Description
Very nice example of a Panzer black based shoulderboard to an NCO. Produced in an M40 deign with artificial rosa pink piping and later period dull tress. This board shows faded black fabric to the top, and greyish green base wool on the bottom. This board shows the gothic K for (Kradschützen) as well as the number 4 for 4th Regiment. Of note the 4th Kradschützen Regiment was part of the 24th Panzer Division, the 24th was formed in late 1941 from the 1st Cavalry Division based at Königsberg. The division fought on the Eastern Front from June 1942 to January 1943, when it was destroyed in the battle of Stalingrad. Reformed, it once more returned to the Eastern Front in late 1943 and remained there until surrender to Soviet forces in May 1945.
Note – The Wehrmacht developed Kradschützen as a rapid mobile assault and reconnaissance force from 1936 and were used extensively during the early stages of the Second World War as part of the German Blitzkrieg successes, and Operation Barbarossa. The development of Kampfgruppen, Panzer Grenadier regiments, and armored halftracks meant that large formations of lightly armed Kradschutzen motorcycle troops became obsolete with the soldiers being transferred to other services such as Panzer Grenadier regiments and Kampfgruppen.
