Interesting Question Paul and one i was going to ask at some point too for ready for when funds permit to add a suitable pair for this grouping .,I was also going to ask about the belt also and whether i could use my blue NVA example although for this display ,i'm sure the Kampfgruppen ones i have seen in a few reference pictures could also be green
Regards James
Thank you Steve ,i don't know for sure if it's a problem at my end or a forum glitch but clicking on links no longer takes me to those threads ,this all starting a while back at roughly the same time as the search function problem for archived threads occurred .I have tried to copy and paste your link direct into my web browser but with no luck
Regards James
Hi James,
I cannot explain that, it works fine for me. If you go through the pages of the DDR threads it is on page 5 and is dated 05-12-2019... the documents, some of which were translated by Andreas, are very interesting.
Cheers,
Steve
Hi James, sounds like something at your end but no idea what. Steves thread opens fine for me and he has posted some good images to help you.by James C
However, in the meantime, as promised here are some KGA medals that would be seen on that uniform;
As with all DDR medals there are early and late pieces with the differences being as you would expect when you consider the KGA was formed in 1953.
All the ones I show here were picked up whilst the Wall was still in place and are of later manufacture with the exception of the Leistungsabzeichen in the 2nd pic which is quite early.
The medal with your uniform is a good example of the later manufactue which has a clear polyester coating that early ones didn't have.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Works fine for me too.
Many thanks Mark for sharing your medal groupings ,i have a lot to learn on these awards but glad that you confirmed that the service medal i have would be of a later construction ,i just hope it would be period correct for this early 80's uniform
Regards James
Yep, I think mid '70s onwards
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
I don't have much KdA stuff either and I think most of what I do have came along wirh other stuff.
I've been digging around in the attic and I find I too have a similar Schiffchen of the same vintage (1967 so +2yrs).
It is worth noting the difference in material between it and the NVA Officers / Other Ranks patterns.
I also turned up an armpatch with a "Rangabzeichen" (Rank badge) for a Truppfuhrer which equates to a squad leader so a LCPL/CPL.
I'm not 100% certain but I believe the Skimutze that James has with his set came later and had the later NVA Kockarde rather than the early KdA one.
Damn it, now I am in danger of adding another sub-section to my collection! It's like that annoying song you hear on the radio that burrows into your head, an "Earworm" that you just can't shake off
Regards
Mark
Last edited by Watchdog; 11-02-2020 at 05:44 PM. Reason: Typo
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Going off available photographs, it would appear that the Kampfgruppen originally had the traditional style of Ski mutze - as in the M43 pattern of headdress. The first image was taken in 1952 and shows the men training with the K98 rifle and wearing a M43 type cap. The second image was taken in Berlin in 1957
In these next pictures taken in 1961, the cap now looks like the one with James's uniform...
And the last picture was taken during a parade in 1980. Klick on images to enlarge.
Cheers,
Steve
That's right Steve. I was discounting the earlier dark coloured Skimutze as it was a different colour and style as was the uniform and the cap had no badge. I believe the original type was much heavier material and I think it was black or very dark navy blue.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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