Belgian Collaborationist Uniform Insignia

[SARGE]

Gents,

 

During German occupation Belgium was administratively separated into German speaking Flanders and French speaking Wallonie.

 

These are WWII collaborationist Flanders Vlaamsche Wache cap insignia. Worn by both the Flemish Vlaamsche Wache (Flemish Guard) and the Vlaamsche Fabriek Wache (Flemish Factory Guard) these are two embroidered cap insignia for soft caps. The Roman numeral in the center of the leaves represent Battalions (Abteilungen). Larger examples of this numeral within a wreath insignia were worn on the black uniform tunic over the right breast pocket. Metal examples were worn on the black peaked cap as well.

 

According to "Foreign Legions of the Third Reich" Vol.2 by David Littlejohn these units were established in 1942 and worked with the German Luftwaffe and the SS. They wore black uniforms made mostly from died Belgian Army uniforms along with ex-Belgian Army steel helmets with the oak leaf insignia (without the numerals) on the front of the black painted helmet. Separate units were formed with Flemish and with Walloon members. Flemish uniforms had yellow piped black collar tabs and shoulder boards while Walloon uniforms had red piped insignia.

 

The Wallonne version of this organization was called the "La Garde Wallonne" having been formed in 1941. The uniforms were the same and, according to Littlejohn, the name of "Garde Wallonne" was, "...the name given to the 17th Century Walloon mercenaries who served in the armies of Spain in her wars against the British". Like the Flemish version both Guard units provided internal security and by May 1942 the re-enforced Belgian Gendarmerie and Garde Rurale consisted of some 38,000 men. The Guarde fed men into the Waffen-SS and it should be remembered that Knights Cross with Oak Leaves recipient Leon Degrelle was a Walloon Major in the Waffen-SS in the volunteer Walloon SS Assault Division.

 

The two small white insignia below are versions of the Flemish cap insignia with "III" representing the Battalion located at Oudenarde and "IV" the Battalion located at Brussels. Battalion "I" was located at Ghent and Battalion "II" was located at Antwerp.

 

The larger version insignia with a red "I" in the center is an example of the tunic insignia for the Garde Wallonne.

[SARGE]

Here is an example of the reworked and re-issued Belgian Army helmets worn by these Wacht groups. Littlejohn shows multiple photos of this helmet in wear in his book. Notice the hand painted wreath insignia made without the Roman numeral that is seen on the embroidered cloth cap insignia.

 

 

[Old Marine]

Thanks for posting these patches, and teaching me something new. If I was rooting through a patch box and came across them I would have just tossed them aside.

 

Thanks

[teamski]

Never knew! Thanks for sharing!

 

-Ski

[RRA227]

Never seen that stuff. Rich A. in Pa.

[Buckshot329]

Never seen these before, and I live in Flanders! But I hardly ever see anything related to that part of the war, probably for obvious reasons... Thanks for the well researched post on the insignia, always fun to learn something new.

Small sidenote however, we do not speak German but Dutch

[SARGE]

Never seen these before, and I live in Flanders! But I hardly ever see anything related to that part of the war, probably for obvious reasons... Thanks for the well researched post on the insignia, always fun to learn something new.

Small sidenote however, we do not speak German but Dutch

 

Sorry about that. Not the first time, nor the last time, that I have been wrong but I am going to blame the language mistake on Littlejohn's book.

[SARGE]

To put these insignia into context, here is an example of the Walloon version of the Garde Wallonne uniform with red piping.

 

 

[Old Marine]

That uniform is pretty rare. I can't imagine a lot of them survived at the end of the war.

[Wake1941]

Thanks for sharing Ive never seen the insignia before

[SARGE]

That uniform is pretty rare. I can't imagine a lot of them survived at the end of the war.

 

You are right as rain. Not many of these uniforms were carefully folded and put away so the owner could tell his grandchildren what he did in the war.

 

A couple of pages from Littlejohn's excellent book series.

[Buckshot329]

 

You are right as rain. Not many of these uniforms were carefully folded and put away so the owner could tell his grandchildren what he did in the war.

 

A couple of pages from Littlejohn's excellent book series.

How did you come by it? I've never seen these pop up in Belgium and for as far as I know, never seen one in person (museums/collections)

[pvon]

Thanks for showing Sarge

 

Great info on items not seen much!

 

I have not seen real items like these!

 

The uniform is unreal in finding or my quess knowing what it is if found!

 

PVON

[Gunslinger]

To put these insignia into context, here is an example of the Walloon version of the Garde Wallonne uniform with red piping.

 

 

 

You're probably not going to like the comment about the Wallonie insignia, but i'm going to comment anyway since it's the right thing to do.

 

The Wallonie Sleeve Shield is a poor copy, the font and weave are both incorrect. This is highly reproduced insignia and many version exist on the collectors market.

 

Below is picture of Leon Degrelle showing an Original period piece produced by the company BeVo-Wuppertal.

 

 

Hopefully you don't take it the wrong way since i'm only point out a known copy of the insignia.

 

CDub

[SARGE]

Gunslinger,

 

I do appreciate your comments on the Wallonie sleeve shield. I have heard similar comments concerning these bevo style shields. I picked this uniform tunic up probably 40 years ago and the shield was hand sewn onto the sleeve at this time. While I would not argue that it is a German made insignia made by bevo wuppertal are we certain these were not locally manufactured during the war? I have not heard any opinion on when they were made or by whom after the war. Are you aware of who might have made this shield or when?

[Gunslinger]

Gunslinger,

 

I do appreciate your comments on the Wallonie sleeve shield. I have heard similar comments concerning these bevo style shields. I picked this uniform tunic up probably 40 years ago and the shield was hand sewn onto the sleeve at this time. While I would not argue that it is a German made insignia made by bevo wuppertal are we certain these were not locally manufactured during the war? I have not heard any opinion on when they were made or by whom after the war. Are you aware of who might have made this shield or when?

 

There are many theories about where the fakes were made and time period they are from. Judging by the weave, they most likely originated from France and produced sometimes during the 1970's. The market was flood with these in the 1980's and were being sold as Originals for about $75.00.

 

I have never seen or have heard of a locally produced woven Wallonie sleeve shield.

 

Here's a link to WAF with discussion about this insignia as attached to your tunic. Bob Hritz is well known collector of Foreign Volunteer insignia.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=743186

 

 

Original period pieces below

 

Here's a link to WAF with discussion on an Original Wallonie Insignia with excellent front and back images. Pay attention to the Font (most noticable the W A O) and the weave of the insignia which still can't be reproduced correctly even now days.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=837054

 

Wallonie Army Pattern made by BeVo (First patten)

 

Wallonie Army Pattern made by BeVo (Second pattern in German) These were part of the Waffen SS Experimental insignia for merge of all WH (Heeres) Foreign Legion Units into the Waffen SS late 1944.

 

 

Take look at the thread i'd started on Reproduction Turkestan Sleeve Shields. The hand sewn application may be familiar to you on the insignia attached to a piece of tunic material.

 

I'm going to start a seperate thread about fake Foreign Legion Insignia as time permits, that should be extremely helpful to other collectors.

 

 

CDub

[SARGE]

Thank you for the links and the informative discussion on these sleeve shields. This is how we learn.

[RRA227]

Great uniform coat. Rich A. in Pa.