Poles vs Blanco. FIIIIIIGHT

1st Armoured "wiewiór", black shoulder epaulette, braided cord under the left epaulette - all that would make them 10th Dragoons, part of the 1st Armoured.

The black epaulette was common to the whole division I think, and at least a few different regiments had a 'braided Lanyard' - can't remember what they are called officially.
Here's 1st armoured Regiment BD.
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30095291

The black epaulette was common to the whole division I think,

Yes, but only since 15th Feb 1945.

and at least a few different regiments had a 'braided Lanyard' - can't remember what they are called officially.

Yep, but this one does look a lot like the fairly simple black braid of the 10th Dragoons.

Anyway, I know about those helmets now. Thanks

A nice mix of chin straps can be seen on the AFV helmets.
Early sprung type and the later elasticated version.

A Canadian sniper. Note the webbing colour:

[/img]

Yes, but....

His Majesty King George VI inspecting the 2nd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillary (R.C.A.).

Credit: Alexander M. Stirton / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-128090.

Or this one. Not too clear, but their webbing looks a lot darker than their KDs.

Personnel of the Edmonton Regiment entering Modica, Italy, 13 July 1943.

Credit: National Archives of Canada/PA-116848

Both photos from the same site: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/feature/i ... allery#a08

All of which adds support to the some did and some didn't hypothesis for Canadians?

Seemingly so.

Snipers are also a *really* bad choice to demonstrate a point unless the point is 'snipers wore whatever they felt like'

British and canadian snipers had a ridiculous amount of leeway over personal kit. They were rarely in the presence of officers or rear area NCOs with 'BBB' complexs.

For example they often aquired or were issued denisons in line regiments, wore whatever worked and was comfy and some actually painted pretty much all their kit with OD vehicle paint.

There is a famous british sniper in the Hallams who painted his boots green, a pic of him doing that isnt a good example to prove 'the hallamshire battalion painted their boots green and wore denisons' though

Snipers generally had a bit of a weird aura about them and a bit of resentment, even among men from their own battalion, as not only did they make a very 'personal' war with the enemy but also many resented the fact they were hardly ever disciplined for the usual army trivia like maintaining it to certain standards.

I lost track of how many examples were posted here.
How much is enough?

White "parade" kit:

Tanker with blanco:

Tankers without blanco:

A Commando. The webbing seems to be blancoed, but the small pack with the L-strap - not

Commandos, no blanco:

A Commando with blanco (or webbing stained with grass)

1SBS, compare the one on the left with the one in the middle

1SBS (their formations and parades seem to all have been done in semi-combat gear), compare the belts:

Is this enough?

Crikey, glad I do German most of the time, all this blanco is doing my 'ead in

Is this enough?

Depends on the exact point you're trying to make. I've lost track of what the contention is.

*every* unit will have had times where they perhaps did or did not blanco, some units used particular colours, some units scrubbed webbing til it was white to aid night recognition (commmandos).

The point is that the *norm* for commonwealth troops in NWE post d-day was to blanco kit.

You will always find exceptions.

If you're doing a specific unit and have fair evidence that it wasnt done or done badly then fair enough but the vast majority of frontline troops used blanco as per standing orders.

If you've put a pic up for feedback and a couple of people say 'would look better blancoed' there doesnt seem to be much point in being defensive about it, if you're totally happy with your impression then fair enough

No, sorry, I truly give up. I'll stick to the facts, not firm beliefs.

The point is that the *norm* for commonwealth troops in NWE post d-day was to blanco kit.

To try and calm things a little....
The Poles are not Commonwealth troops.
They did do things differently.

Of course if we had an "Other Allied" section to discuss it then those with no interest wouldn't have to read it. (hint hint Chomley )

Surely anything to do with blanco comes under the British uniforms & kit section?

With my military history hat on I find this sort of thing interesting, but I can't help thinking that this whole discussion might be better on a different board as it is really quite specialist.

Cheers
Martin

Surely anything to do with blanco comes under the British uniforms & kit section?

Not when discussing forces that aren't British....

But it doesn't belong in the kit pic either

Well, i'm really very late to this party, but I noticed the Antipodean question below appears to have gone unanswered.

The Canadians didnt have Blanco as a compulsory part of their regime. Nor did all the Free French we equipped.
ANZACs?

Now, for the Australians I cannot answer, but for NZ forces the answer to the question of blanco usage seems to have been 'no'. Eastern and Pacific theatres aside, 2NZEF were active in Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy; they weren't part of operations in NWE, and it may be that they just didn't feel the need to use blanco on their webbing in that environment. Veterans I've spoken to don't remember ever even having heard of the stuff, and none of the reenactors I've spoken to have come across anything in their research which suggests it was used either. I'm inclined to suggest that it is simply as Poacher said earlier here - same equipment, different traditions.

Two photos I have found which possibly show webbing with blanco, but could still possibly be simply dirty, or darkened by other means for the same effect as KG3 blanco:

*National libraries link* - this looks potentially staged, given how unusually tidy and well groomed they look by NZ standards for that particular time and place.

*Some site with American spellings* - now this lot look like Kiwi troops in all their mismatched glory. Note the fellow in the lower middle of the group - that might possibly be KG3?

As there has been no action here for a while and the positions of the two camps and sub heresies are holding a Static Front.

I look at it like this…

If your Commanding Officer decides the Men under his Command are to have Blancoed equipment as they have the time and the compound is available, they will nine times out of ten be blancoed in short order, and always in his presence.

If in Theatre light coloured Wedding is affecting personal camouflage and causing losses of personnel you will nine times out of ten find Equipment being Darkened, with anything to hand that suits, blanco included.

If in Theatre you have a lack of water it will not wasted in blancoing gear unless tactically it makes sense.

If you are in basic training for discipline you send time being Beasted, Bulling and Blancoing, if you do BEF you Blanco Pea Green.

It is also a fashion thing with some formations again you have their Traditions to thank for that.

Only Personal Equipment is normally Blancoed unless it becomes a personal camouflage thing, then other items will be done officially or unofficially.

If you are doing a formation that uses Camouflage clothing, think would unblancoed equipment add or subtract from the effect?

If you are a Unit then all agree to Blanco or not, it looks better (a force multiplier), if you are not Blancoing then get your Equipment to soften, lose its shape and edges, get the wear marks on Cotton Webbing belt, straps, Haversacks, pouches etc….. you will look so much better and professional.

I do Western Desert so it is scrubbed Webbing in salt water and sun bleaching and as HG unblancoed, just kept clean but used for Home Service Duties.