Shortage of WWII enlisted men tunic.

[ekim2525]

Shortage of WWII enlisted men tunic.

There seems to be a shortage of German and Italian enlisted men tunics. You will find all kinds of officer tunics but very, very few, enlisted men’s. Did they wear them home at the war’s end and just wear them out? I was told by my uncle, that served in Europe, that at the end of the war there were so many German’s surrendering they just took their helmets, and any arms they carried, and sent them home. As long as they were not SS. I can see that they would not have a lot to go back too, so they might have worn them as they had no other clothing to were, and wore them until they wore out.

Any other thoughts?

[TWS]

I am going to assume you are talking about Feldblusen, field tunics.

Actually, depending more exactly on what type of tunic is being considered, enlisted are often as easy to find as officer. However, even if rough parity today, that doesn't reflect what I imagine drives your question... the preponderance of enlisted men versus the minority that were officer.

Officers usually had multiple tunics and during the war an enlisted man might just have the one on his back, to be replaced by a new issued one when it wore out. Sometimes the enlisted man/NCO had a "best" tunic that he kept at home for wear on leave and so that tunic was more likely to survive if his family didn't dispose of it at war's end. Of the millions of enlisted tunics manufactured, most did not survive as... 1. The soldier was killed and buried in it. 2. The soldier wore it to rags while a POW in captivity. 3. As you guessed, many uniform items were pressed into service as everyday clothing in the time of poverty in the immediate post-war era and, again, worn to rags. Officers were often a little better off and had enough clothing so they could hide their tunics away and not have to strip them of insignia and wear them as a basic garment post-war.

[ekim2525]

There aways seems to be a supply of British Battle Dress, which I have a collection of, and American Tunics. Also now a lot of Japanese. I am looking for a Italian Tunic, to finish up my Italian uniform collection. Again I see Officers but no enlisted men. I will keep looking.