Article about: I got this Flak tunic a couple of years ago. It came from one of the big dealers at a very inexpensive price, when compared with other tunics on the site. While other tunics were going for 1
I got this Flak tunic a couple of years ago. It came from one of the big dealers at a very inexpensive price, when compared with other tunics on the site. While other tunics were going for 1500 and up, this one was about 800 dollars. As you will see, it is textbook in every where.
The cool thing about this tunic is that it is named. It was later discovered that the unit itself was destroyed during the Stalingrad battle. It was later reformed and merged into the Hermann Goering Division in 1944, in Italy.
To me, this history is richer than the tunic itself. It is funny how a generic Flak Uffz tunic could have such a rich past!
Look closely at the collar tabs. You can see where he held the past ranks of Grefeiter and Obergrefeiter by the holes left by the gulls. This tunic's history actually lives because of this modification.
Thanks Ade! I really appreciate your kind words. I agree! Having a name and unit particulars add a lot of life to what would typically be an common and not typically desirable item.
This unit was a predecessor to a HG Flak unit!!! Much of the below information was already provided by Naxos. Please forgive the rough translation. I had to use an online translation program.
Set up on the 26 August 1939 in Mannheim. The unit was designated also as a Flakgruppe Mannheim. The unit was subordinate the 21st Flak-division and led in March 1944 the heavy Flak-unit 491, the heavy Flak-unit 492, the heavy Flak-unit 636, the heavy Flak-unit 701, that 5. / heavy Flak-unit 903, the Light Flak-unit 776, the light Flak-unit 977, the light Flak-unit 980, the Lsp. 107 as well as the Flak-batteries z. b. V. 6229, 6230 and 6238.
Commanding Officers:
26. August 1939 Oberst Eduard Muhr
20. Juni 1940 Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Werner
27. Juli 1941 Oberst Adolf Wolf
1. September 1943 Oberst Max Hecht
11. Februar 1944 Oberst Bernhard Brickwedde
Set up on the 1 October 1937 in Mannheim out of that 1ST / Flak-regiment 18 with five batteries. The department was subordinate the higher commander of the Flakartillerie in the airgau IV, as of February 1938 to the Luftgaukommando XII. The department lay as of September 1939 at the west rampart. The department under major Runge supported the associations of the XXVI out of the room Kleve. Battalion. In the Maas-dike, the department shot 10 bunkers together and accompanied the corps through Holland and Belgium then into the beach D?nkirchen. The department captured an amount in Hollandof 4 cm Flak Bofors with ample ammunition and placed after out of the large prey by D?nkirchen the motor vehicle-equipment could be completed, a 6th battery under lieutenant block with 4-cm of Flak up. In the second part of the France expedition, the department in the Luftschutz- and earth battle use stood and came after the armistice after Brest. After the end of the west expedition, this additional battery formed the tribe of a new light Flak-department that was used with that 4-cm of Flak to the protection by Berlin. The department the XXVI supported as of May 1940. Battalion during the west expedition. Subsequently the department in France and the canal islands lay lay under the rod of the Flak-regiment 100th in August 1940 it in Ard, as of summer 1941 into the room St. Nazaire and then again after Brest to the protection of the battleships berthed there. Later the unit was transferred after Bordeaux in order to prepare itself for a mobile use Spain - Gibraltar. In July 1942 embarrassed the department into the room Cakais-D?nkirchen, secured then temporarily the breakthrough of the German battle ships in the room Vlissingen in Holland through the canal and came directly after the first air attack on the Renault-works in Paris there to a new use whereby the attack free times was used at the same time to the preparation to the use at the east front. The department transferred in April 1942 to south-Russia where it became imputes the rod of the Flak-regiment 12 in the 17th Flak-division. The department became first of all in the room Isjum - Artemowsk used. In start of the German large attack, it infringed under the responsibility of the Flak-regiment 37 to the 1st tank army and collaborated here above all with the 91st infantry-division. With this division, it became then the XXIV. Tank corps as a part of the 9th Flak-division of the 6th army trains part. In the north bar of Stalingrad, above all in the 16th tank-division, the unit suffered heavy losses and was lost there.
In June 1943 with five batteries in Italy the unit was rebuilt. The department was subordinate in January 1944 the rod of the Flak-regiment 39 in the 3rd Flak-brigade and as of February 1944 in the 22nd Flak-brigade to the responsibility of the Flak-regiment 57. In the same month, the department became the III. / Flak-regiment Hermann Goering.
This unit was a predecesor of a HG unit!!!
Here are some more photos of the tunic. The ribbon bar shown here is not accurate, as a member of this unit would not have been eligible for the Eastern Campaign medal(oddly enough) due to the dates the unit was in Russia. The ribbon bar with the Westwall Medal is an accurate representation of what one would see for a member of this unit.
So was he killed at Stalingrad and the tunic remained in a closet at home?
He must have been going some to have been awarded a gold wound badge on flak.
That is my guess. I have not been able to find anything on this man's name. Perhaps he was one of the 36 who made it out before the battle ended? He could have died before they moved into Russia as well.
The badges fit perfectly into the loops. The center badge loops were definitely for a flak badge, as they are too far apart for an EK1. The one on the outer set fit best for a WB and a sports badge(DRL) was the best fit for the inner set. There is a possiblity that there were other badges in the loops, but these fit (due to spacing) and make the most sense.
I gave him a WB in Gold because of the odds are good that he was killed in battle(due the unaltered early unit information in the tunic). I am sure that the WB which would have been worn would have been black.
Hi Paul, It's obvious you put a lot of time and effort in your collection, it shows in the finished product... would look great on a mannequin. Thanks for showing, Hal
A really cool Flak NCO tunic
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