Wehrmacht German Western Front Uniform And Equipment 39-45

wehrmacht soldat · Post by **wehrmacht soldat** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:33 pm

Hi,
I am new to Feldgrau I am wondering what uniform the Wehrmacht wore in the Western Front from 1939-1945. I am also wondering what equipment they wore including, helmet, belt, canteen, bread bag, etc.

Thanks for reading and feel free to post.

Helmut Von Moltke · Post by **Helmut Von Moltke** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:36 am

hello Soldat,

A simple answer, I would say. German soldiers on Eastern front and Western front wore the same uniforms, and used the same equipment! There was no special uniforms for the fronts! The only difference might be the types of tunics, eg M36, M40, M43, M44 or type of helmets, but they were all evenly distributed among all the fronts.

~'Spiess' Feldwebel K, the EviL

San Martin · Post by **San Martin** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:50 am

Hello there, I understood it that (and according to my references and modelling) for the early Western Campaigns a Feldgrau (which is a green-grey) field tunic was worn over Dunkelgrau (Dark Grey, aka Panzer grey, like on the vehicles) Trousers/Breeches. This would be up until Barbarossa, by which time it was simplified to Feldgrau for all items.

Leather items on both fronts were usually in black (although some brown, but this was more for the tropical regions, but not uncommon at all in the western and Ostfront). This would apply to belts, Y braces, Kar. Bullet pouches, officer's map cases and etc. for examples.

Metal items were in Dunkel Grau, this would apply to the disinctive cylindrical Gas Mask case, Stahlhelm, mess tin and etc.

The Drinking flask (field flask) had a felt cover (to keep water cool if made wet) in a mouse grey (again there were variations, like olive, and brown) and usually had a black bakelite cup attatched to the top with (usually) a black leather strap holding all in place. Side arm (knife/bayonet) had a dark brown handle in black leather sheath, this was usually attatched to a folding entrenching tool in a leather case (around the blade of the spade) and a natural wood handle.

Bread bags and other canvas items were usually in Felgrau, but after 1941/2 olive green was common.

Those were also most of the standard infantryman's equipment, not forgetting the Zeltbahn a triangular piece of water-proof cotton with a slit in the middle to be worn as a rain cape, several of these could also be joined together to make a tent. It had the distinctive and highly collectible (and copied) Splinter pattern in it. Greatcoats for cold weather/winter months came in Dunkelgrau, Feldgrau and a mouse grey also.

Tropical equipments and uniforms were of course very different in terms of colouration.

Re.

Osprey men-at-arms series 234: German Combat Equipments 1939-45

Osprey men-at-arms series 311: The German Army 1939-45 (1) Blitzkrieg

Osprey men-at-arms series 326: The German Army 1939-45 (3) Eastern Front 1941–43.

I hope these help, L.

Willhelm Gruber II · Post by **Willhelm Gruber II** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:55 pm

M36 Tunic - Pre-war to Early War but was redistributed and recycled untill the end of the war, had bottle green collar and was supposed to have bottle green rank slides (usually not the case with recycled uniforms)
the rest of the wool was Feld Grau with black leather (as this is early war)
they cam with m37 stone grey pants
at this point troops that wore helmets wore the M35 steel helmet or a transitional helmet even an M16 from the first world war

M40 Tunic is the same but the bottle green collars and rank slides became Feld Grau as well, the quality of the wool was supposed to have dropped with black leather... At this point the M40 steel helmet started to appear with had stamped vent holes rather then riverted ones

M41 Tunic an extra butten was added to the M40 to make the m41

M42 Tunic the box pocket on the tunics was dropped to save manufacturing time.. the M42 steel helmet started to appear it had an unrolled rim... it was also at this point that more brown leather (Luftwaffe Leather) started to appear in the army to suppliment supplies of the Black Heer leather.

M43 Tunic the scalloped pockets were deleted and often had an open collar with defined lapels.. it was made of up to 50% synthetic wool by this stage

M44 Tunic was totally different to the others it looked like the British Battle Dress it was alot shorter and was made by alot of old recycled uniforms, this tunic only had 2 pockets

i have also heard but have not seen any pictures of both an M45 helmet which was supposed to have no vent holes and was alot rounder, and an M45 tunic which was supposed to be just slapped together with any material they could find

[/img]

Willhelm Gruber II · Post by **Willhelm Gruber II** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 6:56 pm

M36 Tunic - Pre-war to Early War but was redistributed and recycled untill the end of the war, had bottle green collar and was supposed to have bottle green rank slides (usually not the case with recycled uniforms)
the rest of the wool was Feld Grau with black leather (as this is early war)
they cam with m37 stone grey pants
at this point troops that wore helmets wore the M35 steel helmet or a transitional helmet even an M16 from the first world war

M40 Tunic is the same but the bottle green collars and rank slides became Feld Grau as well, the quality of the wool was supposed to have dropped with black leather... At this point the M40 steel helmet started to appear with had stamped vent holes rather then riverted ones

M41 Tunic an extra butten was added to the M40 to make the m41

M42 Tunic the box pocket on the tunics was dropped to save manufacturing time.. the M42 steel helmet started to appear it had an unrolled rim... it was also at this point that more brown leather (Luftwaffe Leather) started to appear in the army to suppliment supplies of the Black Heer leather.

M43 Tunic the scalloped pockets were deleted and often had an open collar with defined lapels.. it was made of up to 50% synthetic wool by this stage

M44 Tunic was totally different to the others it looked like the British Battle Dress it was alot shorter and was made by alot of old recycled uniforms, this tunic only had 2 pockets

i have also heard but have not seen any pictures of both an M45 helmet which was supposed to have no vent holes and was alot rounder, and an M45 tunic which was supposed to be just slapped together with any material they could find

-Willie

Willhelm Gruber II · Post by **Willhelm Gruber II** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:58 am

yes these were all just uniforms, the classifacation were made by collectors

Paddy Keating · Post by **Paddy Keating** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 11:26 am

Don't forget the tropical/desert issue kit...

PK

Willhelm Gruber II · Post by **Willhelm Gruber II** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:43 am

ya the 2 main DAK uniforms were the M40 and the M43 (once again to cut down on production time, but in emergencies troops were rushed and fought in European uniforms, the webbing is canvas and as with the uniforms and shortages alot of troops wore the European leather versian

i would go into more detail but i have to time at this moment, somone may be able to pick up where i left off