A quick question which the search hasn't answered..
As many/most officers had their uniforms tailor made, would they always go for 37 pattern or later in the war would they opt for 40 pattern to seem more in step with the war effort???
'Non adepto demens. Adepto etiam'
War does not show who is right, only who is left..
Tailored uniforms are less common than you think.
Not only were many late war officers 'ordinary men' and without the funds to have uniforms tailored (the uniform allowance barely covers the essentials) and were in the army or the duration of hostilities they had no interest at all in fulfilling the 'social requirements' of a commission with a nice dress uniform out of their own pocket. (much the same for officers coming up through the ranks).
Those in the field often wore regular battledress for a variety of reasons... one being excessive wear and tear or infestation by vermin would mean they'd need a new issue from stores regularly and the other being that no field officer in his right mind in Normandy did *anything* that marked him out as an officer (tailored faced lapels being a gold edged invitation for a 7.92mm aspirin). Officers dressing almost entirely in ORs kit and with ORs webbing is not uncommon.
Kings Regulations allowed an officer to outfit himself in any one of the three ways:
1) To draw clothing from company stores (this still usually had to be paid for)
2) To draw clothing from stores and have it altered (usually facing the collar with serge)
3) To have a tailor made uniform that adheredto war dept regulations regarding material and cut.
Obviously each battalion had a number of unit tailors but they simply wouldnt have time to be refitting every officers BD every time he wrecked a set in the field.
Obviously BD taken from stores would be of whatever pattern the QM had in. A quick glance at period photos shows a massive mix of BD styles for officers even in the same unit... Some examples even look like 49 pattern!
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Thank you to both off you for very informative replies..
It was just something I wondered about. Your answers really have helped a great deal...
Regards Chris..
'Non adepto demens. Adepto etiam'
War does not show who is right, only who is left..
Here is a joke though. In the 3 TA units I have been in, all the soldiers everywhere want earlier kit!
I managed to snaffle an 80s Parasmock when the Q let us into the stores to get kit for an excercise. I handed in my crappy S2000 jacket - WIN!Its all fun and games.
Some things never change. The 'gucci' kit with my old lot ws older stuff wih tropic trousers and sas smocks being loved for field kit. Equally 58 pattern belts were sort after depsite their being much nicer alternatives about.
Quite often soldiers are very conscious f the 'seniority' of 'getting service in' and anything that marks you out as a 'sweat' rather than a 'crow' is a bonus. Everyone moans about how rubbish the kit is but when new stuff comes out it both regarded with a bit of suspicion until its done well in the field and also some people dont like change!
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."