Camouflaged gasmask canister – Two tone camouflage Normandy KIA
Throughout world war two the German army issued and carried gas masks. After the terrible experiences in world war one these where thought of as one of the most important pieces of equipment issued. The Germans utilized every gasmask with a metal canister so to keep the gasmask in good usable condition. The metal cases where first introduced in world war one and further evolved through the Reichswehr and ultimately in 1935 by the Wehrmacht. Several small changes where made to the canisters appearance ranging from the length of the canister to sealing the lid of the canister to make it dust tight.
Notes:
A very nice original camouflage gasmask canister Id’ed to Hans Voggenreiter who was born 7-11-1925 and killed in action on 28-6-1944 in Normandy. Hans Voggenreiter was a Gefreiter in Grenadier Regiment 957. Hans Voggenreiter is buried in Orglandes, Normandy. The exact location on the burial site is: Block 15 Row 3 Grave 99.
This unit saw heavy action in Normandy and was destroyed in the Falaise pocket. The exterior of the canister still sees around 80% of its original camouflage paint with bright colours. The Canister is a nice one looker original and has some very nice Normandy provenance. The Feldpost number refers to the following units, but most importantly the latter Reserve-Grenadier-Bataillon 468 which is the replacement battalion of the 363 Infanterie Division which was destroyed in the Falaise gap
Feldpost Number :
(28.4.1940-14.9.1940) 2. Flughafen-Betriebs-Kompanie Stuka-Geschwader186,
(27.1.1942-14.7.1942) gestrichen,
(15.7.1942-24.1.1943) Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Reserve-Infanterie-Bataillon 468,
(1.8.1943-23.3.1944) 3.7.1944 Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Reserve-Grenadier-Bataillon 468,
(24.3.1944-6.11.1944) 30.6.1944 gestrichen
