Kriegsmarine British Battle-Dress

[Doggowitz]

Hello,

I am looking for information and especially photos (also Illustrations) for the Battledresses worn by Kriegsmarine personel (mainly U-Boat crews).

Here are my questions:

-Are there figures how many British Battledresses were used?

-Were they mainly captured at Dünkirchen or North Africa?

-Wich types of British Battledresses were used?

-Were they standardized in German use, in Regards of Insignia and Buttons?

-In wich period of the war were they a) captured b) issued c) used?

-Did the Germans have a similar Jacket on their own? Similar Pattern or something like this? Or did they use it only because
they got a number of them?

-What other Uniform pieces would be worn with it (Trousers, Headgear)?

-Differed the captured Battledresses in colour, pattern etc. from each other? (basically same as question 3)

-Were they German stamped?

Photos and Images would be great.

Best Regards

[Dare Furor]

Doggowitz,

As I dig through my archives I will post some "quick" answers. As a disclaimer, when I started collecting these images, I did not document the sites from which they were taken, albeit, I am not using them for commercial gain. That noted, here are the questions I can answer off-the-cuff:

Hello,

I am looking for information and especially photos (also Illustrations) for the Battledresses worn by Kriegsmarine personel (mainly U-Boat crews).

Here are my questions:

-Are there figures how many British Battledresses were used?

-Were they mainly captured at Dünkirchen or North Africa?

***They were mainly (most famously) captured at Dünkirchen.

-Wich types of British Battledresses were used?

***Because this (Dunkirk) was in 1940, the most common Battledress captured was the P-37. There may have been some P-40s, since I would expect the P-40 was actually designed in 1939, but most of the stock captured was the old P-37 style.

-Were they standardized in German use, in Regards of Insignia and Buttons?

***Standardised?...In the Kriegsmarine?... (You so funny!) I have noticed that many KM personnel put KM buttons on them, but the national eagle was worn as often as not, and when it was worn it was sewn on as often as pinned. Shoulderboards were slip-on as-well-as sewn in, but this meant removing the straps already on the BD, and that was extra work. I have one image somewhere of the KM shoulderboards attached on top of the BD straps. It was also common not to alter the BD at all. After all, it was usually worn as an overall/coverall to protect one's "good" clothing thus, it was also worn in a size or two larger than normal (if you are a size 48, you would want a size 52 to wear over your size 48 rig).

-In wich period of the war were they a) captured b) issued c) used?

***a) 1940; b) I do not know; c) throughout the war

-Did the Germans have a similar Jacket on their own? Similar Pattern or something like this? Or did they use it only because
they got a number of them?

***Yes, they did have a similar uniform. It was the most common uniform worn by U-Boat personnel (based on photographic evidence). It was a grey-green cotton drill (I think the P-37 uniforms captured at Dunkirk were both wool and cotton versions, but I cannot remember where/why I got this impression). The KM version came in fieldgrey and tropical brown as well. Buttons could be black plastic four-holed buttons or brass fouled anchor buttons (painted or brass). Many Petty Officers and CPOs wore collar-point chevrons (braid or brass) to indicate their rank. The KM jacket had metal rings to secure the friction belt, whereas the P-37 fastened with a buckle. Brit Battledress had a distinct band cuff that buttoned, while the KM jacket used slit-cuffs. Brit pocketflaps were scalloped or pointed whereas KM pocket flaps were usually straight.

-What other Uniform pieces would be worn with it (Trousers, Headgear)?

***The British trousers differed from the KM trousers in that the former had that large map/patch pocket on the front of the left thigh. This can be confusing when studying Black & White photographs because the Kriegsmarine also wore the khaki-brown Luftwaffe-pattern tropical uniform (rather than the Heer olive) that had the large left thigh pocket like the British.

-Differed the captured Battledresses in colour, pattern etc. from each other? (basically same as question 3)

***Yes

-Were they German stamped?

*** I do not know. I have to find out now.

Photos and Images would be great.

Best Regards

I will get back to the Forum when I get the images.

Good hunting!

Dare Furor
( )

[Steiner]

You mean this ?

[pzrwest]

My friend Edgar wearing the above tunic on his surrender

[Doggowitz]

Great info and pics!
Is this tunic a P-40? Thanks, keep 'em coming!

[Dare Furor]

Great info and pics!
Is this tunic a P-40? Thanks, keep 'em coming!

It may be the P-40 (circa 1942?). It has plain pockets. The P-37 had pleated pockets. Edgar's uniform appears to be the KM-issue uniform since it has no shoulder straps.

Still working on those images...


Dare Furor

[Dare Furor]

More P-37 images, sources unknown. May be U-boat.net

[Dare Furor]

But wait...there's more!

[Dare Furor]

NOW how much would you pay? Well hold onto your seat...

[Dare Furor]

That's a great value...

[Dare Furor]

Call within the next fifteen minutes, and we'll throw in absolutely free...

[Doggowitz]

Thank you! Great pictures and a wealth of information.

[FranJCG]

¿which rank has the one who carries the second-class iron cross hanging?

[Dare Furor]

Rank is Obermaat, a Chief Petty Officer (¿Sargento?)