SS Wafenfarbe

[matiu]

These are a pair of Hauptscharfuhrer shoulder boards that I have recently acquired. They were sold to me as Transport boards. I have a pair of transport boards and the waffenfarbe is coloured light blue. I have also had medical boards in the past and they are quite a dark blue. These to me are dark grey. There is no blue in these. The photos are taken outdoors in natural light and represent the true colour. I have never seen dark grey waffenfarbe on any pair of WSS shoulder boards.
Some research tells me that dark grey was the colour of Himmler's staff from 1942. I would be interested in people's thoughts on these. Firstly, do you agree? Second, are they rare, and if so, how rare?

Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment.
Steve

[real steel]

That color grey waffenfarbe in relation to Heer is for Propaganda & not often seen. I don't know if that applied to SS. You are correct, it is not transport or medical. All I can offer
D.

[matiu]

Thanks for looking and replying. Light grey (hellgrau) was used for Heer propaganda personnel. These are SS boards. The information I have is that up until June 1942 Light grey colours were used for General Officers and Himmler's staff. From then Himmler's staff used dark grey.

Does anyone else have any info on this? I can only think these are really rare?

[CBH]

I believe SS Medical wore Dark blue waffenfarbe, Transport and Supply Light Blue.
The only listing for Dark Grey is late war Personal Staff RF-SS, Light Grey is also a Staff RF-SS color.

[matiu]

Ok. Thanks. Has anyone seen a dark grey colour on any WSS shoulder tab before. Thanks.

[Kohima]

Hi Matiu,
I have a similar pair, which I have always taken to be for Luftwaffe use - primarily because of the Uffz. Tresse (though this is not always a guarantee, of course, as there is frequent crossover use of the various types), but also as there is a very ‘blue’ colour to the body, albeit much darker than standard Luftwaffe fabric, rather than a true black. This is perhaps clearest around the button area.

Again, the blue-grey waffenfarbe has presented me with a bit of a mystery and I could only imagine they were intended for Luftwaffe Felddivision transport personnel, using the Army waffenfarbe schemes as adopted by this formation.

I hope this adds to the discussion, rather than muddying the water still further!
Bob

[CBH]

Hopefully an advanced SS collector will comment on these.
Shoulder boards are fairly complex and not something easily deciphered.

[matiu]

Bob. Thank you for posting the photo's of your boards. I would pick them as Transport as well, with a Luftwaffe tresse. Quite a lighter colour with the Waffenfarbe with a blue shade. They are very dark, but as you say, not black. The boards I posted do have a black underlay. There is no blue shade to the waffenfarbe. As Chris says, I'm hoping someone has seen this colour waffenfarbe before on SS boards..thanks again
Steve

[PDavies]

Himmlers Staff.