Museum uniform display

[Cees]

Hello Oscar,

It doesn't have to be wrong when a tropical uniform is displayed in the museum in Bayeux. The Historical Center in Bastogne had also a tropical uniform, this time a Heer variant, which was found just outside the town in winter 1944! Why does a soldier have his tropical tunic in an area like the Ardennes mid-winter 1944?

Cheers,
Cees

[Óscar G]

Hi ckleijn!
You´re right: from a wide point of view it´s logical. But, You´ve mentioned a "suspicious museum" (Bastogne). There appears another curious item: a FJ jumpsmock (Dot44 pea pattern) SS jump smock supposed to belong to SS FJ unit. Some experts argue that SS FJ didn´t use such an uniform. It has been suggested that some of these smocks were issued to the members of the SS-FJ-Btl who accompanied Skorzeny and Panzerbrigade 150 in the Ardennes. There is no reason to believe that they wore anything other than their standard kit, with the Luftwaffe pattern smocks. Some of them doubtless wore US uniforms. But dot-pattern Waffen-SS para smocks? Many veterans tell it´s not possible.

Following with our thread, I´m posting two displays (quite good, in my opinion). The second one comes from Pegasus Bridge Museum. I find it very didactic, so to say. The first one was taken at Diekirch (Luxemborg). It´s, too, didactic and clear showing uniforms...
Regards and... more to come.
Óscar

[Cees]

Hi Oscar,

I remember that display in Diekirch. It is one of the best war museums I have ever seen. Beautiful displays over there! About the SS jump smocks. I also doubt they were ever issued to fighting troops and veterans have claimed that they wore normal LW smocks or either US uniforms. But, the consensus is that original SS jump smocks are existing! They were probably captured by US soldiers when arriving at the Dachau clothing works. There appeared some smocks after the war in the States. So, in that point of view the smock in the Bastogne museum might be an original one. I say might, because I also don't know for sure. The tropical tunic I mentioned had a direct history because it was found just after the war in a village in the direct vicinity of Bastogne. That makes it less suspicious regarding the tunic Almost every museum has replica items for display. I remember that the museum in La Gleize had once a time a SS paratrooper for display with again the suspicious dot pattern smock but also now with the very suspicious SS paratrooper helmet. I personally don't believe that this kind of helmet ever existed. Anyway, thank you for posting pictures of the museum displays.

Cheers,
Cees

[Óscar G]

Hi, Ckleijn!
Great and good explanations you´ve done! Yes, SS jumpsmocks appeared in the States after the war, being used as hunting jackets (brought by Gis...) The question is: were they worn during WW2? I don´t think so. The veterans have the "right word" and they´ve have argued that anyone wearing something as unique as a Pea-dot jump smock would have been noticed... And there is hardly any proof of it (Bastogne and La Gleize?)
I saw the display you´ve mentioned in La Gleize. They keep it showing. I agree with you about SS FJ helmets. There appeared some, but they are supposed to be czech fakes.
I took this photo in the visit I reciently made (last summer). In spite of the brights produced by the glasses, we may see the suspicious jumpsmock we´re talking about... The second photo is taken from the museum website (though it´s clearer than mine, we can´t see the complete smock)
All the best! Óscar