Afrikakorps DAK, OPINIONS needed for: Tropical trousers luftwaffen, two eagles uniform, rucksack luftwaffen.

[Jerry B]

Hi Manny,

Glad to have made it clearer what I mean't. I still have questions about which units are DAK and is Afrika Korps different and can you include units like the Ramke brigade, SV288 and the Luft 88 flak units, never mind the 90th light etc...?

As you know, there are lots of tropical items, all good stuff, but used in Italy or Greece or the Balkans etc..., but none of which can be called DAK.


Jerry

[Jerry B]

According to the axis history factbook and Bender's Afrikakorps book, the DAK consisted of the following units.

Afrika Korps (also Deutsches Afrika Korps) was destroyed in Tunisia 16 May 1943.

Commanders
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (14 Feb 1941 - 15 Aug 1941)
Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal (15 Aug 1941 - 1 Sep 1941)
General der Panzertruppen Philipp Müller-Gebhard (1 Sep 1941 - 15 Sep 1941)
General der Panzertruppen Ludwig Crüwell (15 Sep 1941 - 9 Mar 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Walther Nehring (9 Mar 1942 - 19 Mar 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Ludwig Crüwell (19 Mar 1942 - 29 May 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Walther Nehring (29 May 1942 - 31 Aug 1942)
Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein (31 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Gustav von Värst (1 Sep 1942 - 2 Sep 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (2 Sep 1942 - 13 Nov 1942)
General der Panzertruppen Gustav Fehn (13 Nov 1942 - 15 Jan 1943)
General der Panzertruppen Hans Cramer (28 Feb 1943 - 16 May 1943)

Area of operations
North Africa (Feb 1941 - May 1943)

Order of battle
Stab des korps
5. Leichte Division
15. Panzer-Division
Korpskartenstelle (mot) 576
Oasen-Bataillon zbv 300
Panzerjäger-Abteilung (mot) 605
I/Flak Regiment (mot) 18
I/Flak Regiment (mot) 33
Flak-Abteilung (mot) 606
Nachrichten-Abteilung (mot) 475
Leichte Nachrichtenkolonne
Funkleitstand Zug 10
Panzer Funk Zug
Funk Zug
Fernkabel Zug
Nachschub-Bataillon (mot) 572
Grosse Kraftwagenkolonne
Grosse Kraftwagenkolonne für Betriebsstoff
Kraftwagenwerkstat Zug
Munitionsverwaltung Kompanie 588
Wasserversirgungs Bataillon (mot) 580
Wasserversorgungs Kompanie (SW) 659
Wasserdestillations Kompanie (mot) 655
Grosse Wasserkolonne 641
Grosse Wasserkolonne 645
Grosse Wasserkolonne 651
Filterkolonne 877
Wehrgeologenstelle (mot) 8
Wehrgeologenstelle (mot) 12
Aufklärungs Kompanie (mot) 580
Feldersatz Bataillon 598
Feldersatz Bataillon 599
Bäckerei Kompanie (mot) 554
Korps-Verpflegungslager (mot)
Feldgendarmerie-Trupp (mot) 498
Feldpostamt (mot)

[Tim OKeefe]

Interesting discussion, The term DAK is continually exploited in the sale of tropical items. When its for sale, its a DAK item, regardless if the tropical item was found in Italy etc, never issued or worn in the War. How does it go ? All tropical items are not DAK but all DAK items are tropical (not quite true actually as many Europeon items were worn by the DAK including the black Pz sidecaps.)
It seems many tropical items are labled DAK by mistake. Though the DAK is only the 5th Lt Div & 15Pz Div, any Jerrie in NA can be called a DAK Vet today. As is for the Allies and the term Desert Rat. But to lable a mint unissued tropical item as a DAK item is wrong imo. More tropical uniforms were worn in Italy, Greece, France, and Russia combined than in Afrika. ALSO more tropical items are sitting at the bottom of the Med than ever reached Afrika.

For example, the Ramkce Brig did not consider itself a DAK unit, the 90th Lt was not considered a DAK unit at first, bunch of foreigners etc. Nor the 164th.

The DAK was basically destroyed at Alamein, what was left was a mere shadow of its earlier self. The 10th Pz Div in Tunisia, under Von Arnim prided itself in that it was not part of a defeated German Korps (the DAK) but was a fresh Pz Div that had been at the gates of Moscow...

As for the AKCT any Herr soldat was eligible if he served in NA for 2 months, regardless if he was a member of the original DAK or not. The Luftwaffe flak units were also eligible to wear it so they should be included in the DAK also. Would not use the AKCT as a definative either though.

There can be tropical (most) then Afrikan including Tunisian items, and the Holy Grail, the true DAK items....

And the eagles in the threadstarter are not good imo.

Heia Safari !