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LW Artillerie Obergefreiter,Italy,May 1945


Manu Della Valle

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A LW Artillerie Obergefreiter as he would have looked in the final stages of the War near Vicenza to the soldiers of the 88th US ID to whom he surrendered on the afternoon of May 2nd 1945 (see the rare period photos attached)
A few shots show these men armed with a second weapon,often a SMG,just like many used to carry during the bitter fightings in Russia.
Since the LW supply system changed hands in 1943/44 as far as the ground units were concerned,these men were often issued with a mix of new or recycled WH uniforms and equipment but many fliegerblusen were worn until they literally  fell to pieces!
The only  "new" and relatively plentiful LW garment was the camo smock, and there was always a way to get hold of a M43 feldmutze!Some units around Lucca wore M43 and M42 WH tunics devoid of chest insigna and a piece of LW headgear.
This man wears a gently worn fliegerbluse coming from the Vicenza area (it could even have belonged to one of those man but I know that it comes from a house near the Vicenza airport   https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroporto_di_Vicenza ),a HBT splinter pattern smock found in Normandy,a beautiful “Italian Vet”  camo DD M35 helmet ,a late-War M43,and carries a mix of WH and LW equipment.No gasmask or entrenching tool are carried,our man has chosen to pack on things that may have really saved his life, like his K98k,for which he has been issued a second,WH-issue ammo pouch,and an MP40 with a spare magazine inside each boot!
Hope you enjoy

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Absolutely Fantastic Manu,

What another SUPERB Item from your collection...I am amazed at all your Superb Items, from your excellent collection.

Many Thanks for showing us all on MCN....Great!

Best wishes & Many Thanks...Ian 

Edited by Desert Rat
correction to text
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Thank you once again for your kind words,Ian.I try to contribute so that the other will hopefully follow,but I think that FeckBuck has become an addiction because people nowadays live for a “like”!

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Hello Manu,

You do a great job in contributing to this site, as I try to with stories and photos etc. But as you say most go on Crapbook, so we just have to get on with it best we can!

Best Wishes...Ian

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