Was Waffen-SS used in Africa?

[renesch93]

Did Waffen-SS units take part in the German African campaign? Are there any photos?

[tercio67]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrika_Korps#Composition_and_terminology

[T3ngu]

Google says no.

[helomech]

Take up the ancient martial art of Google Fu
Search query:
http://www.google.jo/search?hl=en&q=Waffen+SS+history&btnG=Search&meta=

Result
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/waffenss.aspx

[Eztyga]

No units ever did, though some SS personnel did serve in Afrika, but not as front line troops. There were SS-SD personnel based in Tunis. Apparently Erwin Rommel requested that no Waffen-SS units be part of his Afrika Korp.

[nemowork]

No, although some of the iraqi/arab volunteers were later inducted into the SS and used for anti-partisan work in the Caucasus at the time of the Tunisian campaign in 1943 they were still Wehrmacht (and fairly irrelevant and useless)

[LineDoggie]

No units ever did, though some SS personnel did serve in Afrika, but not as front line troops. There were SS-SD personnel based in Tunis. Apparently Erwin Rommel requested that no Waffen-SS units be part of his Afrika Korp.
You've got it, only known SS in North Africa were SD Tunis.


Continental SD Patches would have been used with whatever tropical uniforms were used.

[intrinsic]

Totenkopf were given Orders to prepare to go to Africa in 1942 but a change of mind and the ended up in Russia.

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

Yes of course the SS was in North Africa, I saw a documentary about it myself:

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/indianajones/images/6/67/Toht.jpg

[BlitzCod]

Totenkopf were given Orders to prepare to go to Africa in 1942 but a change of mind and the ended up in Russia.

"Hey boys we are going under the hot African sun!! Whohooo!!... Oh, sorry boys. A little change in plans. Pack your wintergear, we are going to russia. My bad.."

[G-AWZT]

"Hey boys we are going under the hot African sun!! Whohooo!!... Oh, sorry boys. A little change in plans. Pack your wintergear, we are going to russia. My bad.."




I'm sure the Tot. would've liked Tunis better than Demjansk.

[ronnieraygun]

This is less military history and maybe BS, but some pulp from Der Spiegel:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,484510,00.html

[Eztyga]

Continental SD Patches would have been used with whatever tropical uniforms were used.

Photos showing continental SS/SD patches on tropical uniform do exist, I just can't find them...:cantbeli:

It is certainly mentioned in various publications that cover all arms of the SS, not just the Waffen-SS.

[el borracho]

The SS had tropical uniforms in Italy. Of course I try to do a search for pics and can't find any, but I know I've seen them before.

[Eztyga]

This is an example of a member of the SS wearing a tropical uniform. It was probably taken in Southern Italy, possibly a member of Reichsfuhrer SS, which was based first in France, then Corsica. It was moved to Italy in September 1943 when the Allies invaded.

The source of the photo is www.warrelics.eu (http://www.warrelics.eu)