wwii axis reenactment forum

I have a question concerning foreign volunteers, in particular the use of different national emblems on uniforms.

Is it the case that foreign troops were only formed up in like nationality units or were they also widely found as individuals in other fighting units?

and also, if a foreign fighter was in a unit as an individual, would he be allowed to or be required to wear the relevant emblem, or would that emblem be solely reserved for use by the particular unit?

e.g. the red/white chequered crest for the specific use by the Crna Legia in Croatia

JH

p.s. My interest is quite specific because I have family connections with Croatia before, during and since the war.

Mate
Generally they were formed up in units by nationallity (mainly due to language barriers) you will find the odd person from far a field in a heer unit but no, he would not have worn a shield on his own (an example is the chap from the Phillapines in the heer) same with Swedes only about 70 joined up but no sheild exists. Later in the war (exact date escapes me) the SS took over all the For. Volunteers so they were autherizes to have shields. As for the croations go down the Handschar line (best book on the subject is "Himmler's Bosnian Division by George Lepre" great book by a great bloke)
PM me for any other stuff
Cheers
Paul

It was normal that every man in the brigade or division, wore the shield of the nationality of the brigade or division, even when you weren't a member of that etnic group. In an army everybody has to be the same, otherwise the machine breaks and that isn't the objetive.
Mostly if an officer was an etnic German and full member of the SS (he payed annualy his membership) and had the written permission, he wore the SS runes below his left brest pocket.

So when you where a Dutch person or a Flemish person in Das Reich or Westland, you didn't wear the Dutch or Flemish shield.

Thanks Salacious Crumb, good and accurate answer.

Cheers, Bill.

Salacious Crumb wrote:It was normal that every man in the brigade or division, wore the shield of the nationality of the brigade or division, even when you weren't a member of that etnic group. In an army everybody has to be the same, otherwise the machine breaks and that isn't the objetive.
Mostly if an officer was an etnic German and full member of the SS (he payed annualy his membership) and had the written permission, he wore the SS runes below his left brest pocket.

So when you where a Dutch person or a Flemish person in Das Reich or Westland, you didn't wear the Dutch or Flemish shield.

you had to pay for full membership?
I never heard that one