Hi Guys
If you have any brit kit related questions please stick them up here and we can pool our knowledge to answer them.
You might want to know how to blanco, or how to fit a respirator pouch or want a good source of repro ratons... here is where to ask.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
I'll continue my badging discussions here if I may, rather than clog up the announcement post.
I didn't realise that the Denison was insignia free. 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
only rank and para wings on a denison and only nco rank on one arm at that.
glider troops had rank only but there is no reason why you cant wear them and say you're previously para trained.
One of the good points about doing airlanding is you can do an airborne impression without geting into the rather silly
'you shouldnt wear para wings unless you've jumped' debate.
Personally I dont care if folk wear them or not but in some circles its a hot potatoe
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Yup... plus the same denison can be used for commando if we don't have para wings on it.
Any chance you can ring up and cancel that insignia order, Steiner?
Any chance you can ring up and cancel that insignia order, Steiner?
I've tried - they say they will if it hasn't been sent already. 
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
I think you're within your consumer rights to return it for refund anyway wihtin 28 days.
Especially if its not been used and you say you bought it by mistake, if you an change your order with them they shoudl be ok as they are not losing money
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Windproof suit had no insignia at all.
Quite a few stoke lads in the south staffs btw
a vc winner among them no less
Lance Sgt Baskeyfield
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/pe ... field.html
A brave man if ever there was one.
Remember our line inf unit is the hallamshire regiment though, whihc is what your windproof suit is suitable for (and commando and SAS, in fact anything *except* south staffords airlanding)
Airborne helmets didnt carry insignia.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
In fact its best not to get too hung up on a regiments recruiting area.
lessons of the first world war meant that although you were more *likely* to end up in a county regiment you could conceivably end up anywhere!
This is because when regiments were recruited entirely from a set geographic location a massive battle could (and did in the Great War) remove entire towns of the map as every man in some villages between the ages of 16 and 40 died in a day....
Similarly soldiers tranfered in and out of battalions and officers were secnded where there was shortfall. (VC winner major cain of the staffs was not a stafford orignially)
A good example being when the south staffs converted to glider ops, this wa sentirely voluntary and anyone not wishing to be a gliderider could transfer to a different regiment.
I've got windproof suit on order myself though, nice bit of kit i reckon.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Yep there definately is a helmet with a staff knot on it in the book.
Just our battalion of the staff wore airborne helemts and these i've never seen with any artwork on them.
Divisional flashes are quite common painted on helmets, there was a staffordshire division but it was disbanded before or very shortly after d-day to make replacments for other divisions.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
hi chaps
MP40s now sold so time to get ordering bits and bobs. With KCS keith possibly about to do some Serge BD's going to hold off on that for a little bit(as im also watching a few Ebay items). So first things first im going to get my webbing sent up from sabre
am I asking for: 2x cross straps, 2x pouches, 1x belt. or is that late war webbing? also what water bottles best?
will get the beret from them too i think do I need a badge for it at all?
sorry for so many questions but very new to brit kit
Oh one other thing. Denison. as Yith pointed out at wotan the belgian ones are waxy and to short. where does a decent version at a fairish price?
Webbing is an excellent place to start.
Sabre is still the best place to get it!
Yup, Belt, 2xpouches and 2x cross straps is the basics throughout the war.
You want brass fittings on everything and if possible press stud closures on the pouches.
Additional extras:
Water bottle and carrier. The skeleton carrier was more universally used, but the envelope carrier is okay.
Small pack, plus a pair of L-Straps.
Large Pack and utility straps (needs the L-straps from the small pack as well, note that airborne didn't use the large pack, but its still nice to have as all the other impressions did and its a good place to store stuff..)
Entrenching tool, cover and haft. There are two (or three) types of these... ask for the mid war pattern and you'll have the best option.
Bayonet frog... only useful if you have a bayonet to go in it... or it looks daft! so no worries for us.
On denisons... Rangercamp has a new lot coming out which looks like it'll beat Sanjay's I'm getting one as soon as they are available in about a month. At that point I'll probably have my sanjay one for sale at a bargain price!
thanks Yith
Will get the pouchs/straps/belt/water bottle first and then worry about packs etc later.
does the beret need a badge cap by the way?
Yes...
For south staffs... you want a south staffs one.
(available on ebay)
For commando you'll want a No2 commando one:
This will need to be put on a black felt backing (a triangle with the point cut off) and put the other way up (I think, Gadge please confirm)
Alternatively cloth No2 Commando cap badges are available. Someone else will be able to tell you where from.
Don't buy ones with "SS" on them as they are officer only. The ones with "Commando" on them are post war.
BTW, beret's should really be the large size... 10.5" dia top. SOF do decent repros. You can wear a smaller modern one if you wish though.
Also see this thread for No2 Commando info: http://www.wwiireenacting.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=31967
Yep dagger points down.
In heraldry its seen as 'defensive' whereas a wepaon pointing up is 'aggresive'
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
thanks chaps will get ordering. emails already bounced off to sabre.
It may be best to follow any emails to sabre up with a phone call... they're pretty old tech there... 
That and you tend to get beter prices over the phone if you can engage them in a bit of friendly conversation first!
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
fair enough. they've always emailed back in the past but will ring em tomorrow if no reply. worth giving them a fair chance to answer
ah ok gadge good plan will ring them later then
Best supplier of round, crumbly blanco (you see I was paying attention!)?
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
