H054859 SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL/VERERINARY  OBERARZT'S/OBERLEUTNANT’S ORNAMENTED SERVICE TUNIC. (Geschmückte Dienstrock für Offizier)

BACKGROUND: The ornamented service tunic was introduced for wear by all Officers ranks on July 12^TH 1937 as an optional alternative to the M35 waffenrock, (Dress Tunic), for semi-dress wear although the waffenrock was still required for formal and parade dress to maintain uniformity. The cut of the ornamented service tunic was identical to the standard Officer’s service tunic with the addition of branch of service piping to the top of the French cuffs, the front closure panels and around the forward edge of the collar. 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. Regulations of October 30^TH 1937 extended wear of the ornamented service tunic to senior NCO’s who were appointed as Offizieranwärter/Oberfähnrich (Aspirant Officer/Officer Candidate). Generally the different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), although in an exception to the rule personnel serving with the Generalstab, (General Staff), the Führerstab, (Command Staff), the Oberkommando des Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), the Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), were all allocated crimson waffenfarbe regardless of their actual branch of service. On the field blouse and service tunic the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the shoulder straps/boards and the collar tabs and with the ornamented service tunic it was also displayed to the top of the French cuffs, the front closure panels and around the forward edge of the collar. A friend was kind enough to provide me with the following information. "Supplemental Medical and Veterinary Officers (Ergänzungsoffiziere) were assigned an Orange/Red waffenfarbe IAW HM 36,No 239 dated 01 April 1936. They were re-employed former officers assigned to duties in headquarters and other static administrative units and were rank ranged up to Oberst, there being no General Officers. They were paid the same salaries as active officers and although they had their own RDA or seniority this did not correspond exactly with the seniority of active officers and they were ranked behind active officers of the same rank for seniority purposes. They did not usually command active officers. These officers were normally recalled former officers employed on staff duties. Originally termed as "L" Officers, they were renamed as Ergänzungsoffiziere with effect 5th of March 1935. They were maintained on a separate seniority list until 11 May 1943 when those that were still in this status also finally were listed as normal active officers. Medical Officers on the Staff of the Wehrkreisarzt Veterinary Officers on the Staff of the Corps Veterinary Officer Chief Medical Officers of Garrison Hospitals and Nursing Homes with more than 100 beds Medical Officers on Recruiting District staffs etc."

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, private purchase, field-grey, doeskin wool/rayon blend construction ornamented service tunic with a very subtle whipcord weave. The tunic features a vertical, five button front closure with dual, metal, hooks and eyes positioned at the forward neckline. Both the left and right front closure edge panels are trimmed in orange/red wool waffenfarbe piping. The original owner/tailor has personalized the tunic by the addition of a small metal hook positioned on the interior left front closure panel, between the bottom two buttons, with a corresponding thread loop positioned on the exterior right front closure panel for a neat appearance. The second top, button eyelet has an Iron Cross 2^ND class ribbon, inserted and handstitched in place. The tunic has four pleated, front pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The breast pocket are the basic patch type while the hip pockets are the saddlebag type with expanding side panels. The right breast has a hand embroidered, national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons, in bright, silver/aluminum wire and bullion threads with dark green accent threads, mounted on a cut-out, blue/green, badge cloth base. The eagle is neatly handstitched in place. The left breast has a two place, ribbon bar with a horizontally ribbed, War Merit Cross 2^ND class ribbon with a gilt washed, stamped alloy, crossed swords cypher and a Russian Front Medal ribbon, mounted on a magnetic sheet metal base plate with a horizontal pin back device to the reverse. The ribbon bar is pinned directly to the tunic. The left breast pocket also has two, horizontal thread loops for wear of an award. The straight cut, non-adjustable, sleeves have deep, turned up French cuffs which are tacked into the upright position at both the inner and outer seams and have their top edges trimmed in orange/red wool waffenfarbe piping. The reverse of the field blouse has a central, vertical tail skirt vent and two, vertical tapering darts. The tunic has sewn on shoulder boards in bright, silver/aluminum Russian braid with a single, gilt washed, stamped alloy rank pip and the gilt washed, stamped alloy, Asklepian, (serpent intertwined on a staff), medical service cypher to each, mounted on orange/red wool waffenfarbe bases. The shoulder boards signify the medical rank of an Oberarzt which was equivalent to the standard rank of an Oberleutnant. The shoulder board retaining buttons are intact. The tunic has the addition of a small, molded tan bakelite button positioned beneath the right shoulder strap for wear of a lanyard or aiguillette. The tunic has a lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar with the typical zig-zag reinforcement stitching to the reverse and crimson wool waffenrabe piping to the forward edge. The collar has nice quality, hand embroidered collar tabs in bright, silver/aluminum wire threads with regulation, "V" patterned, silver/aluminum "branch of service stripes" mounted on orange/red wool waffenfarbe bases which show through as the center stripe. The collar tabs are machine stitched to the collar. The interior of the tunic is fully lined in ribbed field-grey rayon with white striped, grey rayon sleeves. The lining has a horizontal, slash, pocket to the left breast and a small, horizontal, slash to the reverse of the external left hip pocket for the dagger/sword hanger. The lining has a small, black, rayon loop to each sleeve with the golden yellow, machine woven, tailor’s name and location to each, "Reker & Brand, Detmold". The lining has numerous small picks and pulls. The tunic is in overall good condition with light age and usage toning, a few small tears to both cuffs and spots of light to moderate moth grazing resulting in a couple of dozen small holes. The buttons, excluding the molded tan bakelite lanyard/aiguillette attachment button are all the bright, silver washed, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal type and all appear to have their original stitching. The buttons retain the vast majority of their silver wash. The tunic is roughly size 39" chest. Scarce tunic.

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