The machine gunner is wearing a standard German field grey jacket, the shoulder strap border is red signifying an artillery unit, his rank is lance corporal and the band on his right arm, shows that he has single handedly destroyed a tank. The trousers show an Italian camouflage pattern. During 1944 -1945 Germany’s own supplies were running short, and many units adopted surplus Italian military clothing.

By the end of 1944 and through 1945 Germany was on the retreat, with Allied troops advancing after the successful Normandy and Italian invasions, together with the defeat on the Eastern front by Russian forces. German industry was suffering and not producing enough to meet demand. Uniforms were one of the main resources to falter accounting for the lack of a consistent appearance of the Germany troops.