full disclosure! this a is repost from a previous thread in a different category. I'm hoping to get more info on this item...

 

So, maybe 3-ish years ago  I purchased this SS shield patch. Supposedly that of Italian 29th Waffen-SS Grenadier division, an SS division made of German aligned Italians formed after the 1943 Italian armistice?

 

Recently they've become common on the market. From what I've seen/read online, apparently it was patch that was designed and made late in the war, but never issued? A large stock was found, and they have since been selling on the collector's market. I've never seen any pictures of them worn by the men of division. I don't recall how much I paid for it, but it wasn't super expensive... If it was I probably would have remembered.

 

Anyone here have any more concrete information on these patches?

The shield itself looks fine, WW2 era authentic and most likely from the Dachau hoard that has been circulating for many years as there were literally storehouses full of insignia at the camp..One of the more common and least expensive of the foreign volunteer shields...

 

With that being said I will have to go back and look through my references on Foreign Volunteers to the Germans and verify..

 

 Leigh 

Yes, I like it too. As stated there were bundles of these taken by GIs from the Dachau SS clothing storage warehouses; sleeve sheilds, tabs, sleeve bands, eagles, fezzes, etc.  it is always a good day when you can find a pile of this insignia. But some was much more common than others.

I know the Dachau camp complex and it's subcamps were home to manufacturing and forced labor facilities for war materials. Though when it comes to uniform/ect the only reference I've come across recently was this blog post on Ruptured duck 

 

https://www.therupturedduck.com/blogs/bill-sheas-wwii-memorabilia-blog/117831619-the-massive-haul-of-cloth-from-dachau?srsltid=AfmBOorn93FYS6wlrjPwLZj7H-l7KEgwacx7J7aLHvtIPI-ErO5Am0uu

 

 

The clothing depot at Dachau was known as the Bekleidungswerke (Clothing Depot). 

 

The following images and testimonies are from Veterans who liberated Dachau and went into the Clothing depot and took insignia and other items. You will see the Italian sleeve shield in the first 2 images (Sorry for the glare) as well as other insignia that was found in uncut strips at the depot.

 

These images are from the book: Insignia and Artifacts of the Waffen SS by the late Michael D. Beaver, (Text layout and captions by Mark A. Bando)  This is a superb reference book that shows very detailed images of the SS insignia. This book is out of print and copies of this book when they are available are quite expensive..

 

Leigh 

14 hours ago, Rakkasan187 said:

The clothing depot at Dachau was known as the Bekleidungswerke (Clothing Depot). 

 

The following images and testimonies are from Veterans who liberated Dachau and went into the Clothing depot and took insignia and other items. You will see the Italian sleeve shield in the first 2 images (Sorry for the glare) as well as other insignia that was found in uncut strips at the depot.

 

These images are from the book: Insignia and Artifacts of the Waffen SS by the late Michael D. Beaver, (Text layout and captions by Mark A. Bando)  This is a superb reference book that shows very detailed images of the SS insignia. This book is out of print and copies of this book when they are available are quite expensive..

 

Leigh 

 Good info, thank you!

Also looking through some reference books on the Foreign Volunteers of the Third Reich, these shields were made and in one reference it mentions that they were used however a second reference does concur the shields were manufactured but the author doubts they were worn. Of course, we are always looking for photographic evidence from the period to substantiate the claims.. There are numerous photos of the Italian SS sleeve eagles being worn but I have not yet found the shield being worn... 

 

The search continues..

 

Leigh  

I'll add too that Bill Shea has 3 books out (The Stories behind the treasures of World War II, "The making of a collectorholic") The blog he wrote only scratches the surface of the Dachau hoard of items that Bill has been able to obtain over the years. Volume 3 of his books has some remarkable photos and testimonies from those who were at Dachau and how Bill was able to obtain huge lots of the hoard from veterans and their families. Some stunning photos of the thousands of pieces of insignia some of the Soldiers brought back.

 

I see too that your location is Connecticut. Bill is just up the way in Massachusetts... A great guy, have talked with him and his son many times over the years. 

 

Leigh