Bosnian SS Mountain Troops

Moslem volunteer troops of the Waffen SS, mostly from Bosnia, formed the 13.Waffen-Gebirgs-Division Der SS ‘Handschar’ (Kroatische Nr. 1). Moslems from Albania and Herzegovina also served in this and other Waffen SS formations. The units had German cadres.

They are wearing the distinctive fez, which came in burgundy and field gray versions. The German officers and NCOs could optionally wear the Bergmutze.

All ranks wore either filed grey or SS-pattern camouflage uniforms--see the painted samples below.

These troops saw extensive combat in anti-partisan operations in Yugoslavia 1944-45 and against the advancing Red Army.

This 9-man rifle squad consists of: