Original German WWII DAK Tropical Insignia Lot with Italian-German Africa Campaign Medal - 8 Items

Original Items: Only One Set Available. This is a very nice collection of German WWII DAK Tropical Insignia & Awards, which was brought back from the European theater by a USGI after the war was concluded. Many solders traded these on the way back, and would end up with a pocket full of various different collectible items, and this set represents the typical "haul" one might have come back with. It includes a Italian-German Africa Campaign Medal as well as Afrikakorps-related insignia and patches, all meant for DAK/Tropical wear.

The lot includes:
- Luftwaffe Air Force DAK Triangular Embroidered Breast Eagle - Uniform Removed
- Kriegsmarine Navy DAK Triangular BeVO Embroidered Breast Eagle - Uniform Removed
- Kriegsmarine Navy DAK BeVO Embroidered Cap Eagle - Unissued
- German WWII Italian African Campaign Medal - ribbon is very faded.
- German WWII Italian African Campaign Medal Bar Pin - Unissued
- Heer Army DAK Tropical Motor Transport Personnel Schirrmeister Sleeve Trade Badge. Shows a golden embroidered Gothic "S" on a tan background.
- Heer Army DAK Tropical Weapon Maintenance Sergeant Unterwaffenmeister Sleeve Trade Badge. Shows a golden embroidered crossed rifles on a tan background.
- Heer Army DAK Tropical Artillery Signal Blitz patch, with red embroidered arrow on tan backing. - Uniform removed with stitching still present.

An outstanding lot of DAK/Tropical insignia, ready for further research and display!

History of the German Africa Corps

The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The unit's best known commander was Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

The dry climate of Africa proved to be an issue with much of the standard leather field gear that the German Army usually used. It would dry out and crack quickly, and become unusable. To deal with this, the standard field gear such as belts, Y-straps, A-frames, bayonet frogs, and other items, were issued in special tropical web versions.