Germany, Army Officer Shoulder Boards, WWII

A matched pair of Second World War German Army (Heer) officer’s shoulder boards. These boards denote the rank of Hauptmann (Captain), indicated by two gilded pips mounted on a base of four parallel rows of braided matte silver/aluminium bullion cord. The boards feature the specific unit insignia for Panzerjäger-Abteilung 18 (Anti-tank Battalion 18), consisting of a gilded Gothic letter ‘P’ and the numeral ’18’. The pink (Rosa) wool underlay represents the Waffenfarbe (branch colour) for armoured troops, including anti-tank and armoured reconnaissance units. Panzerjäger-Abteilung 18 was a component of the 18th Infantry Division (later the 18th Panzergrenadier Division), which saw extensive service on the Eastern Front. The construction is the sew-in style, intended for permanent attachment to the uniform tunic.