Südfront Zeltbahn - Up for review ?

[AlecH]

Hi,
Attended the local military collectors club last saturday evening, bought a fair bit of WW2 German equipment. The piece shown came from one of the collectors who described it as a Südfront Zeltbahn, I don't have any reason to doubt him. The zeltbahn has been repaired and has few buttons missing, along with two marking - ?734 ADC??XXVI and AD Abt. 282/4. Obviously Abt. = Abteiling but the rest ? perhaps members have a idea, looked through a number military forums without finding another one like mine, I would be grateful if members could confirm if its Südfront / Poncho or exactly what it is, any further information would be useful.
Regards

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think it is Italian issue?

Cheers, Ade.

[AlecH]

Italian issue = Wehrmacht in Italy or italian made ?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Alec, it is Italian Army issue. These can also be found in camo material. I don't know about the markings, sorry.

Cheers, Ade.

[AlecH]

Hi Ade,
Thanks for the posts, nobody else has come in on this, if your right, its disappointing to read, I'll be returning the piece the next meeting.
Regards

[Matt L]

I can't find a German Abteilung numbered 282 that makes any sense with 'AD'...

[AlecH]

Matt - Showed a friend the zeltbahn, the secret of identifying this zeltbahn, is he says, the markings. He says, Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst FAD, a organization I'd not heard of. The precurser of RAD was founded 1931, later 1933 I believed renamed o or intergrated into RAD. Back to the markings - ADGauXXVI = Arbeits Dienst Gau XXVI (26 Württember)
AD Abt.282/4 = Arbeitsdienst Abteilung 282/4
If RAD it would have RAD stamp.
Best Wishes

[Adrian Stevenson]

The plot thickens then. Is this poncho triangular or square? I am worried that I might have made a mistake. I was saying Italian based upon the throat closure flap. Italian zelts are square.

If it is triangular, it might be some unknown (to me) German para-military pattern.

Cheers, Ade.

[AlecH]

Ade,
Here it is, laid out on the garden - Triangular. It does seem plausible what my friend says and to be honest I'm not knowledgable enough to conterdict him. I've looked, there isn't much information or photos regarding Freiwillige Arbeitsdienst organization (at least I've not found much, apart from FAD badges) and the time-window it existed was only a few years. If you can add something, please do.
Regards

[Adrian Stevenson]

Thanks Alec. I know of the FAD and my only reference is an old model makers magazine from the 1970's and God knows where that is buried! Paramilitary stuff is really getting outside of my collecting experience, but I strongly suspect your friend is correct.

Cheers, Ade.