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.

Initially, only the ranks of Gefreiter, Obergefreiter, and Hauptgefreiter wore chevrons, but on February 4, 1944, the new rank of Stabsgegreiter was added above Hauptgefreiter.

The chevrons were sewn onto the left sleeve, between the elbow and shoulder, of the greatcoat, the uniform and dress tunics, and the flight blouse.

These chevrons are composed of “V” shaped tress approximately 10mm wide. The tress for the tropical uniforms ranges from silver to blue-grey to brown, usually attached to a brown cloth backing.

Afrikakorps chevrons of the Heer and Luftwaffe may look very similar, but can be distinguished by their tresse (braid) patterns: Heer chevrons feature a zig-zag pattern, while Luftwaffe chevrons are simply dotted.

The Stabsgefreiter rank insignia was added on February 4, 1944, taking the place of the Hauptgefreiter rank. It features two chevrons and a woven, star-shaped pip.