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H004658 ASSAULT ARTILLERY EM'S FIELD-GREY WRAP TUNIC.
(Sturmartillerie Feldbluse)BACKGROUND: Development of self-propelled assault artillery to support the infantry in a close fire support role began in the late 1930's and continued through-out the war. With the development of these new weapons it was decided that crew personnel would require a uniform designed specifically for wear in the close constrains of their vehicles. The black panzer wrap uniform had proven practical in the confines of tanks, but it was determined that the color was too conspicuous for use while performing the close support role as the assault gunners were quite often required to leave their vehicles for observation within close range and view of the enemy. This consideration led to the introduction of the field-grey Sturmartillerie, (Assault Artillery), uniform on May 29TH 1940, with the same design and cut of the black panzer wrap uniform. Originally test examples of the Sturmartillerie uniform were manufactured with a blue/green collar which was altered to a field-grey collar by the time of its official introduction. The field-grey assault artillery wrap tunic remained the same through-out the war. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with bright red being chosen for all Artillerie, (Artillery), personnel including Sturmartillerie, (Assault Artillery), personnel. On the field blouse, service tunic and assault wrap tunic the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the shoulder straps/boards and the collar tabs. This example is manufactured in the distinctive field-grey 44 material as introduced in the autumn of 1944, which is a considerably more olive/brown coloration then the earlier field-grey color.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Later war, olive/brown, field-grey 44, wool/rayon blend construction, waist length, double breasted style tunic with small fold back lapels and a large lay down collar. The left front closure panel of the tunic has three, hidden, button holes and an additional three, visible, button holes on the fold back lapel. The right front closure panel has all three large and all three smaller, corresponding buttons intact. The edge of the right front closure panel has an additional small, button positioned underneath the overlapping left closure panel with a corresponding, internal, fabric loop for a secure closure with a neat appearance. The tunic also has a single metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline for a secure closure. The right breast has an M39 pattern, machine woven, national eagle in matte grey threads on a cut-out, woven field-grey rayon base. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the tunic, all original stitching. The tunic has no exterior pockets. The reverse of the tunic has a central, vertical, seam and two, vertical, tapering darts. The waistline side seams of the tunic each have four, vertically aligned, horizontal, rows of heavy stitching with a central vertical slash to secure the belt support hooks. The natural, bent, magnetic wire belt support hooks are included. The straight cut sleeve cuffs each have a vertical outside seam slash with dual, fit adjustment buttons. One button is missing from the left cuff. The tunic has the late war, (circa 1944), pattern slip on shoulder strap in olive/brown, field-grey 44, wool/rayon blend material with bright red rayon waffenfarbe piping. The bottom of the straps and the slip on retaining tongues are also in field-grey 44 wool/rayon blend material and have a narrow brownish/grey cotton/rayon reinforcement strip with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave machine stitched in place. The waffenfarbe is also visible on the outside bottom edges of the straps. The slip on shoulder straps fabric retaining loops and pebbled, alloy retaining buttons are intact. The tunic has a large lay down collar with the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse. The collar features the second pattern, general issue, EM/NCO’s collar tabs as introduced on May 9TH 1940 for wear by all branches of service. The machine woven collar tabs feature light grey/green ribbed litzen with mouse grey branch of service and center stripes mounted on an elongated field-grey 44 wool bases with bright red rayon waffenfarbe piping to the outer edges. The collar tabs are machine stitched to the collar. The interior breast panels are lined in grey rayon. The lining has a horizontal slash, patch pocket to the right breast panel and a vertical slash patch pocket to the left breast panel.
The interior of the tunic also has two, vertical, greyish/tan canvas/rayon web straps with four stitched eyelets to each, situated at the waistline side seams to secure the belt support hooks. The interior also has a horizontal, tunnel looped, white cotton, fit adjustment drawstring to each of the waistline side panels. The left breast panel is well marked with faint, mostly illegible, white, size inkstamps and, "E. 44", indicating it passed through the army’s clothing depot in Erfurt in 1944. The tunic is in overall good condition with moderate to heavy nap wear and light to moderate age and usage toning through-out. The tunic has a small tear to the upper right arm and the left collar and a small handstitched repair to the mid right breast. The buttons are a combination of the pebbled, alloy type, the molded black bakelite and alloy dish types and almost all appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly size 42" chest. (Note) * "Franz Xaver Huber" was attached to Sturmgeschutz Abteilung 236, renamed Sturmgeschutz Brigade 236 on 14.02.44 and then Sturmartillerie Brigade 236 on 10.06.1944. Served with 2. Batterie/ StuG-unit 236 and went missing August 1944 (at a time when the unit was encircled in Romania but failed in its breakout attempt). All of the unit's action in the period 1943-1944 was on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, with some time spent being rebuilt in Altengrabow/Magdeburg, Germany (spring 1944). Being dated 1944, it likely would have been issued there. A lot of the action for StuG-unit 236 was in areas such as Jassy (summer 1944) where Pz.-Gren.Div. "Grossdeutschland" was prominent, and also some was with the renowned Waffen-SS "Totenkopf" and "Das Reich" divisions (summer 1943). Huber obtained the rank of Obergefreiter and if you look carefully of the left sleeve you will see the faint out line of where the chevron once was. Superb untouched example, they don't get much better than this!GRADE ***1/4 PRICE $5,850.00
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