World War II Database

1. Anonymous says:
12 Feb 2014 07:57:30 AM

Why do you think they're Italian and not German? Loook more closely @ their uniforms, caps, and shoulder boards of the soldier to the left.

2.  Bill says:
21 Jan 2015 06:05:03 AM

MYSTERY SOLDIERS: LET'S CHECK IT OUT

Let's take a closer look. Equipment looks German
the man on our left, headgear is the M43 field cap, tropical shirt and shorts, with low boots my guess not shown and armed with the MP40 9mm Submachine gun. His rank looks like that of an Unteroffizier (NCO Candidate)

Second man been issued tropical feldbluse, M43 field cap, "Y" type harness, bread bag, M1935 canteen, baggy trousers, ankle boots my guess. The real mystery in photograph is the Soviet made PPSh-41 Submachine gun 7.62mm with 71 round drum magazine...if anyone has more information post it here at ww2db

3.  Bill says:
25 Jan 2015 03:32:08 PM

AFRIKA STYLE UIFORMS:

Tropical style uniforms will always be linked with Rommel's Afrika Korps. Type of boots worn were the jackboot and two types of tropical style boots. These were the short ankle-high and the knee-high lace-up boots, both are identical except for hight made w/leather lower in brown-orange and green canvas.
Uniforms were worn not only in Afrika but also France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Greece, South Russia and locations around the Mediterranean.

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS:

Did you know the Afrika Korps salvaged captured British tropical uniforms, as well as wearing Italian tropical uniforms to make up for any shortages.
Rommel's troops used captured British equipment tanks, light vehicles, clothes fuel, food, water as well as medical supplies. British weapons were also pressed into service. Rommel himself picked up a pair of British desert goggles, shown in many photographs of him wearing these goggles w/ his peaked cap.

PPSh-41:

The PPSh-41 Submachine gun still remains a mystery
the Germans captured large numbers of the weapon
and even converted them to fire 9mm ammo in German
service, they were called MP-41(r) other weapons not converted were called MP17(r) firing regular Russian 7.62mm ammo.

4. Ginos says:
25 Nov 2019 06:36:53 AM

This are not italian soldiers, are german soldiers near Rome in september 1944 !!!!!! How do you write this...?

5.  David Stubblebine says:
25 Nov 2019 07:17:46 PM

Ginos (above):
In checking the original photo caption at the Bundesarchiv, it is clear this was indeed a mistranslation of the original German; “Italian” was the place the photo was taken and not the people in the photo. The caption has been amended. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.