Article about: I have just taken some new photos of my camo gas mask collection and thought I wanted to share it, as I never posted any collection threads at this forum before. Starting out with my favouri
I have just taken some new photos of my camo gas mask collection and thought I wanted to share it, as I never posted any collection threads at this forum before.
Starting out with my favourite, which is this FJ camo gas mask that has belonged to a soldier from Kompanie Fallschirmjäger Regiment 5, who among other things fought against the allied in Normandy. His name 'Wendling' is nicely written on both the canister and the gas mask itself.
The previous owner of this set provided me with some history he had found about the FJ regiment however the text was in French so I lack an optimal translation of the information. I have attached a picture of that information plus an online-created version in English.
Here is the information provided from the previous owner in French and the translated version I made from it online.
From the info below it seems like the FJR 5 took part in quite a lot of combat and they thought for instance together with the 17th Panzer Grenadier Division SS Götz von Berlichingen in Normandy.
The FJD 5. Was formed March 2, 1944 in Reims (by order of November 5, 1943). It was formed from the Fallschirm-Jäger-Lehr-Batalion, III. / FJR.3 and III.FJR.4, and a large number of new recruits.
In maj 1944 the division moved to Rennes (June 7, 1944, the general area is in Rennes, subject 1'AOK. 7). The division was not ready for battle on the day of the Allied landing in Normandy on D-Day, and only the FJR. 15 are transferred to the front line. As regiment had its II. Battalion formed a new I / FJR.15 is formed from the I. / FJR. 13 (formerly III. / FJR.3) and a new III. / FJR.15 from the I/.FJR.14 (formerly III. / FJR.4) The FJR. 15 fight together with the 17th Panzer Grenadier Division SS Götz von Berlichingen. Most of the division is severely decimated during the fighting in Normandy in the Falaise Gap in July 1944. The survivors continued fighting during the month of August 1944 under the control of the 275 Infantry Division (ID 275). The section receives new recruits in September 1944 and was partly reestablished from elements of Flight-Regiment 22, 51 and 53.-Fallschirm Granatwerfer Battalion-5 and Stab, I. / FAR.5 (Fallschirm-Artillery-Regiment 5 ) are transferred to the 7-Jäger-Division Fallschirm. It fought against the British during the operation Market Garden, while other elements of the U.S. division fighting the Fifth Army Corps on the Siegfried Line.
In October 1944, the division is built in the area of Den Haag Amsterdam (Orders from September 24 to November 1, 1944). A new Fallshirm-Granatwerfer Battalion-5 is added in November 1944, with a new FAR. 5-Luftwaffen festungs-Battailon XXV absorbed 20 February 1945. The new division was ordered to be re-equipped 15 March 1945 by OB. West. Most of the division goes to Nürnburgring in March 1945, while the rest goes to the Ruhr area and Harz.
Next gas mask is another piece that saw action in Normandy.
The feld post number in this one reveals that the soldier (Gefreiter Niemann) was in a MG-battalion who was stationed in Cherbourg. It could looks like the gas mask changed owner at some point looking at the name tag in the cap. This one has the typical 3 collars that people associate with the term "Normandy camo" and I think it is a close runner up to the FJ gas mask presented first.
Notice the number '204' underneath the camo paint in picture 4 and the name that looks like it has been scraped off in the bottom of the can.
The third one is another 3 toned camo, maybe from a southern front but who knows. I seems like the soldier didn't want his name at the gas mask any longer why he crossed it over with a pen inside the cap and cut the name tag off the gas mask itself.
This can were first painted with a sort of tan and then splashed with green and khaki green paint.
The next one has a two toned camo in green and yellow on top of blue/grey luftwaffe paint. It is named to a Obergefreiter Otto Schimke. I haven't tried to look up his name anywhere yet so if anyone has a good link to share please give me a heads up.
They are nice, but collecting such items in 2015 is a minefield.
Look at this box sold for 580 €!
It's a fake, a normal box with a little spray on. paint on rust....
They are nice, but collecting such items in 2015 is a minefield.
Look at this box sold for 580 €!
It's a fake, a normal box with a little spray on. paint on rust....
I can't comment on that MG box from such a small picture but in my opinion evaluating such camo gas masks isn't any harder than inspecting a camo helmet. I am primary collecting camo helmets and make use of my experience from these when I search for gas masks with a sort of camo or MG cases for that sake as I have some of those as well.
The fifth gas mask is rather unusual, I call it "sea green" with inspiration from a collector on Walhalla who has a heer helmet over painted with the same collar. The gas mask came from a real e-state sale here in Denmark. It has the number '267' and some initials written inside the cap.
My collection of camo gas masks
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