Original Item: Only One Available. Towards the end of the Second World War in late 1944, Germany was looking to to cut down on tailoring and production costs as material shortages continued to mount. The Wehrmacht's answer to this issue was the introduction of the M44 pattern uniform. Similar in appearance to the British Battle Dress or the related US “Ike” jacket, the M44 was unlike any other German pattern uniform, and the first major deviation in uniform design since 1936. The front still featured the button front closure, but the the tunic skirt was shortened to waist length, the number of pockets was reduced to two. The tunic could be worn with an open or closed collar.

Some versions also had additional internal pockets as well as an internal belt, but on later examples these were often omitted. Additionally, the rarely used and complicated internal suspension system used on earlier designs was finally dropped. The color was the new Feldgrau 44, a drab greenish-brown. The standard German insignia would still be worn, such as the breast eagle, collar tabs (litzen), and shoulder straps. Except for the elite Panzer-Lehr-Division, which field-tested the new uniform in summer 1944 before its approval for general issue, the M44 was usually seen at the front only in the war’s last months and generally on the greenest of troops. Due to rushed production, many were not even fully outfitted with all the correct insignia.

This is a lovely 1944 dated service used example of the Heer Army Issue M44 tunic, which shows some great period wear. It is made from the standard square woven wool fabric, in the correct Feldgrau 44 color. It features two un-pleated chest pockets with square flaps, each secured with a non-magnetic green painted pebbled button. The front closure features five of the same buttons on the right breast flap meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. The buttons do all look to be maker marked, but we cannot read the stamps, and all are sewn directly to the fabric.

The interior is mostly unlined, as is correct, but it is an early version that still does have inner chest pockets on both sides, as well as internal suspension straps for belt clips. It also has complete markings on the inner left side button reinforcement, which shows an RBNr. manufacturer code (partly mis-stamped) as well as complete size information. This gives both the measurements of the tunic, as well as the height of the person it was intended to fit. As best we can tell the markings read as follows:-

0/0850/????
164-172
90    42
41            
88    58
M44

The last line indicates processing through the Munich clothing depot in 1944. The RBNr. has the last four numbers mis-stamped, so unfortunately we cannot read them at all.

The tunic is fitted with the correct insignia, including late war enlisted gray BeVo style litzen on the collar, and a green / gray triangular BeVO machine embroidered breast eagle, totally correct for this type of tunic. There is also an Iron Cross 2nd Class Ribbon sewn into the top buttonhole, indicating that the wearer had received that award. We cannot see any signs that other insignia were sewn onto the tunic, which was fairly typical for examples made late in the war.

The button attached style Unteroffiziere Schulterklappen (NCO shoulder straps) are the correct material, with Zitronengelb (lemon-yellow) piping, the Waffenfarbe (corps color) used by the Heer Army Signal corps, responsible for setting up and maintaining communication equipment. They are made from the same color wool as the tunic, and feature gray colored NCO tresse diamond weave piping around the entire edge. The shoulder straps have no rank "pips" installed on the shoulder straps, indicating the rank of Unterfeldwebel, an Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee (Junior NCO) rank equivalent to a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant.

Condition shows long use in the field, with loss of the fuzzy "nap" on the fabric overall, now really only preserved under the collar. There are no major holes or repairs, howver there is some mothing on the rear of the tunic, particularly on the right side. The stitching is all still sound, and the buttons are attacked well. It has that great "service worn" look that is impossible to duplicate.

A lovely late war German WWII Signals NCO uniform, ready to research and display!

Approximate Measurements:-
Collar to shoulder: 9.5"
Shoulder to sleeve: 23”
Shoulder to shoulder: 15"
Chest width: 20”
Waist: 18"
Hip: 18"
Front length: 22.5"