Liquid refreshment for the crew of a Panzer II. The name of a crewmember killed in action has been painted on the rear of the turret of the tank. This was relatively common practice early in the war, and it was also done in prewar years to denote comrades killed in training accidents. The crewmembers have also “misplaced” their beret/crash helmet combinations for a traditional French “Basque” cap, which features a national insignia and a “skull” from collar-tab insignia. This practice was also occasionally encountered—as long as it received the countenance of the chain of command—since the beret/crash helmet was almost universally disliked.
QuoteLiquid refreshment for the crew of a Panzer II. The name of a crewmember killed in action has been painted on the rear of the turret of the tank. This was relatively common practice early in the war, and it was also done in prewar years to denote comrades killed in training accidents. The crewmembers have also “misplaced” their beret/crash helmet combinations for a traditional French “Basque” cap, which features a national insignia and a “skull” from collar-tab insignia. This practice was also occasionally encountered—as long as it received the countenance of the chain of command—since the beret/crash helmet was almost universally disliked.
