History

During the Second World War, German troops stationed in northern Africa are generally referred to as the Afrikakorps. Technically, this is not entirely correct, since some German units operating in Africa were not actually part of the DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps), and some units of it were, in fact, Italian ones. However, for the purpose of collecting so-called “tropical” uniforms and insignia, collectors have simplified the meaning of the term.

The first German troops were sent to northern Africa in February of 1941, to support their Italian allies against the British. The climate of the African continent made it necessary to wear specialised uniforms and gear that not only supported the soldiers in serving in a hot and arid environment, but also helped them in blending in with the landscape, which, in general, presented itself as brown, olive, khaki, or sand/tan in colour. Worn over long periods of time under the blistering desert sun, some uniforms were eventually bleached to white or off-white. Uniforms and insignia in these colours are often referred to as “tropical”, and it is worth noting that they weren’t just worn by members of units stationed in Africa, but in the entire Mediterranean theatre of war, including southern France, Italy, the Balkans, and Greece, as well as in southern Russia during the summer months. Tropical uniforms were worn by members of all three branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force). Members of the Waffen-SS stationed in southerly regions also wore tropical-style uniforms, and even though they technically have no connection to the DAK, all tropical uniforms and insignia of all branches of the German military are listed here.

From 1934 to 1941, the pith helmets featured insignia associated with the wearer’s general ranks groups. From mid-1941 onward, the pith helmets were only decorated with two shield insignia, the national tri-colour shield and the Wehrmacht eagle shield.

The national tricolour shield was worn on the right side of the helmet and the gold-coloured Wehrmacht eagle shield was worn on the left side; the eagle shield is silver-coloured for Administrative Officials with the rank of Officer.

While these shield share their general design with the shields worn on helmets in the Heer, there are a few identifiable differences. For instance, the Kriegsmarine shields were manufactured without an embossed outer edge trim or border, and with rounded corners, while the Heer shields feature an embossed outer edge and sharp corners.