Hi all,

I am a relatively new collector from the UK. I would really appreciate any advice from you guys re: my SA uniform that I am (very slowly) building up around an SA Dagger I inherited (pictured) that was given to my Grandfather by a German soldier at the end of the war.

The main ‘problem’ I have is sourcing a good kepi, and then finding collar tabs (and shoulder boards?) to match - I am presuming this would be the best order to source these items – kepi then tabs?

My main question is: what rank/regiment would be fitting of this setup? I appreciate it’s a fairly vanilla grouping at the moment so I guess any NCO rank?

Also is collar piping necessary? From what I have read on various forums finding original piping is next to impossible...

Obviously there are some other odds and ends to find – the SA sports badge and party arm band etc to finish the set. (As a side note I am only interested in acquiring the top half of the uniform at the moment!).

Collecting in the UK can be a frustrating and sometimes perilous pursuit as pickings are pretty slim here and what genuine items you are lucky to find, command a high price - it’s a sellers market here but I suppose that’s what makes for an interesting hobby – it would be boring if it was easy!

Thanks.

Jody.

Also interestingly while digging in one of the pockets I found this jammed down in the seam - a ticket maybe to a cinema or show?

RM = Reichs Mark
einschl. Steuer = incl. tax
Eintrittskarte = Ticket
Aufzubewahren und auf Verlangen vorzuzeigen = To keep and to be shown when asked

Jody.

very nice.. The arm band and SA sport badge are easy,,and kind of on the inexpensive side for now..
The tabs and kepi? Like you mention,,if it is easy it'd be boring,,the thrill is in the hunt! Good luck and thanks for showing us...,G.

Hi Jody,

The most easy way to build up the shirt is to give it the war time pattern. Than it isn't necessary to add the collar-piping

You have to add a second pattern shoulderboard, and post '39 collar-patches (piped for EM-NCO)

I guess from the pictures, your shirt have silver buttons. You have to look for the SA Gruppe that used silver buttons than.

Good luck!

Laurens

Hi Laurens,

Excellent advice - could you point me in the direction of some 'second pattern shoulderboards'?

What do they look like?

Thanks,

Jody

Hi Jody,

The SA change their shoulderboards in july 1939.
Till this date the color of the underlay was the color of the SA Gruppe.
To achieve a co-ordination with the army, they changed the underlay color in a sort a 'Waffenfarbe'.

Green for Jäger and Schützen
Black for Pionier
Grey for Foot units enz enz

Shoulderboards from Sturmbannführer to Standartenführer

Try to upload, but the picture doesn't show up

Hi Laurens,

Any chance you could email me the pic?

Thanks again.

Jody.

Hi,
unfortunately the board is not very good visible

This is exactly how it must look like when your shirt is ready!

Great set!

Excellent.

I now have more of a 'direction' for the set.

Thanks all for your comments and please post anything up you may find in the meantime.

Jody.

I could not see the pictures of your shirt. First, they wore bi-color piping on the collar, then for a short while they wore a brown collar piping flecked with silver, then, later (approx. 1941) they wore NO collar piping. Since you'll probably NEVER find original collar piping, go for the last style like in the photo in the earlier post. NO collar piping, collar tabs piped in either yellow or white rayon, SMOOTH silver buttons on both the shirt and kepi. The pips, if any, on the collar tabs should be silver also. The wool on the kepi top should match the color of the collar tabs. The enlisted shoulder board (worn ONLY on the wearer's right shoulder on the brownshirt would be brown with silver veins with a colored wool underlay that designates the specialty(Foot SA-grey, Signal SA-yellow, Cavalry SA- orange, Marine SA-dark blue, Pioneer SA-black, Medical SA-medium blue, Jager, Mountain, or Rifle SA-green. Since it's possible that the unit of the collar tabs you acquire may not have had some of these specialties, you'd be safest going with the basic GREY underlay shoulder board. The kepi should have the later style large SA eagle. I hope this helps. Any questions, feel free to ask. Just send a private message. I may have some items you need as well.