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Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
This is one I have been waiting to come in for 3 months now. It finally arrived on Friday and I am very happy with this beauty. Its certainly not mint but its a great piece of field gear and I think has alot of character, just the way I like my items
This is a typical German gasmask canister, cannot see the date or maker on the spring latch because of pitting but the inside spare lens case is dated 1940 so I would guess the can is much the same. The can has been camouflaged in the Normandy scheme of tan, green and red brown though I think I can also see chocolate brown as well. To me this looks to be a barn find, with a nice dark patina of rust though I dont have that info to prove it. Its marked in white paint on the top "79" so must have been the 79th issued in the unit.
The part that opens this up though is the inside, where the spare lens case is named and includes a Feldpost number. This has been painted in a Darkgelb paint which is different but quite nice to see (to me anyways) It reads:
2407
Ogtr.
Lipowzki
So if we find the unit for the feldpost number it returns:
Feldpostnummer 02407
(Mobilmachung-1.1.1940) 2. Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug 216, (2nd Ambulance company, 216th Infantary Division)
(1.8.1943-23.3.1944) 28.1.1944 Kranken-Kraftwagen-Kompanie 272. (Ambulance company, 272nd Infantry Division)
Now if we do a google search on the 272nd Infantry Division, care of Wikipedia:
272nd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 272nd Infantry Division was formed in Belgium beginning on 12 December 1943 from the remnants of the 216th Infantry Division, which had been decimated on the Eastern Front and disbanded the month before. The entire staff of the 216th, its signal battalion, divisional support units, and most of its artillery regiment were simply re-designated with the new divisional number. Grenadier Regiments 396 and 398 were disbanded, except the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 396, which was re-designated as Füsilier Battalion 272. Its commander, Generalleutnant Friedrich August Schack, was carried over from his previous command of the 216th.
Only Grenadier Regiment 348, under the command of Oberstleutnant Burian, was withdrawn from Russia in its entirety, to be re-designated as Grenadier Regiment 980. Both Grenadier Regiments 981 and 982 were created from reserve and training battalions of the 182nd Reserve Division, consisting almost entirely of native German personnel or Reichsdeutsche. The combat engineer and antitank battalions were formed from scratch using elements forwarded from the Replacement Army.
The 272nd Infantry Division trained in the Bevern area in Belgium while under the command and control of the Fifteenth Army. In April 1944 it was sent to the French Mediterranean Coast to continue its training plan and to conduct security duties near the Franco-Spanish border while under the control of the Nineteenth Army. By 19 June, it reported that its present for duty strength was 11,211 men and 1,514 Russian auxiliaries or Hiwis, for a total of 12,725 men, close to its authorized strength.For information about its commitment to the defensive front in Normandy and its main engagements, refer to the section shown below.
After surviving the retreat from Normandy, on 17 September 1944 it was re designated as the 272nd Volksgrenadier Division.
So provided I am looking at all of this right I can hopefully place the can in Normandy, which then matches up with the camo scheme painted to the outside. I can just see during the retreat from Normandy and the hurry to get out of the field hospital Obergefreiter Lipowzki left his equipment behind in an effort to get away from the advancing allies.......
Any other thought or info would be appreciated guys but here are the pics. They are only with my iPhone as the camera is broke but I think they came out ok actually. Should I add some tatters carry straps for my display (which I am building at the moment, or just leave it be?
Cheers
Jason
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05-25-2013 11:57 AM
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Just found out the can was found in Poland, which matches with the name is its Polish as well. Maybe he did get away from the retreat in Normandy, finished the war and settled back in Poland, with the can sitting in the shed for the next 70 years!
Jason
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Nice find, I like that the Normandy camo is still visible
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Probably a polish "volunteer"..... Great can! Oozes history
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Great stuff Jase, I know you've been waiting for this one to arrive for a while now! Looks great and will fit in nicely with what you have in mind, well done mate!
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Thanks guys, I love the look of this one and cant wait to build the display. Will upload pics of this tomorrow once it get some items together.
I just picked up another can, so I will have another to post in abput 3 months when it arrives but its a very nice one to!
Jason
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Jase, that looks bloody great cobber! Very well displayed, you do have a gift for doing that, all your displays come out looking great! Well done mate.
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Thanks Dave, glad I bought those MG42 parts back at the last show! Just need the Normandy helmet now
Jason
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Re: Wehrmacht Camouflage Gasmask Can - 1940 and Named
Very Nice gasmask cannister !!! Love the cammo !!
Congrats
Tom
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