I am looking for some more information on the following:
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Germany/HB/HB-9.html
5. Use of Numbers and Letters on Shoulder Insignia of Rank
Although the wearing of numbers and letters furnishing unit identification is forbidden in forward areas, German soldiers do not always observe this regulation. Soldiers of the Field Army, however, usually wear such identification in the form of slip-over cloth strips, with the numbers running across the shoulder strap with the length of the strip. In rear areas, numbers are worn as shown in Plates IV and V. Arabic numerals indicate the number of the regiment or battalion to which the wearer belongs. Enlisted men and the lower two grades of noncommissioned officers wear numbers in the color of their arm; other noncommissioned officers wear silver numbers, as do officer candidates. Officers wear gold numbers. Letters may be combined with Arabic numerals. In some cases (See Plate VI), these indicate units of special arms or of special branches of arms. In other cases, the letter D and an arabic numeral indicate division headquarters personnel. Since regulations have changed frequently since 1939, the system of identification by numbers and letters is difficult to follow without the aid of complex guides.
Does anyone have some photos of front-line troops using these slip-on unit identifiers on their shoulder boards? I am trying to find out how common it would have been, and how viable it would be to issue something like that in batches when doing events that bring together different groups - e.g. if you have several different SS groups coming together for a certain show, issue them all with the same slip-on unit numbers so that they can appear to be from the same unit.
Thoughts and more information on this would be appreciated.
Wasn't the whole point of the slip on that, when you got near the front, you could slip it off?
Previous to the slip on, shoulder boards were marked with regimental numbers. Very early the company was identified with a numbered button on the shoulder.
All three, buttons, regimental embroidered boards and slip ons were pretty much redundant by mid war.
Elite divisions continued to use embroidered boards and slip ons until the wars end. See Grossdeutchland and the low numbered SS divisions.
aka Stigroadie
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Wasn't the whole point of the slip on that, when you got near the front, you could slip it off?
According to the regulation - yes, quite clearly. However, the text implies that it was not always the case, in much the same way that the wear of insignia and awards on camo was not allowed, yet happened frequently enough with the W-SS. I am now just curious as to how common this infraction was, and whether anyone has more photos that show it (I spotted the slip-ons in some of my own reference books, and became curious).