last updated 26th March 2010 British Combat Uniform
Combat uniform PAGE
I am trying to represent the typical airborne stuff, but as a variety of photos I have seen suggest, whatever is around , go's , Also the uniform has to go with the Jeep. So, the 320th glider and parachute field artillery used jeeps to tow 75mm pack howitzers with the 82 Airborne, before, during and after D-Day, so, with a small degree of artistic license, that is the uniform I will be following. With all the pictures I have found about the Airborne and the Airborne Glider Artillery, the artillery tended to wear normal infantry uniforms, M41 jackets and mustard trousers, with leggings over boots, unlike the para infantry uniform as set out below. Might sort myself out an infanry set up at a later date. Uniforms were fairly standard, but the webbing was far from it. Nobody seems to have had the same setup. If you wanted it and could get it, you wore it, i.e. ammo pouches, rigger pouches, aid packs etc etc... I am also collecting USAAF ground crew stuff as well, as a mechanic type personnel, i.e. normal run of the mill looking.
So, the US GI / Airborne kit as it stands so far............
M42 reinforced Para Jump Jacket and Trousers
These were used by the Airborne in all areas up to and just after D-Day. They are not lined, used predominantly in the Sicily jumps, very lightweight. So quite cold .
Left. M42 reinforced Jacket with 82nd AB and nice faded 48star flag, Corporal stripes and correct pattern dog tags with correct serial number. Also can just be seen, lanyard from shoulder to throat pocket for the M2 knife.
Right. M42 reinforced trousers. Note trouser pocket ties are in same colour as trousers not canvas. This is the 82nd AB version. 101st AB had ties in dark OD same as the canvas. (so I have read anyway...)
Close up of the M2 pocket knife in the throat pocket.
This is a spring opening knife, with a lock. This would have been a fully operational flick knife in original issue. But today it is spring assisted opening, opening only about an inch on pressing the button.
M43 Combat Jacket and Trousers
I have 3 M43 combat jackets, all slightly different in colour and size. These were used after D-Day, and replaced the M42. It was much warmer than the M41 and M42 jackets, they were also dipped in waterproofing, for the oncoming winter of 1944. They were made of much heavier material to the M42, lined, with an optional button on hood.
2 of my M43 Norwegian Combat jackets. the right one looks a lot older that the left one, which is slightly small in the arms, so my partner wears this one.
Most Norwegian M43 jackets, will have the word KASS stamped into the inside, just below the collar.
Right.
This is my third M43 combat jacket, it comes straight from a vehicle driving extra from
the HBO Band of Brothers mini series. The dirt is movie set paint, and will not
come off, so gives a real lived in look, the pockets did have fake snow
and mud in from filming. There was no shoulder patch, it was ripped off leaving
a big hole. So patched it using an 82AB one. Luckily, the jacket fits real well.
It has been impregnated with waterproofing, so stinks a bit.
Left. This is a pair of "M43" trousers. These came with a certificate to say they were used as "US TROOP TROUSERS" on the Band of Brothers mini series. They do come with leg cargo pockets and were caked in mud and special effects snow and blood. probably from the Bastogne and Foy episodes, as can be seen in the photo....
Left. close up of the cargo pockets. The difference in colour is authentic, as the pockets were often made of different material often different colours.
Right. Band of Brothers certificate
Left. My old pair of Norwegian M43 combat trousers, reinforced knees and bum.. The cargo pockets are a bit low, will have to take them off and raise a bit. These are more heavier than the BoB trousers above, and gets uncomfortable with all the kit on.
Boots.....
Left. Most important part, your boots. These are a genuine pair of Corcoran US Jump boots, nice and shiny, keep these clean, and wear then whenever I can, nicely worn in now. Also a pair of service boots, easier and quicker to put on. I leave them dirty most of the time.......
Above is the latest purchase all the way from the U.S of A. It is a genuine ww2 front seam helmet, early swivel bail, M1C para helmet.
It has been fantastically restored to original spec. and looks terrific.
Click on any of the 3 pics to go to his web site. Well worth a look.
Right - M1C Paratroopers
helmet (repo I made) .Chin cup from Band of Brothers , Artillery 2nd Battalion
markings. On the rear is a luminous disc for night time recognition.
Left - This is the new M1C from J.Murray in the U.S, I have swapped over the hessian burlap from the old helmet on the right. I have taken the chin cup off, as I thought that after the jump, at the first opportunity to remove it, the soldier would not want the cup flapping about like an annoying fly
M41 Field Jacket
This is a surprisingly warm jacket, with its fleecy lining. I tend to wear this most of the time now at events, over a pair of HBT overalls, gives a great scruffy mechanic look, also warm and cosy. The overalls are great in summer, very cool to wear. This was probably the most common jacket worn by US troops in WW2. Original 9th USAAF patch's are worn whenever possible.
HBT Coveralls, with HBT cap and service boots. Stencilled corporals rank on. Hot day at War & Peace show 2007, before the rains came and the mud !! These service boots from SoF are rubbish, lasted 4 days at Beltring, soals were comming off, had to take them to a proper cobbler when I got home. He ripped the soles of, and re-glued and nailed them down, properly. So be warned. Get proper Corcoran service boots if you want them to last.
Below. M1937 Enlisted Man's Brown, wool shirt from "Saving Private Ryan " film, with US and Infantry collar insignia. I know that the insignia were never worn on EM shirts, but on dress jackets, but I like them on this shirt. Anyway, nowhere else to put them. It is horrible to wear for any length of time, the coarse wool makes your neck red raw ! I have other shirts now, of very similar design and colour, but modern. It is under the jacket anyway. Most of the time I wear a white or dull white T Shirt........
This is a large US spec, thick, heavy overcoat , used in Band of Brothers by extras.
Needed something for those cold winter days out. It is in fact a French Army overcoat of post war age. After the war, the French used the same pattern overcoat as the U.S. for their own use. It now has a full set of big brass eagle buttons on.
I also had a spare 82nd AB shoulder patch, so that went on as well. I have worn the coat with the rest of the gear only once, on a very wet and cold photo shoot in the woods. A 20 mile round trip in the pouring rain, full webbing, I was as warm as toast, could hardly move, but nice and warm, woolly hat under my helmet on the public roads, great! It is a hell of a coat.
Here's something , picture to the right is of a set of reproduction K and D Ration boxes and inner sleeves, (no food), that were issued to US GIs, carried in many a vehicle, back pack and Musette bag in ww2. They are made by a friend of mine, who painstakingly researched the size, colour patterns and wording himself. They are printed on "off white" card, in authentic period colours. If you want a set, either made up or just cut out, easier to post, let me know and we'll work out the cost. Just let me know how many of each. His link is below. Foxcompany506
British battle dress uniform.
Now here is something new. I support the local Homeguard unit, The Ingleton Homeguard, and at some of their events, my usual uniforms would be a little out of place, i.e. U.S. in a see of British uniforms. So, as a bit of a contrast, I have put together a British Uniform of the 1940's War time period, of the same regiment that I was a cadet in, all those years ago. And lucky coincidence, it is the same regiment for the Ingleton Homeguard, The 6th Duke of Wellington's.
1937 pattern battle dress jacket and trousers. With the insignia of the Duke of Wellington's regiment, then the Polar Bear of the 49th Division. 2 red stripes for 2nd Infantry Brigade of the Division , i.e. 147th Brigade. Then lastly my corporal stripes, as I was a corporal in the cadets. The little round symbol on the lower left arm, is a drivers qualification, since I drive the Jeep.
Now there are 2 colour berets available at this time for the Duke of Wellington's. A black beret, and a khaki beret. Both have the same cap badge on a red triangle back ground. This Khaki beret is current issue, but very similar to 1940's pattern, all be it a smaller crown. The Black on, or very dark navy blue, is a very old pattern, probably 1960's, but very similar to the regimental beret of the war. Also, the black boots, which should have nailed studs in, but, mine have rubber soles due to me having in the past, two operations to repair knee ligaments, very painful. So I am not slipping on nails for no one!
