LVF Legion volunteers France Cloth Arm Shield

German arm shield for French volunteers

 The original French unit in the German army was the Legion of French Volunteers  (Légion des Volontaires Français  or LVF). The LVF was also known by its official German designation, the 638th Infantry Regiment (Infanterieregiment 638). The LVF was mainly recruited from Pro-Fascist Frenchmen and elements among French prisoners of war. They had to wear the standard German Army uniform with only a shield on the right upper arm with the colors of the French flag with the word France  to distinguish them. By October 1941, there were two battalions of 2,271 men which had 181 officers and an additional staff of 35 German officers. They fought near Moscow in November 1941 as part of the 7th Infantry Division.  In 1942 the men were assigned to anti-partisan duties in the Byelorussian.