Description
Physical description
Lightweight pullover anorak of field grey wind-resistant fabric, reversible to white and featuring an integral hood. The hood opens at the neck via a lace-up fastening through five pairs of eyelets, which can be covered by a three-button flap secured to the left side. Across the chest are three patch pockets, the two outermost being pleated, and all having pointed button flaps. Two further pockets, of slash form with pointed button flaps, are located at the lower rear of the anorak. The waistband is adjustable via a drawstring, the cuffs are fitted with strap and friction buckle adjusters, and a single button is fitted to each upper sleeve. Secured mid-way up the back with a single button is a tailpiece strap, which feeds through a slit in the skirt where it can either be secured to the inside back or looped under the crotch and fastened to a button on the front. All features are identical when reversed to white. All external buttons are of dark green plastic four-hole type.
Label
Although the kingdoms of Bavaria Wurttemberg and had successfully used mountain troops during the First World War, specialist mountain infantry were a relatively new concept in the German Army of the 1930s. The Gebirgsjaeger, recruited mainly from the mountainous regions of southern Germany and (after the 1938 Anschluss) Austria, were an elite of light infantry, specialists in mountain operations and therefore denied the wealth of supporting elements that standard infantry formations might enjoy. Consequently the Gebirgstruppen needed to be supremely fit and carried all they would personally need for operations in their distinctive rucksacks. Specialists in mountain warfare, they were equipped with climbing equipment and skis, and additionally issued with special anoraks, trousers, short mountain boots & puttees. However, their most distinctive form of dress was the adoption of the short-peaked Bergmutze field cap, with metal edelweiss badge attached to the left side* and the cloth woven edelweiss patch to the upper right arm. While white piping was the standard adornment for other infantry, light green waffenfarbe was the characteristic insignia colour of the mountain soldiers.
Able to field their own portable artillery and casualty extraction they used pack mules for additional load carrying in the most inaccessible environments and although used highly successfully in their specialist role in Poland, Norway, the Balkans, Russia, Crete, Greece & Italy, they also served in north Africa as conventional infantry and were later squandered in many defensive battles as Germany's military aspirations reversed.
Inscription
RB Nr. 0/1001/0201
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