Pioneer wire cutters pouch – Rudolf Vordemberge 1937
The German Pioniertruppen or Pioneer troops where equipped to accomplish many different tasks. Where it laying mines, building (or demolishing) bridges, removing obstacles or constructing earth re-inforcments; the Pioneer troops carried all sorts of necessary equipment. They had a variety of different tools such as long spades, saws, explosives, detonators, and wire cutters.
The Drahtschere or wire cutters came in two variants. A short handled type and a long handled type. The short one was merely designed for the Gruppenführer or NCO and the long one was designed for Pioneer use. Both came with a specialized carrying case. The short wire cutters came in a case made out of leather or Presstoff, and the long handled wire cutters came in a canvas pouch with leather loops and a leather or Presstoff reinforcement at the bottom. The handles of both the short and long wire cutters are insulated with pressed paper with bakelite end caps.
Type of tool: Drahtschere – long handled wire cutters
Markings: Rudolf Vordemberge, Osnabrück 1937, WaA 330
Maker: Rudolf Vordemberge, Lederwaren-u. Militäreffekten-Fabrik, Osnabrück.
Year: 1937
Materials: Canvas, leather and Presstoff for the bottom re-inforcement.
Notes: A very rare long handled wire cutter pouch in good used condition. The pouch was found in the Verdun area where it was left since the war. The wirecutters can be found relatively easy but the pouches are very rare. The pouch is dated 1937 and made by Rudolf Vordemberge, Lederwaren-u. Militäreffekten-Fabrik, Osnabrück. The bottom of the pouch has a damage that is caused by a piece of shrapnel or a bullet.
