'“Walloonie” SS-Volunteers:
SS-Rottenführer, 5. SS.DIV. Sturmbrigade “Wallonien”:
Recruited from the Heer Freiwillige Legions by Gottlob Berger (Head of SS-Recruiting) the experienced French and Belgian Legions in Army service on the Eastern front in early 1943 the survivors of the First Russian Winter were transferred to the Waffen-SS, and later incorporated into the SS-Sturmbrigade “Wallonien” on 1 June.
It had about 1600 Veterans of the Legion, and from the Belgian Army, plus around 400 more recruits in training at the Wildflecken Training Area.
As the train pulls into Wildflecken, often the main Kaserne is obscured by the clouds as it sits atop a hill above the town. Troops marched from the rail station to the Kaserne. The weather is cold and harsh in the Winter; hot and humid in the Summer, the Landser would say “Lieber den Arsch Voller Zecken also in Tag in Wildflecken!” (Better an Ass full of ticks than a day at Wildflecken).
After the war, the U.S.Army took over the compound, and little changed, A friend spent a day in the place training. His high point memory, being the digging up of an old MP-40 machine pistol while working a defensive position for training. But never slept in the barracks, he was always in the field in the Kilo Area. Another Wildflecken vet was Elvis Presley.
The uniform represented here, is a newly issued M-43 issue, to a Rottenfuhrer, as he gets ready for the training of the new troops to begin. An Eastern Front Veteran has must be aware of what the unit will be up against when they go back to the front. He has earned the EKII, and well as the Ost Front ‘Winter’ award, and the Wound Badge in Black. He also wears his Rexist Honor Cross Badge that some of the troops wore. Issued the new M-43 cap as well, but having some ore reinforcement behind the insignia to make it stand out. But as of yet, the Brigade has not been issued SS-collar insignia. later combat photos do show them in place on the troops. (But this uniform is a time capsule for the time of organization from Heer to Waffen-SS, at “Wildflecken”). With the uniform, he wore the standard Kielhosen, Gamanschen, and ankle boots. the SS belt buckle has taken the place of his Heer (EM) Buckle on his cartridge belt. All his gear and Y-straps for carrying it was German- Wehrmacht issue.
Haumptsturmführer, 2 8. SS-Freiwilleg Grenadier-Division “Wallonien”:
I’m not going to write the Walloon story again, just add notes on the uniforms at this point. This is an interesting example, showing a ‘Grayer’ tinted material in his jacket and wool/Schirmmutz. The collar may be from another jacket-or custom added, with the ‘Heer’ style bottle green collar, often perceived to represent the ‘Infantryman’, and issued to the Waffen-SS, when the feldgrau open collar ran short on supply, the SS adapted the Heer uniform itself. All the insignia is pretty much officer-quality, and bullion, He wears the SS-Version of the Gebirgsjager patch on the right sleeve, while on the left sleeve he has the Wallon shield in a woven pattern.
He wears the ‘Ehrenzeichen der Wallonen or Honor Award of the Walloons’ or ‘Rexist Cross’ on his right pocket, as opposed, to the left as per norm. The Decoration was worn on the pocket following authorization by RF-SS Himmler in November 1944. the award could be presented in bronze and silver based on merit dating to 1941. His other decorations include the EK I and II Klass, Ost Front ‘Winter’ Ribbon, The Infantry Combat Clasp in Gold, Infantry Assault Badge, and Silver Wound Badge! Clearly an Infantry officer, with the white piping on his shoulder boards. It’s said by some that all officers had their shoulder-boards sewn in, I don’t buy that 1 it sucks for washing the uniforms, and 2, in the field rank change often came quickly, or not at all, boards and pips, whatever were just applied there on the spot.
I’ve added an old shot of how he may have looked out in the field, wearing a brown side out/oak camouflaged smock, and rabbit fur hat.
Untershurmführer, Strumgeschutz Wrap :
This Untershurmfuhrer, represents a Sturmgeschutz Platoon Commander of the Walloon-Sturm-Brigade. As mentioned, he wears the standard feldgrau special warp ‘Jacket for Armored crewmen. He has his ‘Rexist Honor Cross’ and wound badge displayed on the front of it, and in the buttonhole, his EK-II ribbon and ‘Ost-Front-Winter’ Ribbon. The rest of the uniform is all-regulation Waffen-SS, with quality shoulder boards and collar tabs.
SS-Hauptscharführer, Wallonien, Custom M-44 uniform:
The Master Sergeant has a rather extravagant uniform here, so much for no insignia on the camouflaged uniform officially only the “New” formated universal-sleeve rank was the only permitted insignia, the rest he could be an infraction for, but by this time considered nonsensical, as no 2 uniforms were the same. This private purchase late war ‘Windjacke’ based on the Model 1944 pattern Bluse is based on an earlier period four-pocket camouflage uniform jacket. Commissioned during the closing stages of the war it may or may not have seen use. Sewing variances indicate that the jacket originally had only the sleeve rank and sleeve eagle machined in place. These could have been on the jacket before being modified to an M44 conversion-cut, as they are totally in the normal spectrum of regulation. The particular unit insignia as well as the officer’s pattern Gebirgsjäger patch have been added later. The metal loops are all the same thread and pattern indicating same-time placement. The M44 uniform was considered fashionable among the German military and custom-made versions were popular as late-war photos show. Field-made camouflage versions are beginning to show up in original photos and collections.
Period photos show the nonstandard placement of the divisional sleeve shield is lower on the sleeve. The pre-positioning of the sleeve rank and eagle may have affected this placement as well on this camouflaged uniform.
His Waffen SS Feldmütz has been modified with officer-grade bullion insignia.
Leon Degrelle:
Leon Degrelle was not a stupid ‘Nazi’. He did play into the Fuhrer’s hands, and he wanted the power and fame. There is photographic evidence of him in a 44-dot pattern camouflaged uniform, with not a lot of bling on it, as you would wear it in the field, flashy decorations, and officers ranks draw fire at the front and everyone knows that.
