Coastal Artillery Insignia

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Stigroadie

Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Stigroadie »

I have a set of denims I wish to badge up as Coastal Artillery circa June '44.
Breast Eagle and litzen are not a problem, a few bevo replicas about.
I am struggling to find details of head gear and insignia there on, in particular details of which cockade would be worn on an M38 and were M43 caps issued, if so how were they badged?
Shoulder boards will be the next step once the cap is sorted.
Suggested reading on KM Coastal Arty uniforms?
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Heinz O. Kaufmann
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Heinz O. Kaufmann »

Here you can find pictures of a M43 cap with KM insignia on it: http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Kriegsma ... 15163.html

And quote from Schäfer conserning the link above
The insignia in the colour photos appears to me to be an improvisation due to the navy blue background cockade being affixed. I have colour photos in my John Angolia book 'Kriegsmarine uniform and traditions' volume three. On pages 62 & 63 they definitely have field grey backgrounds to them.
Seems that there is also a book suggestion in the quote ;)

Here is also a picture of KM soldier with M43 cap.

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Salacious Crumb
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Salacious Crumb »

There are some topics on this forum concerning KM KA... best you can do is buy a M40 and remove the bottom pockets, but leave the flap and buy some Kusten artillery buttons and replace them...
The KA button is a special one, it's not like the general KM button! They have dots instead of lines behind the anchor.
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Jagdpanther
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Jagdpanther »

Below is a post I put on another thread, which mentions where I got my insignia etc from - basically BEVO insignia from Landser in the USA and shoulder boards from McFarthingbowls (see below),

Coastal Arty side caps were in both the same cut as the blue Kriegsmarine Bordmutze (i.e. similar to SS sidecaps - my repro is a rebadged SS sidecap) and also in the same cut as Heer M34 side caps. Insignia was mostly BEVO but occasionally embroidered for both. M43 style caps were used, again with either BEVO or one piece embroidered insignia.

Original:

http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Kriegsma ... 15163.html

Further reading:

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... ic&page=10

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... lery+tunic

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... 789&page=3
Jagdpanther wrote:As far as I can find there are no repros being made. As mentioned above they also used Heer M40 style tunics (i.e. with lower patch pockets).

The other alternative is to convert a repro Heer M40, by removing the lower patch pocket, and leaving the flap to give a false lower internal pocket - it makes for a tunic that is correct on the outside, but not on the inside (i.e. no internal lower pocket, and only partly lined on the inside - KM tunics were fully lined). The only thing that is wrong externally is that you are left with the front holes for the belt support hooks (KM tunics only had the rear set of holes, so only had two support hooks at the rear. However, with a belt on, you can't see the front holes..). Photos on my conversion (approximating to a KM Model 1940) are below.

I got the insignia from various places. KM buttons from Epic, painted field grey before adding them to the tunic, the litzen and eagle are from Landser in the States and the shoulder boards are from McFarthingbowls (links below):

Eagle:
http://www.landser.com/coastalartillerybreasteagle.aspx

Litzen
http://www.landser.com/litzen.aspx

Shoulder Boards:
http://www.re-enactmentshop.com/p_germa ... aneous.htm

ORIGINAL KRIEGSMARINE FELDBLUSEN, if it is of interest, came in the following models:

Model 1933 – Same tunic adopted by Heer, i.e. feldbluse with 4 outer pleated pockets with scalloped flaps. Five brass buttons. Fully lined. Insignia: collar made of basic uniform cloth or covered with feldgrau badge cloth; Insignia - collar tabs stitched directly on the collar or with a feldgrau badge cloth backing; shoulder straps in uniform cloth and rarely in feldgrau badge cloth; eagle on feldgrau badge cloth backing.

Model 1936 – Diverged from Heer Feldbluse at this point. Pleated breast pockets and reverted to the internal slash lower pockets of the pre-war M1920/M1928 Reichsmarine Rock, still with 5 brass buttons. Fully lined in grey twill.
Insignia: Dark green badge cloth back patches on the collar tabs and bluish-dark green shoulder boards. Eagle on bluish-dark green badge cloth.

Model 1940 – Almost identical to the M36, but the buttons are usually painted field grey.
Insignia: the collar tabs are without the back patches, sewn directly on the basic cloth collar, and the shoulder boards are in basic uniform cloth; eagle on dark feldgrau badge cloth backing; but not uncommon to see the older dark green-backed insignia used.

Model 1942 - Almost identical to the previous M40, but with the deletion of the pleat box on the breast pockets. Fully lined in grey twill or many times in M42-43 tunics in blue.
Insignia: as for Model 1940, but now rare to see the older dark green-backed insignia used.

Model 1943 – Identical to the previous M42, but with square-shaped pockets flaps. Some examples with 6 buttons instead the usual 5

Cheers,

Ade
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Stigroadie

Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Stigroadie »

No denims issued then?
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Tychsen »

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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Brigardefuhrer »

Stigroadie wrote:No denims issued then?
Hi Stig,when you say denims do you mean the U boat style BD's ? if so then I would say no.The KA did have HBT uniforms although I think a different style to army models but I think they used them as well.Check out WAF thread Field grey Kriegsmarine uniform gallery(I found this on a search)it shows various tunics including moleskin material(something like the post war bundes stuff).Here is a pic of original KM field grey button.John
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Stigroadie

Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Stigroadie »

Yes I mean the 4 pocket HBT tunic.
I have a full set of the correct buttons, actually on a set of U-boat denims. They are almost a khaki colour rather than what I think of as Field Grey but it seems to be the correct shade looking at originals.

I'm certain I saw KA HBT in one of the Normandy museums but didn't get a picture. I just came away with the memory of a KA badged HBT tunic.

Bevo stuff on its way from Landser, shoulder boards order going in today.
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Jagdpanther »

Stigroadie wrote:No denims issued then?
Yes and no it seems.

There doesn't appear to be an issue HBT Coastal Arty tunic as far as I can tell. There do seem to be private purchase ones, but in a different cut to Heer HBTs.

Tropical KM uniforms seem to have been in fairly widespread use (e.g. can be seen in photos of KM personnel in France, e.g. U-Boat crews), so presumably they just issued tropical uniforms for hot weather use (i.e. not just in the Med/N Africa). (Pre-war Reichsmarine moleskin summer tunics were also issued during WW2)

HOWEVER there are supposedly original HBT tunics, but as mentioned above, seem to be private purchase/tailor made.

One is in "German Soldiers of World War 2" by Jean de Lagarde (Histoire et Collections) page 88 - if you haven't got a copy the photo of it is below and on the following thread:

Image

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... stal+tunic

This HBT tunic is privately tailored in France, so not an issue item, and is exactly the same pattern as the KM tropical tunics - note the "French cuff" and "squared off" pocket corners - and therefore not the same cut as a Heer HBT.

Presumably these private purchase HBTs were seen as more appropriate (colour-wise) for use in France by Coastal Arty than using issue tropical tunics (??).

As mentioned above, pre-war Reichsmarine moleskin summer tunic (internal lower slash pockets, French cuffs etc) were also used during WW2 by the Kriegsmarine:

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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by simondodkins »

Gents, on the question of working uniforms for MAA units, here is a photos of 3rd Batterie, MAA604 at Noirmont Point Jersey, where they are wearing front buttoning white HBT work uniforms which seem to have a very similar cut to Heer.

This photo was taken on the 11th July, 1941 visit of Oberbefehlshaber West (Commander-in-Chief, West) Field Marshal Erwin von Witzlebien with Commanding Admiral in France, Admiral Schultze; his Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Litzmann; the Naval Commander in Normandy, Captain Fink. Copyright: Channel Islands Occupation Society

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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Leander_H »

This is one of my attempts on making a KA tunic...
I have not sewn on the eagle and litzen..

Used:
- M40 tunic
- Original buttons
- KA lizten
- KA eagle
- KA shoulder boards

Best regards from Norway
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Jagdpanther »

Leander_H wrote:This is one of my attempts on making a KA tunic...
I have not sewn on the eagle and litzen..

Used:
- M40 tunic
- Original buttons
- KA lizten
- KA eagle
- KA shoulder boards

Best regards from Norway
Nice - where did you get the field grey KA shoulder boards from?
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Leander_H »

Almost done with one sett 8)
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by berlin1945 »

can i ask where did you get the km buttons and where did you get the shoulder boards please . also would like to say your presentation looks fab regards mairtin
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Re: Coastal Artillery Insignia

Post by Leander_H »

Thanks guys! :D

The KA buttons got from a ww2 shop (Lucky!)
The KA shoulder boards are from Hessen ;)

Best regards from Norway! :D
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