Yeah i've heard that one too so knw where you're coming from.
Howevr bizzarley the opposite appears to be true, ealry war commando raids wore scrubbed webbing to lighten it, from a distance you cant see it but at killing distance it stopped you targetting your mates.
Lots of pics and museum pieces to support this.
And with the SAS they dint have to blanco kit so often didnt, operationally they wore and used whatever they like, to support jokers earlier post there is a pic of an sas trooper in jack boots in 'stirlings men'
Add to tha german mp40 pouches, us webbing, civilian motor racing helmets and dispatch rider boots and breeches & weirdly german luftwaffe jackets. a re-enactors nightmare!
A weird and wonderful variety of kit!
(hmm interestingly a guy in one pic in that book has some interesting lookng boots on, they are short leg and not ammo boots or german marching boots, look like moutain pattern boots or the 44 pattern jungle boots - pic is italy 45)
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Also again during WW2 and post war rifle regiments had blackened webbing I believe(and badges/buttons)as did some members of RAC and RTR units.
Not WW2 but SAS used to use blackened 37patt belts with No2 dress in late 60s/70s
I know for fact 1RTR wore no blanco and had scrubbed webbing as i have a wartime officers photo book and i pic of a 44 parade its captioned 'no blanco'
I think it varies massivley i'd liek to know who did blacken their webbing for definate thoughout of amateur historian anal obsessiveness....
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
The newer blanko wont take blanko properly, best just to clean it off as best you can.
