Description SA collar tabs. SA collar tabs. Worn on the stormtroopers brown shirts collar tabs, for ordinary ranks. White thread on black for Berlin Gau. The first colour insignia was introduced in 1927 when colored collar patches were issued. The right tab showed the wearers service unit and the left his rank. The colour identified the wearers SA distinct. The SA Brown shirts Sturmabteilung. Historical Information. The SA stormtroopers Sturmabteilung was essentially the paramilitary wing of the NSDAP. They offered security at early Nazi meeting when groups of communists agitators would regularly try and break up gatherings with violence. So a Strong force was needed to protect these meetings. They became hardened street fighters with many dying in violent street clashes. Horst Wessel became the most famous SA Martyr. The famous song “Die Fahne hoch” (“Raise the Flag”, lit. ‘”The Flag High”‘), was the anthem of the NSDAP. The SA uniform originated by chance when a surplus stock of tropical/colonial shirts was found in Austria. These were quickly utilized as a uniform. The brown shirts` were born. Matching Brown wool or cotton breeches completed the outfit. A multi piece wool Swastika armband was worn on the left sleeve. Rank and Gau insignia is a confusing mix with constant changes and updates. However the kepi trim is quite easy to follow and depicts certain regions (GAU) which the Gruppen (divisions) belonged to. Other Gau`s included red for Munich and turquoise for Hamburg.
