Field force

German repair shop for captured British tanks, Charleroi , 1916

The term Feldzeugtruppe encompasses the troops of an armed force entrusted with the repair of technical equipment , especially in the army . However, this term has become largely uncommon, at least in Germany, and has been replaced by the term repair troop. The term is still used in the armed forces of Austria. In the Bundeswehr , the ordnance troop was in the early years from 1955 / 56 own branch of service , was later but as Technical troupe called.

Origin of the term

The name is derived from the term stuff for military equipment, z. B. has been preserved in the phrase armory . Even in the comparatively young Luftwaffe he appears in the title General Aircraft Master , which Hermann Göring bestowed on the famous aviator Ernst Udet .

Feldzeugtruppe in the Bundeswehr

history

During the construction, experience was drawn from the quartermaster's system of the former Wehrmacht on the one hand and the supply system of the US Army ( Ordnance Corps ) on the other . From around 1959, with the introduction of the brigade structure , the term disappeared and the field military force became a repair force or, at first, a technical force . The first field equipment school was housed in the Jägerkaserne in Sonthofen .

Identification mark

The metal troop badge, which was common in the early years of the Bundeswehr, showed a stylized gear behind crossed artillery tubes and a wrench. The later (re) introduced collar tabs were medium blue. A stylized wrench (open-end wrench) is used as a military symbol of the military branch. These are still the distinguishing marks of the Bundeswehr repairers who are now part of the logistics team .

Others

Members of the technical troops are jokingly referred to as thread cleaners or as masters of oils and fats , and the troops themselves are referred to as handicraft companies .