Advice needed regarding Gebirgsjager Tunic

[Phil Steele]

I have recently purchased a Gebirgsjager Hauptgefreiter Ski tunic dated 1997 which has been stripped of awards and patches. After reading Steve's thread concerning some awards being obtained by lesser ranks I have attached a bronze trade badge and proficiency badge to the tunic. The tunic still has collar tabs and shoulder straps so no problems there but I am confused by what shoulder patch should be re attached. There is evidence that a shoulder patch was originally on the jacket but it was a shield shaped patch and not an oval shaped Edelweiss patch normally used by Gebirgsjager. Any ideas of what patch was originally on the tunic would be a great help. Thanks

Phil

[talltom]

can you post some pictures but imo it should have only been an oval never shield

tom

[Phil Steele]

I will do that Tom in the morning but not sure if it will be able to show where the shield shaped patch has been.

Phil

[Phil Steele]

Ok, here are some pics of said Ski Bluse. Not terrific pictures but I think you can see the shape on the shoulder of the sleeve where a shield shaped patch has been. I would be quite happy with attaching an oval edelweiss patch but I am very curious as to what the original patch was. My guess was a Korps patch but I have no idea which one. As you can see the label of the jacket is 1997.

Phil

[talltom]

i see what you mean the sheild looks like it has only recently been taken off very odd an idea might be that he went from mountain troops to maybe panzerjager and kept the uniform but with a different patch im sure steve will shead some light

tom

[Phil Steele]

If you are right Tom then I will just add an edelweiss patch but it is a bit of a mystery. Where are you Steve.................

[oradour]

Gents, indeed a mystery, I have not seen, nor come across this before....I had a quick look at some resources, but no mention of an armshield on a Gebirgsjager ski blouse, however other units from other Divisions/Brigades were attached to Gebirgsjager Divisions, and THEY DID replace there former armshields for the Gebirgsjager oval badge, so I guess it happened the other way round, when Gebirgsjager personel were temporarily attached to another Division/Brigade, however the wearing of the Gebirgsjager oval badge did not make you a mountain trooper ! the wearing of the ski blouse did ! see attached Feldjager(MP) assigned to a Gebirgsjager Division with Gebirgsjager badge on his 4 pocket jacket........ Prost ! Steve.

[Phil Steele]

Thanks for the input Steve and could be which leads me to think I will get my wife to sew on an edelweiss patch rather than something else. After all I did purchase the jacket because it is a Gebirgsjager item. Just to clarify things a bit Steve, I was told a while back that dress tunics only had Korps or Divisional patches attached....not battalion or regiment patches. Has this changed with the current Bundeswehr or does it still apply? Reason i am asking is I want to put a 23rd Mountain Brigade patch on rather than the 1st Gebirgsjager Division.

Phil

[oradour]

Phil, since the early 1960's all servIce jackets in the BW including the ski blouse wore Korps, Division and Brigade armshields...Battalion and other formation patches were worn only on the feldzug or combat jacket (I show a couple of examples on a cammo shirt/jacket), so you can attach a 23rd Gbj patch....see this thread I posted some time ago, my ski blouse from that Brigade, Gebirgsjager Ski blouse.
Here is some info on German Mountain troop formations.. Gebirgsjäger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prost ! Steve.

[Phil Steele]

Thanks Steve, I was in fact just reading the same info on Wikipedia. I know this is a long shot but I wonder if the original shield shaped patch might have been a 10th Panzer Division patch as the 23rd Mountain Brigade is attached to that division. A long shot for sure but who knows. I will be happy to put the 23rd patch on the uniform.

Phil