"Talk to me about Wehrmacht cuff titles" Topic

I know a bit about these – campaign cuff titles on the left sleeve, unit cuff titles on the right if army or left if SS.

What I don't know is how common these were in general. Would a bog standard infantry division of 1940 to 1942ish have had a cuff title with its name, or was it only divisions that thought a lot of themselves? If you were in Africa did you get to wear the campaign cuff title automatically if you were reassigned to, oh, Norway? Was it still sand coloured on your grey uniform? Did paratroopers and mountain troops have these on their smocks?

Any info gratefully received.

A couple of links for you.

link

link

Greetings

According to Brian L Davis ‘German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945' the following cuff titles existed for battle honours and elite formations:

(A) Battle/campaign Honours
[21 June 1939] "1936 SPANIEN 1939" – for SCW service – right cuff
[18 July 1941] "AFRIKAKORPS" – right cuff – replaced [15 January 1943] by "AFRIKA" with palms – left cuff
[16 October 1942] "KRETA" – left cuff
[24 October 1944] "METZ 1944" – left cuff
[12 March 1945] "KURLAND" – left cuff

Units
[15 September 1939] "GROSSDEUTSCHLAND" replaced [May 1940] "INF. REGT. GROSSDEUTSCHLAND" replaced [7 October 1940] by "GROSSDEUTSCHLAND".
[?] "BRANDENBURG"
[4 September 1942] "FELDHERRNHALLE" to IR.271 – left cuff
[winter 1944] "INFANTERIE REGIMENT LIST" to IR.199 – left cuff
[6 December 1944] "FELDMARSCHALL VON MACKENSEN" to 5.Kav-Rgt.

Usually the campaign cuff titles could be retained whatever unit the individual ended up in, usually on uniform tunic and greatcoat. Hope this is useful.

Note that this does not cover SS or Luftwaffe.

Edward

Outside the SS and the DAK cuff titles were uncommon

Low numbered SS Divisions also has cuff titles

There were a number of small units, specialized units, etc, with cuff title. They weren't necessarily elite or anything. Ersatz Battalions, etc.

The only major units to wear cuff titles were Grossdeutschland and Herman Goering (both eventually full panzer corps sized formations), those naughty SS chaps and Afrika Korps units.

Bog standard units, no. German soldiers were pretty blinged up in general of course, I think Iron Cross 2nd class were issued in cornflake packets. All part of that Hugo Boss chic.