Kriegsmarine Single Shoulder Board for an Obermaat Weapons Specialist of Artillery Weapons
for the field grey uniform with loop. Lightly worn in good condition.
Kriegsmarine Single Shoulder Board for an Obermaat Weapons Specialist of Artillery Weapons
This shoulder board represents a significant artifact from the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. As a rank insignia for an Obermaat specialized as an artillery weapons ordnance specialist, it embodies the complex hierarchy and organization of German naval forces between 1935 and 1945.
The rank of Obermaat corresponded to a non-commissioned officer without sword knot in the Kriegsmarine and represented an important position within the enlisted career path. This service grade was the result of years of training and experience, with the bearer having completed several years of naval service. The additional designation as weapons ordnance specialist indicates a specialized function connected with the maintenance, upkeep, and proper handling of artillery weapons aboard warships.
The shoulder board was intended for the field-grey uniform, which served as the working and service dress of the Kriegsmarine. This uniform category differed from the representative dark blue dress uniform and was primarily worn during practical duties aboard ship or at naval installations. The characteristic loop on the shoulder board enabled secure attachment to the uniform and prevented shifting during duty performance.
The German Kriegsmarine, officially founded in 1935 as the successor organization to the Reichsmarine, developed a sophisticated system of rank insignia and specialty designations. These served not only for the identification of rank and function but also for maintaining military discipline and hierarchy. Artillery weapons played a central role in naval warfare, from the heavy guns of battleships to the anti-aircraft cannons on smaller vessels.
Such rank insignia were manufactured and worn according to strict regulations of the Naval Uniform Regulations. The quality and execution of these pieces reflects the importance placed on the correct representation of rank and function in the German Kriegsmarine. Today, these objects constitute important historical documents that provide insight into the organization and structure of German naval forces during one of the most conflict-ridden periods in world history.
