Elefant Crew Question

ML post from Ron Volstad:

As for the uniforms worn by the Elephant crewmen in Italy, the photos in "Combat history of Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653" pretty much explain things. Only 1st Company/653 Pz.Jg.Abt. were sent to Italy and they arrived in Rome on 24 February. The wool field gray AFV uniform was worn at that time.
The collar patches varied with some having the Totenkopf on field gray patches, blank patches or Doppellitzen on patches. Piping around the collar patches and shoulder boards was pink as mentioned by my friend Paul. M43 field caps were standard.

Alternately, the denim, reed green fatigue uniform was worn (the standard button down the front type; not the panzer cut type). Sometimes the fatigue jacket was tucked into the trousers giving the impression of overalls.

At sometime after the Anzio campaign, as the 1st Company was retreating, tropical uniforms were issued, complete with shirts and shorts. Long trousers were also issued (without extenal patch pockets). While ankle boots were most common with this uniform, some still wore high marching boots. The tropical field cap was standard.

lxion

 Thanks for the information.  Just what iI was looking for.

Another good resource, both for the AFV's themselves as well as personnel is Squadron's Elefant Detail in Action. I'm not positive but based on what I've seen I notice less of the black and more panzer grey uniforms as the war progressed. I'm guessing it had more to do with availability than anything else. Still, the black uniforms were very popular with the crews from what I've read as it set them apart from others as an elite force.

On page 289 of The Combat History of Schwere Panzerjager Abteilung 653, author Karlheinz Münch states the following; "Members of the 653rd Heavy Panzerjager Battalion did not receive the black panzer uniforms until after being re-equipped with the "Jadgtiger" tank destroyer."

There are photos of men in black panzer uniforms posing with 653 Ferdinands, such as on page 258 taken at the Nikopol bridgehead, but in this instance they are members of the attached Sturmpanzer Abteilung 216, not 653rd crew members. Can one find other photos of men in black panzer uniforms on 653rd Ferdinands? Yes. Are they standard issue for 653rd crew members? Not according to Munch.