BACKGROUND: HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), uniforms were originally introduced on April 1^ST 1933 to be utilized as a work/drill uniform and save wear and tear on the service uniform and the field blouse. Regulations prescribed that the drill uniform was the basic uniform to worn by all new recruits for most daily functions. Originally the drill uniforms were constructed in natural, unbleached cotton with an HBT weave that proved especially durable but impractical due to easy soiling. On February 12^TH 1940 the color of the drill uniforms was altered to a more practical reed green coloration. When utilized as a drill tunic the garments were issued with no insignia with regulations dictating that only EM/NCO sleeve rank and collar trim insignia was to be applied to donate the wearer’s rank, although the order was not strictly adhered to. The drill uniforms were utilized for the duration of the war with minor modifications and in early 1942 a modified drill tunic was introduced for wear as a summer combat field blouse and followed the basic modifications of the standard issue field blouse 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 German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), national eagle by order on February 17^TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all steel helmets, visor caps, and tunics by May 1^ST 1934.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Post-February 1940, reed green, cotton/rayon blend construction tunic with an HBT weave features a vertical, five button front closure with a single metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline and a small lay down collar. The tunic has two, non-pleated, patch, front hip pockets. The reverse of the tunic has a central, vertical, seam and a small, central, vertical, tail skirt vent. The tunic has straight cut, non-adjustable sleeve cuffs. The upper right breast has two, small, vertical thread loops and comes with a silver washed, die stamped, metal alloy construction, national breast eagle with outstretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons. The eagle’s wingspan is roughly, 3 3/4" (9.5cm), from wing tip to wing tip. The eagle shows moderate oxidization spotting and only retains hints of it’s original silver wash. The reverse of the eagle is a crude mirror image of the obverse and has a crimped, soldered, hinge, a thin, round, horizontal pin, a soldered catch and an additional, soldered, vertical, attachment prong to the bottom center all intact. The eagle has no visible manufacturer’s markings. The tunic has no other insignia or any evidence that any was ever applied. The unlined interior has vertical, dual-ply, reinforcement panels to both sides of the front closure and a horizontal, ribbed, white cotton twill, tunnel loop, positioned at the reverse waistline. Presumably the tunnel loop was designed to secure a fit adjustment drawstring, but no drawstring is present. All five collar liner attachment buttons are intact. The lower, right, front interior of the tunic has a faint, illegible purple inkstamped marking. The tunic is in overall very good condition with minimal age and usage toning and a few small picks and pulls. The front closure buttons are the standard, field-grey painted, pebbled, alloy and sheet metal, removable type secured by "S" rings and all retain the vast majority of their field-grey paint. The collar liner buttons are the ersatz, pressed natural tan cardboard type and appear to have their original stitching. The tunic is roughly size 38", (96.5cm), chest.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $395.00