GERMAN WWII ARMY CHAPLAINS GROUPING.

An incredibly rare uniform and clerical effects of a German Army Chaplain in the Chaplain?s original transit box, comprising a fabulous condition large size 57 officers saddle shaped visor cap, constructed in smooth ribbed material. Violet waffenfarbe around the crown and the upper and lower sections of the centre band, the main upper body of the cap, which includes the centre band and the main crown are totally free of moth with the exception of one section of the centre band having three moth nips, mainly on the side and reverse. To the lower base of the cap there are again three moth nips in the area below the dark green centre band and violet waffenfarbe. A matched silver wire woven national eagle and cockade with metallic national centre, chaplains cross set between the eagle and the cockade, standard officers silver cap cords and matching side buttons. To the interior wide mid tan leather sweatband has three small 1cm tears to the upper edge and some storage staining marks mainly in the forehead area. The leather sweatband is loose from the main body to a length of 8cms. The gold lining is excellent, complete with its centre celluloid lozenge in silver block the manufacturers name of Pekuro which is the logo for the maker Peter Kupper, the remainder of the inner lining is superb. In the aperture allowing for a name label in the centre celluloid lozenge is a slip of card with the number 645 attached, which interestingly matches the number 645 stencilled on the outside of the Chaplains transit box. Officers quality four pocket tunic, deep turned back cuffs, insignia comprising the violet centred bullion wire collar patches with a lovely quality bullion wire woven officers breast eagle, which has been machine stitched in a cross hatched pattern through the tunics inner lining. To the left hand sleeve as the tunic is viewed is an enlisted ranks edelweiss patch, to the lower right hand sleeve is an Afrika with palms cuff band, Iron Cross 2nd class ribbon to the second buttonhole, loops for one award to the central pleat of the upper right hand pocket, five loops for a medium size medal ribbon bar. Austrian Salzburg tailors label attached to the inner section of the green silk lining. Accompanying the tunic and cap are a pair of the long tapered bottomed trousers constructed in Italian captured material, the trousers have seen some wear, there is no moth damage but wear in the crotch area and on the pocket edges that have flaps, the seat area having some minor staining. Wide officers brown belt, double pronged, with gold buckle, which is RZM marked. Chaplains armband of which the central Red Cross is beautifully woven into the white armband with a violet strip running the full circumference of the armband. Iron Cross 2nd class, Italian German Afrika medal, a large 9cms in length Gaelic style crucifix with a smaller bronze crucifix, field bible, a German Red Cross publication, a 1936 dated publication for the WWI War Veterans, one clerical embroidered item on violet background and a highly impressive and beautifully constructed silk and woven item of clerical clothing that can be worn over the head, some shredding to the right hand side. Lastly an excellent card mounted photograph measuring 23 x 17cms of the Field Chaplain himself, unfortunately not named on the image, on a Salzburg photogrphic studio mount, the Chaplain wearing officers M.43 cap, the chain of his cross can clearly be seen hanging around his neck with his Iron Cross 2nd Class ribbon and the large double buckled belt are seen in the image, identical to the items listed here. The transit box is a standard issue German Army officers box, as previously stated numbered 645 with the name Goch stencilled to one side of the box, to the opposite side Feldgeistlicher which translates in English to Chaplain. A highly unusual group, untouched since WWII with the name of Goch available and the number, further research may? be obtainable.

Code: 68783