Mengele was also once on the "frontline"...

Not to mention that the W-SS was (also from its self-image) not a "normal military force", but an ideological, political force.

some uneducated person might think "uuauaaa german that mean nazi me smash all german evil , must fight for freedom!"

I glance that you and Luftwaffles are rather young fellows... Now that you mention education: What books on the "Third Reich" have you guys read?

 

[Luftwaffles]

I wasn't trying to "Separate" anything, I was merely making an observation. The jacket was a giveaway to his Panzer crew status. I also know that, yes, most of the Waffen SS were fanatics. My great-grandfather, who was a tank gunner in the Wehrmacht, would tell my dad how he would try to avoid them because they always seemed "out of their minds". Anybody could have been a camp guard, or in the Einsatzgruppen, but it just doesn't seem logical to waste the skills of a tank crewman on that (then again, most of the Nazi ideology wasn't logical anyway, so...)

That being said, I never meant to offend or instigate. Just an observation and a statement that I admit went too far. I do apologize.

I would also like to state I appreciate the information you have shared, and, though this may be out of place, if you could refer me to some valid sources of this stuff, I would be very thankful.

 

[Redfan45x]

W-SS units, also Panzer, were involved in numerous (war) crimes, from murdering civilians (including "anti-partisan operations") to prisoners of war.

Yep, and don't forget the war-crimes the allies did which are always ignored. Fire bombing dresden and killing thousands of civilians, raping 8 year old girls in Berlin, killing more civilians. Sending the Germans into diaspora after the war. Note the word "war" that stuff happens sadly..

Now that you mention education: What books on the "Third Reich" have you guys read?

I've read things from both sides, as that gives you a better picture. I have also read a lot of books written by members of the Nazi Party and books for the Waffen-SS. I am well aware of their beliefs and ideology.
Being young certainly doesn't mean I have no knowledge on something. WW2 isn't really my strong point but I am confident that I know more than most people do. And when it comes to Pre-Christian Europe (not trying to sound cocky) I know more about that subject (especially it's culture and religion) than anyone I know.
So I'm not exactly a 19 year old who lives off of High school education which is all B.S "information" anyway.

 

[Fastuni]

@Luftwaffles

Well your comment suggested that because the guy was from the tank branch, he was in no position to commit crimes.
Regarding his ID... it was the pink piping on the cap that gave away the "Panzer". The "jacket" was, if I remember correctly, actually an officer's leather overcoat.

I would also like to state I appreciate the information you have shared, and, though this may be out of place, if you could refer me to some valid sources of this stuff, I would be very thankful.

I'll gladly point you to literature. Can you read German (because some interesting reads are to my knowledge not translated into English)?

 

[Luftwaffles]

Well your comemnt suggested that because the guy was from the tank branch, he was in no position to commit crimes.
Regarding his ID... it was the pink piping on the cap that gave away the "Panzer". The "jacket" was, if I remember correctly, actually an officer's leather overcoat.



I'll gladly point you to literature. Can you read German (because some interesting reads are to my knowledge not translated into English)?

I'll be taking probably two or so years of German once I hit college next year, but anything would help. Never to early to search!
Back on the topic of militaria, I bought a US Army service jacket a while ago, and here are the pictures from eBay (no ability to take my own plus laziness)







Oddly enough, it seems to have removable buttons. Is this typical of the service uniform?