Tropical shoulder straps for a Heer Artillerie EM

[PaulW]

Hi, I am looking at these tropical / DAK shoulder straps and am grateful for any thoughts about them.

They are field-grey backed which I understand from those more knowledgeable than I that this would date them to the El Alamein / late 1942 period or later? Olive brown wool backing being associated with earlier issue straps I believe.

The tongue reinforcement is olive coloured flat cotton.

Regards, Paul

[PaulW]

I went ahead and grabbed these shoulder straps after wholly positive feedback from several long-term DAK / tropical collectors. I was pretty happy with them but other opinions never hurt!

I bought them to add to this 3rd Pattern Tropical feldbluse previously shown on the Forum here:-

Heer 3rd pattern Tropical service blouse (Unissued)

The tunic is dated 1944 and might have been something issued in Italy or Greece etc at that stage of the war. Looking at a number of period pictures from that period (in Italy) I have noted tropical uniforms being worn as late as October 1944, and with continental wool shoulder straps worn at least as often as tropical, and in the images I've noted (so far), they may be more common than tropical if anything.

However.... in the end I couldn't deny that tropical straps on a tropical tunic just seem....

I will add some pictures of my own, slightly closer, for interest, and some with the shoulder straps now 'home' on the Third pattern tropical tunic, a tunic type some have noted issued to 10th Panzer Division troops on their way to Tunisia in early 1943, albeit in small numbers.

Regards, Paul

(NB - the light patch on the back of the shoulder-strap is sunlight not a shade variation.)

[PaulW]

And on the tunic, they are 11cm in length, and a perfect fit for the tunic (a 92cm chest size example.)

Finally, thank-you to US militaria dealer The Virtual Grenadier for the shoulder straps, excellent service and communication as usual.