BACKGROUND: On December 22ND 1920 the Reichsheer, (National Army), instituted a system of sleeve rank insignia for enlisted personnel. The Reichsheer system remained in effect until the newly formed Wehrmacht Heer, (Armed Forces, Army), introduced a new system on September 25TH 1936 that included the Oberschütze sleeve rank pip. Originally the base material of the standard issue rank insignia was in field-grey badge cloth until regulations of October 1935 altered the base material to a blue/green badge cloth. Further regulations on April 25TH 1940 altered the base material of the standard issue insignia to field-grey wool while the coloration of the base material for specialized uniforms such as the black panzer wrap or the olive/drab tropical tunic utilized the base color of the uniform. Tropical insignia was developed in late 1940, along with uniforms and equipment for wear by DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel serving in North Africa. Design of the tropical items essentially adhered to the pattern of the field-grey continental uniforms with color variations.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Second pattern, later issue, (Circa 1940), tropical Oberschütze rank insignia consists of a roughly, 55mm diameter, light ribbed, tan cotton twill base with a central, machine embroidered, rank pip in bluish/grey rayon threads. The outer edge of the base is trimmed with a narrow strip of olive drab rayon.