In accordance with the Hague Conventions, wearing military uniform during hostilities or armed conflicts is a necessary condition definitions of military personnel as legal combatants with all the special rights arising from this status. At the same time, a mandatory element of the military uniform is insignia, clearly indicating belonging to armed forces one side or the other in an armed conflict. Participating in such conflicts militia may wear a non-uniform uniform, but must have distinctive signs (bandages, crosses, etc.) at least at a shooting distance.
Front-line soldier
Corporal (1) in a 1943 model uniform. The insignia from the buttonholes has been transferred to the shoulder straps. The SSh-40 helmet became widespread since 1942. At about the same time, submachine guns began to arrive in large quantities to the troops. This corporal is armed with a 7.62 mm Shpagin submachine gun - PPSh-41 - with a 71-round drum magazine. Spare magazines in pouches on the waist belt next to a pouch for three hand grenades. In 1944, along with the drum magazine for the PPSh-41, a 35-round open-arm magazine began to be produced, also suitable for the PPS-43. Horn magazines were carried in pouches in three compartments. Grenades were usually carried in pouches on the waist belt.
By the beginning of the war, there were pouches for one grenade, in this case the F-1 (Za) grenade is shown. More practical pouches for three grenades appeared later; a pouch with a fragmentation grenade RG-42 (Зb) is shown. Pouches with two compartments were intended for RGD-33 high-explosive grenades; here is a grenade with a fragmentation ring (Zs) attached. The 1942 model duffel bag had a design that was simple to the point of primitiveness.
Each compartment had an ax, which was carried by one of the soldiers on a waist belt in a special case (5). A new type of pot (6), similar to the German model. Enamel mug (7). Due to the shortage of aluminum, glass flasks with a cork stopper were found among the troops (8). The glass of the flask could be green or brown, or transparent. The flasks were hung from the waist belt using a fabric cover. The BN gas mask was equipped with a conversation box and an improved TSh filter (9). Gas mask bag with two side pockets for spare eyepiece glasses and a pencil with anti-fog compound. The pouch for spare ammunition was hung on the back to the waist belt and could hold six standard five-round rounds (10).
Rookie
Private (1 and 2) in a summer field uniform, model 1936. with insignia of the 1941 model. Helmet of the 1936 model and boots with windings. Field equipment of the 1936 model, almost all equipment of this type was lost in the first year of fighting. The equipment includes a duffel bag, a roll with an overcoat and a raincoat, a food bag, cartridge pouches with two compartments, a sapper shovel, a flask and a gas mask bag. The Red Army soldier is armed with a 7.62 mm Mosin rifle, model 1891/30. The bayonet is attached in the opposite direction for ease of carrying. Shown are a bakelite medallion (3), a sapper's shovel with a cover (4), an aluminum flask with a cover (5), a bandoleer for 14 rifle clips (6). Later, instead of leather equipment, canvas equipment was produced. Two five-round clips (7) were placed in each compartment of the cartridge pouch. The idle pot (8) served both as a saucepan and as a bowl. Boots (9) with windings (10). BS gas mask with bag (11). The protrusion between the eye sockets made it possible to wipe the fogged glass from the inside and clear the nose. The gas mask was equipped with a T-5 filter.
German corporal uniform (non-commissioned officer), 1939-1940
01 - M-35 field jacket with non-commissioned officer insignia, 02 - M-35 steel helmet with Heeres markings, 03 - Zeltbahn M-31 camouflage fabric tent "Splittermuster", 04 - gray ("Steingrau") trousers, 05 - leather belt, 06 - filter bags for gas mask, 07 - M-38 gas mask, 08 - M-24 grenade, 09 - black leather pouch, 10 - M-31 aluminum bowler hat, 11 - boots, 12 - 7, 92 mm Mauser 98k, 13 - Seitengewehr 84/98 bayonet, 14 - sapper blade.
Lieutenant's uniform of the 82nd Airborne Sicily, 1943
01 - M2 helmet with camouflage net, 02 - M1942 jacket, 03 - M1942 trousers, 04 - M1934 wool shirt, 05 - boots, 06 - M1936 Loading belt with M1916 holster for Colt M1911 and pistol, 07 - M1936 shoulder straps, 08 - Carbine М1А1, 09 - M2A1 gas mask, 10 - M1910 folding shovel, 11 - M1942 bowler hat, 12 - M1910 bag, 13 - dog tags, 14 - M1918 Mk I knife, 15 - M1936 backpack.
Luftwaffe uniform Hauptmann (captain), FW-190-A8 pilot, Jagdgeschwader 300 "Wild Sau", Germany 1944
01 - LKP N101 headphones, 02 - Nietzsche & Gunter Fl. 30550 points, 03 - Drager model 10-69 oxygen mask, 04 - Hankart, 05 - AK 39Fl. compass, 06 - 25 mm Walter Flarepistol M-43 with ammunition on the belt, 07 - holster, 08 - FW-190 parachute, 09 - aviation boots, 10 - M-37 Luftwaffe breeches, 11 - Luftwaffe leather jacket with Hauptmann and Luftwaffe emblem bandage.
Private ROA (Vlasov's army), 1942-45
01 - Dutch field jacket with ROA on buttonholes and shoulder straps, Heeres eagle on the right chest, 02 - M-40 trousers, 03 - medallion, 04 - M-34 cap with ROA, 05 - boots, 06 - M-42 gaiters, 07 - Grman unloading belt with pouch, 08 - M-24 grenade, 09 - M-31 bowler hat, 10 - Bayonet, 11 - M-39 straps, 12 - M-35 helmet with camouflage net, 13 - " New life» magazine for “eastern” volunteers, 14 - 7.62 mm Mosin 1891/30
US Army Infantry Uniform 1942-1945
01 - M1 helmet, 02 - M1934 shirt, 03 - M1934 sweatshirt, 04 - M1941 trousers, 05 - boots, 06 - M1938 leggings, 07 - M1926 lifebuoy, 08 - M1937 ammunition belt, 09 - M1924 personal care products, 10 - M1910 bowler hat, 11 - gas mask, 12 - M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle with M1907 belt, 13 - stripes, 14 and 15 - manuals, 16 - sleeve badges: A - 1st Armored, B - 2nd, C - 3- I am Infantry, E is 34th, F is 1st Infantry.
Kriegsmarine (navy) Matrosengefreiter, 1943
01 - naval jacket, Iron Cross 2nd class, veteran crew badge on the left chest, Matrosengefreiter insignia 02 - Kriegsmarine cap, 03 - naval peacoat, 04 - "deck" trousers, 05 - "Signal" magazine, July 1943 , 06 - tobacco, 07 - cigarette paper, 08 - “Hygenischer Gummischutz-Dublosan”, 09 - boots.
Major of the maintenance unit of the 1st Polish Armored Division, Germany, 1945
01 - M 37/40 casual uniform, 02 - black shoulder strap of the 1st Armored Division, 03 - 1st Div badge, 04 - Silver cross from the Virtuti Militari, 05 - M 37 shoulder straps, 06 - 11.43 mm Colt M1911 pistol, 07 - officer's boots, 08 - leather vest, 09 - drivers' gloves, 10 - helmet for driving armored units, 11 - AT Mk II motorcycle helmet, 12 - Mk II helmet, 12 - leggings.
Private, Luftwaffe, France, 1944
01 - M-40 helmet, 02 - Einheitsfeldmütze M-43 cap, 03 - M-43 camouflage T-shirt “Sumpftarnmuster”, 04 - trousers, 05 - shoulder straps, 06 - 7.92 mm Mauser 98k rifle, 07 - M-31 breadbag , 08 - M-31 bowler hat, 09 - M-39 boots, 10 - medallion, 11 - “Esbit” pocket heater.
Lieutenant's uniform, RSI "Decima MAS", Italy, 1943-44
01 - "Basco" beret, 02 - model, 1933 helmet, 03 - model, 1941 flight jacket, leutenant badges on cuffs, lapel badges, 04 - German belt, 05 - Beretta 1933 pistol and holster, 06 - German M-24 grenade, 07 - 9 mm TZ-45 SMG, 08 - pouches, 09 - trousers, 10 - German mountain boots, 11 - badge of participation in the Folgore company.
8 SS-Kavallerie division "Florian Geyer", summer 1944
01 - M-40 Feldmutze cap, 02 - M-40 helmet with SS badges, 03 - field jacket 44 - new cut, cavalry badges on shoulder straps, 04 - trousers, 05 - M-35 belt, 06 - wool shirt, 07 - M-39 shoulder straps, 08 - “Florian Geyer” bandage, 09 - woolen gloves, 10 - Panzerfaust 60, 11 - 7.92 mm Sturmgewehr 44, 12 - M-84/98 bayonet, 13 - canvas pouches, 14 - M- 24 grenades, 15 - Waffen SS salary card, 16 - M-31 bowler hat, 17 - M-43 leather boots, 18 - Leggings.
Captain (Kapitanleutnant) - submarine commander, 1941
01 - officer's jacket, Kapitanleutnant insignia, 02 - Kninght Cross of the Iron Cross, 03 - submarine insignia, 04 - Unofficial insignia of the 1st and 9th U-boat flotillas, 05 - cigarette cap of Kriegsmarine officers -, 06, 07 - leather gloves, 08 - leather coat "U-Boot-Päckchen", 09 - boots, 10 - "Junghans", 11 - naval binoculars.
Partisan of the Peasant Battalion (Bataliony Chlopskie), Poland, 1942
01 - wz.1937 “rogatywka” cap, 02 - jacket, 03 - trousers, 04 - boots, 05 - improvised bandage, 06 - 9 mm MP-40 SMG.
01 - canvas hat with headphones, 02 - model 1935 cap with a red star, 03 - linen overalls, 04 - canvas bag for a gas mask, 05 - officer boots, 06 - holster for 7.62 mm Nagant, 07 - tablet made of leather. , 08 - officer's belt.
Polish infantry uniform, 1939
01 - wz.1939 "rogatywka" cap, 02 - wz.1937 "rogatywka" cap, 03 - wz.1937 steel helmet, 04 - wz.1936 jacket, 05 - badge, 06 - WSR wz.1932 gas mask in a canvas bag, 07 - hygiene products, 08 - leather pouches, 09 - wz.1933 breadbag, 10 - leather unloading belt, 11 - wz.1938 bowler hat, 12 - wz.1928 bayonet, 13 - folding shovel in a leather case, 14 - wz.1933 backpack with blanket, 15 - biscuits, 16 - wz.1931 combination bowler, 17 - spoon + fork set, 18 - owijacze fabric belts used instead of socks, 19 - boots, 20 - GR-31 fragmentation grenade, 21 - GR -31 offensive grenades, 22 - 7.92 mm Mauser 1898a rifle, 23 - 7.92 mm cartridge clips, 24 - WZ. 1924 bayonet.
Private, Red Army, 1939-41
01 — Ushanka hat, 02 — coat, 03 — felt boots, 04 — belt, 05 — 7.62 mm Tokarev SVT-40 rifle, 06 — bayonet, 07 — ammunition, 08 — gas mask bag, 09 — folding shovel.
NKVD lieutenant, 1940-41
01 - model 1935 NKVD cap, 02 - model 1925 NKVD tunic, 03 - dark blue cloth trousers with crimson piping, 04 - boots, 05 - waist belt, 06 - holster for Nagan 1895 revolver, 07 - model 1932 officer's tablet, 08 — NKVD Badge installed in 1940, 09 — Red Star badge, 10 — military ID, 11 — cartridges for a revolver.
01 - model 1940 steel helmet, 02 - padded jacket, 03 - field trousers, 04 - boots, 05 - 7.62 mm Mosin 91/30 rifle, 06 - rifle oiler, 07 - model 1930 bandolier, 09 - military ID, 10 - tablet.
01 - model 1943 "tunic" sweatshirt, officer version, 02 - model, 1935 breeches, 03 - model, 1935 Cap, 04 - model, 1940 helmet, 05 - model, 1935 officer's belt and shoulder straps, 06 - holster for Nagant, 1895 , 07 - tablet, 08 - officer's boots.
Red Intelligence Officer, 1943
01 - model 1935 cap, 02 - camouflage clothing, autumn, 03 - 7.62 mm PPS-43, 04 - canvas bag for ammunition, 05 - officer's belt 1935, 06 - leather case with 7.62mm TT Pistol, 07 - model , 1940 knife, 08 — Adrianov’s compass, 10 — officer’s boots.
And seemingly multitasking, Soviet military clothing still remained more practical and comfortable to wear during combat. The military uniform of the Red Army was highly wear-resistant and unpretentious in use. At the same time, officers and soldiers of the Red Army were necessarily issued with everyday, combat and dress uniforms, which were available in summer and winter versions.
Tankers wore a special helmet made of leather or canvas. In summer they used a lighter version, in winter - with a fur lining.
At the beginning of the war, field packs were used, but they were very quickly replaced by the canvas duffel bag of the 1938 model.
Not everyone had real duffel bags, so after the war began, many soldiers threw away gas masks and used gas mask bags instead.
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Duffel bag and chest watch. |
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Duffel bag and watch. |
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One of the equipment options for a Soviet soldier. |
According to the regulations, every soldier armed with a rifle was required to have two leather cartridge bags. The bag could store four clips for a Mosin rifle - 20 rounds. Cartridge bags were worn on the waist belt, one on each side. The officers used a small bag, which was made of either leather or canvas. There were several types of these bags, some of them were worn over the shoulder, some were hung from the waist belt. On top of the bag was a small tablet.
In 1943, the army uniform and the system of insignia were radically changed.
The new tunic looked like a shirt and had a stand-up collar fastened with two buttons.
Shoulder straps appeared: field and everyday ones. Field shoulder straps were made from khaki fabric. On the shoulder straps near the button they wore a small gold or silver badge indicating the type of military service. Officers wore a cap with a black leather chinstrap. The color of the band on the cap depended on the type of troops. In winter, generals and colonels were required to wear hats, and the rest of the officers received ordinary earflaps. The rank of sergeants and foremen was determined by the number and width of the stripes on their shoulder straps. The edging of the shoulder straps had the colors of the military branch.
You can also admire more than a dozen authentic retro cars restored from scratch.
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Restored cars from the Second World War. Photo: Pavel Veselkova |
At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War The cut of the uniform and the method of wearing it were determined by Order No. 176 of December 3, 1935. There were three types of uniforms for generals: everyday, weekend and dress. There were also three types of uniforms for officers and soldiers: everyday, guard and weekend. Each type of uniform had two options: summer and winter.
Numerous minor changes were made to the uniform between 1935 and 1941. The field uniform of the 1935 model was made of fabric of various shades of khaki color. The main distinctive element of the uniform was the tunic, which in its cut resembled a Russian peasant shirt. The cut of the tunic for soldiers and officers was the same. The flap of the breast pocket on the officer's tunic had a complex shape with a protrusion in the shape Latin letter"V". For soldiers, the valve often had a rectangular shape. The lower part of the collar of the tunic for officers had a triangular reinforcing patch, while for soldiers this patch was rectangular. In addition, soldiers' tunics had diamond-shaped reinforcing stripes on the elbows and back of the forearm. The officer's tunic, unlike the soldier's, had a colored edging. After the outbreak of hostilities, color edging was abandoned.
There were two types of tunics: summer and winter. Summer uniforms were made from cotton fabric, which was of a lighter color. Winter uniforms were made from woolen fabric, which had a richer, darker color. The officers wore a wide leather belt with a brass buckle decorated with a five-pointed star. Soldiers wore a simpler belt with a regular open buckle. In field conditions, soldiers and officers could wear two types of tunics: everyday and weekend. The weekend tunic was often called a French jacket. Some soldiers who served in elite units wore tunics of a special cut, distinguished by a colored stripe running along the collar. However, such tunics were rare.
The second main element of the uniform of both soldiers and officers were trousers, also called breeches. Soldiers' trousers had diamond-shaped reinforcing stripes on the knees. For footwear, officers wore high leather boots, while soldiers wore boots with windings or tarpaulin boots. In winter, officers and soldiers wore an overcoat made of brownish-gray cloth. The officers' overcoats were better quality than the soldiers', but had the same cut. The Red Army used several types of hats. Most units wore budenovki, which had a winter and summer version. However, the summer budenovka was everywhere replaced by the cap, introduced in the late 30s. In the summer, officers preferred to wear caps instead of budenovkas. In units stationed in Central Asia and Far East, instead of caps they wore wide-brimmed Panama hats.
In 1936, a new type of helmet (created on the basis of the French Adrian helmet) began to be supplied to the Red Army. In 1940, noticeable changes were made to the design of the helmet. The new helmet of the 1940 model everywhere replaced the helmet of the 1936 model, but the old helmet was still widely used in the first year of the war. Many Soviet officers they remember that the Red Army soldiers did not like to wear helmets, believing that helmets were worn only by cowards. Officers everywhere wore caps; the cap was an attribute of officer power. Tankers wore a special helmet made of leather or canvas. In summer they used a lighter version of the helmet, and in winter they wore a helmet with a fur lining.
The equipment of Soviet soldiers was strict and simple. Some units still used a brown leather backpack from the 1930 model, but such backpacks were rare in 1941. More common was the 1938 model canvas duffel bag. The base of the duffel bag was a rectangle 30x10 cm. The height of the duffel bag was 30 cm. The duffel bag had two pockets. Inside the duffel bag, the soldiers wore foot wraps, a raincoat, and in the pockets there were rifle accessories and personal hygiene items. At the bottom of the duffel bag, poles, pegs and other devices for setting up tents were tied. There were loops sewn onto the top and sides of the duffel bag, to which the roll was attached. The food bag was worn on the waist belt, under the duffel bag. The dimensions of the sack are 18x24x10 cm. In the sack the soldiers carried dry rations, a bowler hat and cutlery. The aluminum pot had a tight-fitting lid that was pressed down by the handle of the pot. In some units, soldiers used an old round pot with a diameter of 15 cm and a depth of 10 cm. However, the food bag and duffel bag of the 1938 model were quite expensive to produce, so their production was discontinued at the end of 1941.
Each Red Army soldier had a gas mask and a gas mask bag. After the war began, many soldiers threw away gas masks and used gas mask bags as duffel bags, since not everyone had real duffel bags. According to the regulations, every soldier armed with a rifle was required to have two leather cartridge bags. The bag could store four clips for a Mosin rifle - 20 rounds. Cartridge bags were worn on the waist belt, one on each side. The regulations provided for the possibility of wearing a large fabric cartridge bag that could hold six clips - 30 rounds. In addition, the Red Army soldiers could use a cloth bandolier worn over the shoulder. The compartments of the cartridge belt could accommodate 14 rifle clips. The grenade bag held two grenades with a handle. However, very few soldiers were equipped according to regulations. Most often, Red Army soldiers had to be content with one leather cartridge bag, which was usually worn on the right side. Some soldiers received small sapper blades in a fabric case. The shoulder blade was worn on the right hip. If a Red Army soldier had a flask, he wore it on his waist belt over his sapper blade.
During bad weather, soldiers used raincoats. The raincoat-tent was made of khaki-colored tarpaulin and had a ribbon with which the raincoat-tent could be secured to the shoulders. Raincoat tents could be connected in groups of two, four or six and thus obtain awnings under which several people could hide. If a soldier had a duffel bag of the 1938 model, then a roll, consisting of a raincoat and an overcoat, was attached to the sides and on top of the bag, in the form of a horseshoe. If there was no duffel bag, then the roll was carried over the shoulder.
The officers used a small bag, which was made of either leather or canvas. There were several types of these bags, some of them were worn over the shoulder, some were hung from the waist belt. On top of the bag was a small tablet. Some officers carried large leather tablets that were hung from the waist belt under their left arm.
There were also several types of specialized uniforms. In winter, tank crews wore black overalls and black leather jackets (sometimes black leather trousers were included with the jacket). Mountain shooters wore specially cut black overalls and special mountain boots. Cavalrymen, and primarily Cossacks, wore traditional clothes. The cavalry was the most variegated branch of the Red Army troops, since a large number of Cossacks and representatives of the nationalities of Central Asia served in the cavalry. Many cavalry units used standard uniforms, but even in such units items of Cossack uniform were often found. Before the war, Cossack troops were not popular, since many Cossacks during Civil War did not support the Bolsheviks and went to serve in white army. However, in the 30s, regiments of Don, Kuban and Terek Cossacks were formed. The personnel of these regiments were equipped with uniforms with a large number details of a traditional Cossack costume. The field uniform of the Cossacks during the Great Patriotic War was a combination of uniform items from the 1930s, pre-revolutionary Cossack uniforms and uniforms from the 1941/43 model.
Traditionally, Cossacks are divided into two groups: steppe and Caucasian. The uniforms of the two groups differed significantly from each other. If the steppe (Don) Cossacks gravitated towards the traditional military uniform, then the Caucasians dressed more colorfully. All Cossacks wore high hats or lower kubankas. In field conditions, Caucasian Cossacks wore dark blue or black beshmets (shirts). Ceremonial beshmets were red for the Kuban Cossacks and light blue for the Terek Cossacks. Over the beshmet, the Cossacks wore a black or dark blue Circassian coat. Gazyrs were sewn on the chest of the Circassian coat. In winter, Cossacks wore a black fur cloak. Many Cossacks wore bashlyks of different colors. The bottom of the Kubanka was covered with material: for the Terek Cossacks it was light blue, and for the Kuban Cossacks it was red. There were two stripes running crosswise on the material - gold for officers and black for privates. It should be borne in mind that many soldiers recruited from the southern regions of Russia continued to wear a kubanka instead of the earflaps required by regulations, even if they did not serve in the cavalry. One more distinctive feature The Cossacks wore dark blue riding breeches.
In the first years of the war, Soviet industry lost significant production capacity, which ended up in German-occupied territory. However, most of the equipment was still transported to the east and new industrial enterprises were organized in the Urals. This decline in production forced the Soviet command to significantly simplify the uniforms and equipment of soldiers. In the winter of 1941/42, more comfortable winter uniforms were used for the first time. When creating this uniform, the sad experience of the Finnish campaign was taken into account. The Red Army soldiers received padded jackets, cotton trousers and hats with earflaps made of synthetic fur. Officers were issued sheepskin coats or fur coats. Higher officers wore hats instead of earflaps. The troops fighting on the northern sector of the front (north of Leningrad) were equipped with special northern uniforms. Instead of sheep's sheepskin coats, some units used seal sakuis. For footwear, soldiers wore special boots made of dog fur or lined with wool. Ushankas for soldiers who fought in the north were made from real fur - dog or fox.
However, many units never received a special winter uniform and the Red Army soldiers froze in standard overcoats, insulated with items requisitioned from the civilian population. In general, the Red Army was characterized by the widespread use of civilian clothing, this was especially clearly visible in winter. So, in winter, many Red Army soldiers wore felt boots. But not everyone was able to get felt boots, so even in winter most of the Red Army personnel continued to wear tarpaulin ones. The only advantage of tarpaulin boots was that they were loose enough that they could be insulated with additional foot wraps and newspapers, turning the shoes into winter boots. Soviet soldiers They didn’t wear socks - only foot wraps. Socks were too much of a luxury to wear in loose boots. But the officers, if they managed to get a pair of socks, did not deny themselves the pleasure of putting them on. Some parts are luckier - personnel These units received felt boots with galoshes, which was especially useful during the autumn and spring thaw. In 1942, the Red Army soldiers were dressed in rather colorful uniforms. The tankers wore black, gray, blue or khaki overalls. Synthetic leather and rubber were widely used in the manufacture of uniforms. Cartridge bags were made from tarpaulin or impregnated tarpaulin. Leather waist belts were everywhere replaced by canvas ones.
Instead of blankets, the Red Army soldiers used overcoats and raincoats. In addition, a roll of an overcoat or raincoat successfully replaced a duffel bag for soldiers - things were rolled inside. To remedy the situation, a new duffel bag was introduced, similar to the one used in tsarist army during the 1st World War. This duffel bag was a canvas bag with a neck secured by a drawstring and two shoulder straps. In 1942, under Lend-Lease Soviet Union uniform items began to arrive from the USA and Canada. Although most of the uniforms coming from America were made according to Soviet designs, American uniforms were also found. For example, the USA supplied 13 thousand pairs of leather boots and one million pairs of soldier’s boots to the USSR, and in Canada they sewed overalls for Soviet tank crews.
The uniform for women who served in the Red Army was determined by several documents. Before the war, the distinctive details of women's day off and dress uniform had a dark blue skirt and beret. During the war, the order of women's uniforms was fixed by orders issued in May and August 1942. The orders maintained the wearing of a skirt and beret. In the field, these uniform items were made of khaki-colored fabric, and the exit uniform included a blue skirt and beret. These same orders largely unified the women's uniform with the men's. In practice, many female military personnel, especially those serving on the front lines, wore men's uniforms. In addition, women often altered many uniform items for themselves, using discarded uniforms.
The experience of fighting in Finland showed the need to have white camouflage overalls in the troops. This type of overalls appeared in 1941. There were several types of winter overalls, usually consisting of pants and a jacket with a hood. In addition, the Red Army units were equipped with many camouflage summer overalls. Such overalls, as a rule, were received by scouts, sappers, mountain shooters and snipers. The overalls had a baggy cut and were made of khaki-colored fabric with round black spots. It is known from photographic documents that the Red Army soldiers also used reversible camouflage overalls, which were green on the outside and white on the inside. It is not clear how widespread such overalls were. A special type of camouflage was developed for snipers. A large number of narrow strips of material imitating grass were sewn onto the khaki-colored overalls. However, such overalls are not widely used.
In 1943, the Red Army adopted a new uniform, radically different from that used until now. The system of insignia was equally radically changed. The new uniform and insignia largely repeated the uniform and insignia of the tsarist army. The new rules abolished the division of uniforms into daily, weekend and dress uniforms, since in wartime conditions there was no need for weekend and dress uniforms. Details of the ceremonial uniform were used in the uniform of units special purpose who performed guard duty, as well as in officer uniforms. In addition, the officers retained their dress uniform.
By Order No. 25 of January 15, 1943, a new type of tunic was introduced for soldiers and officers. The new tunic was very similar to the one used in the tsarist army and had a stand-up collar fastened with two buttons. The soldiers' tunic had no pockets, while the officer's tunic had two breast pockets. The cut of the trousers has not changed. But the main distinguishing feature of the new uniform was the shoulder straps. There were two types of shoulder straps: field and everyday. Field shoulder straps were made of khaki-colored fabric. On three sides, the shoulder straps had a border in the color of the branch of service. There was no piping on the officer's shoulder straps, and the branch of the military could be determined by the color of the gaps. Senior officers (from major to colonel) had two gaps on their shoulder straps, and junior officers (from junior lieutenant to captain) had one. For doctors, veterinarians and non-combatants, the gaps were red with a brownish tint. In addition, a small gold or silver badge was worn on the shoulder straps near the button, indicating the branch of the military. The color of the emblem depended on the type of troops. The shoulder straps of marshals and generals were wider than those of officers, and the shoulder straps of military doctors, lawyers, etc. - on the contrary, narrower.
Officers wore a cap with a black leather chinstrap. The color of the band on the cap depended on the type of troops. The crown of the cap was usually a khaki color, but the NKVD troops often used caps with a light blue crown, tank crews wore gray caps, and Don Cossacks wore gray-blue caps. The same order No. 25 determined the type of winter headdress for officers. Generals and colonels had to wear hats (introduced back in 1940), while other officers received regular earflaps.
The rank of sergeants and foremen was determined by the number and width of the stripes on their shoulder straps. Usually the stripes were red, only doctors and veterinarians had a brownish tint. Petty officers wore a T-shaped stripe on their shoulder straps. Senior sergeants had one wide stripe on their shoulder straps. Sergeants, junior sergeants and corporals had three, two or one narrow stripe on their shoulder straps, respectively. The edging of the shoulder straps was the color of the branch of service. According to the regulations, the emblem of the military branch was supposed to be worn on the inside of the shoulder straps, but in practice, soldiers wore such emblems very rarely.
In March 1944, a new uniform for the Marine Corps was adopted, which was more convenient for use on land. Since the Soviet Navy remained in ports for most of the war, many sailors took part in battles on land. Especially widely marines It was used in the defense of Leningrad and in the Crimea. However, throughout the war, Marines wore the standard Marine uniform, supplemented by some items of land field uniform. The last order regarding uniforms was issued in April 1945. This order introduced the dress uniform; soldiers first wore it during the Victory Parade on Red Square on June 24, 1945.
Separately, it would be worth examining the colors of the military branches in the Red Army. The types of troops and services were designated by the color of the edging and insignia. The color of the field of the buttonholes showed belonging to the branch of the military; in addition, a small badge in the buttonhole indicated membership in a certain branch of the military. Officers wore gold-embroidered or enamel badges, while soldiers used colored edging. The sergeants' buttonholes had a border in the color of the branch of service, and they were distinguished from the soldiers by a narrow red stripe running through the buttonhole. Officers wore caps with piping, while soldiers used caps. The edgings on the uniform were also the colors of the military branch. Belonging to a branch of the military was determined not by any one color, but by a combination of colors on different parts of the uniform.
Commissars occupied a special position in the army. There were commissars in every unit from the battalion and above. In 1937, the position of political instructor - junior political officer - was introduced in each unit (company, platoon). The insignia of commissars was generally similar to the insignia of officers, but had its own characteristics. Instead of chevrons on the sleeve, the commissars wore a red star. Commissars had black edging on their buttonholes, regardless of the type of troops, while political instructors had colored edging on their buttonholes.
Sources:
1. Lipatov P., “Uniforms of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht”, Tekhnika Molodezhi, 1996;
2. Shunkov V., “Red Army”, AST, 2003;
3. Shalito A., Savchenkov I., Roginsky N., Tsyplenkov K., "Uniform of the Red Army 1918-1945", 2001.
Original taken from hhhhhhhhl in About men's style. Army uniform of the Second World War.
No style - no person. Lack of style is a terrible Russian scourge. I don't know who came up with the American military uniform during World War II, but it was a cool uniform. It made every soldier look like a winner.
When they landed in Normandy, they were a joy to watch. You watch the newsreel: you yourself want to be an American soldier. A simple round helmet with a dangling clasp, comfortable trousers with cool pockets, a tunic that looks like a spacious blouse, a beautiful machine gun, and boots - what boots! You're not afraid to die in these boots.
The Americans then beat everyone out in style: the overly decorative British, the prim French, the fascists in overly aggressive uniforms, and our soldiers with medals all over their chests. The Americans and cowboys were stylish, in their cowboy scarves and hats, and the soldiers turned out to be almost haute couture.
More than half a century has passed since the Second World War, and nothing has changed in terms of style in our country. You look at the Chechen chronicle of the 1990s and understand: the Russians could not win there, if only because they did not look convincing. The Chechens knew how to tie their Muslim headband correctly on their foreheads, and carried their weapons beautifully in their hands. And the Russian army is just a stylistic misunderstanding. Especially the command. Pot-bellied, clumsy. Some lopsided ones. If someone wears glasses, then the glasses are unthinkable, ugly.
I'm not talking about police officers. Guards with discolored faces. God marks the rogue. Only write cartoons from them.
And the government elite! They put on suits, but didn’t change their eyes - they show off with stealthy eyes. All our corruption is a product of these eyes. Theft is a sign of stylelessness. Or the intelligentsia: they talk about Joyce-Borges, but they themselves are dressed, combed... The gap between form and content? But I don't believe in formless content. Not enough money? It's really all about the money! The American cowboy was also a poor man. And everyone is surprised why Russians in the West “don’t come through”, why after a brief fashion for Russia everyone turned their backs on us. Yes, because we look unattractive. Both Russian politicians and Russian tourists are a laughing stock. Some are underdressed, some are overdressed, but the essence is the same - lack of style.
Lack of style breeds self-doubt and aggressiveness. There is no Russian style now, and this is a disaster. Neither Zaitsev with all his “cranberries”, nor patriots in blouses, nor domestic cinema saved us from it. We are not Romanians or even Ukrainians: we have lost all our folklore rituals. There is no strength to return to them, and there is no need to. Our pre-revolutionary great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers left us nothing as an inheritance except one or two silver spoons.
It is impossible to come up with a style out of thin air. A Russian man - with rare exceptions - does not know how to “sell” himself. There is always something “wrong” about him.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a time of stylistic rupture came. The new generation has already felt the taste and power of style, and they are coming off. The first generation of stylistically concerned Russians. Those who get a buzz from style. Included in style. This is the path of a Russian person to himself.
Victor Erofeev "Men"
I read this book several years ago, or rather in 2005. Erofeev wrote a lot about things, from morning erections to Schnittke, but this little chapter stuck in my mind. How accurate, especially about cops and politicians, that every day before your eyes - some on the road, others on the TV screen.
You can’t look at a modern military uniform without tears. Only sailors stand apart. New technologies and materials - the generals explained to Putin during the demonstration of samples of uniforms for the army, developed by ours, and I don’t know what to call it, okay, let it be a couturier. The stand-up collar on the jackets is huge, in which the recruit’s neck is like a pencil in a glass, these caps are cylindrical in shape, whoever first came up with this should have it tied to his head forever, let him walk around Moscow like that, crazy-sized caps, the military themselves call them airfields, and what love for camouflage. Spotted conscripts roam around the city, as if they had just come from a forest belt; everything on them is shapeless, some kind of sexless creatures. And although the soldiers of the Soviet army during the Second World War had meager uniforms: a tunic, riding breeches, an overcoat, and a quilted jacket, if they were lucky, they looked courageous. And what a silhouette it was, especially for officers after the 1943 reform, even on the black-and-white chronicle, not to mention the reconstruction of the uniform of the Great Patriotic War for modern parades.
So I wanted to delve deeper into the topic of military uniforms of the Second World War. In addition, I personally am not so familiar with the chronicle of the Allies. Other military operations. Even another war, for example, in the colonies, which I only know from the film “The Thin Red Line” by Terrence Malick.
But the main thing for us is the East European Front.
US Army.
The US Army uniform is the most elaborate and comfortable of World War II. It was she who set the army fashion for all post-war uniforms. Even in our famous Afghan uniform from 1988, features of American uniforms from the Second World War can be traced.
This US Army junior leader wears a standard field uniform and is equipped with full accoutrements. Over a khaki wool shirt he wears a light field jacket; on his feet he wears khaki trousers with linen leggings of the same color and low brown boots. Initially, the infantry field uniform was a light khaki twill overall, but the overalls were soon replaced by a woolen shirt and trousers. The sand-colored waterproof jacket had a zipper, six or seven (depending on length) buttons on the front and slanted pockets on the sides.
On the right sleeve are visible stripes indicating rank, and on the left is an American flag (the Americans, given the tense relations between England and France, took measures to ensure that the French living in North Africa did not mistake their soldiers for the British).
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1. Private Infantry Division 1st Army June 6, 1944
2. Private 3rd Infantry Division January 1944 Post prepared hhhhhhhhl
3. Sergeant 4th Class 101st Airborne Division June 1944
4. Private 101st Airborne Division November 1944
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5. Private 1st Infantry Division April 1945
6. Air Force Lieutenant 1945
7. Air Force Captain 1944 Post prepared hhhhhhhhl
8. Technical Sergeant 2nd Class Air Force, 1945
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British Army.
The first Royal Marine Commando Unit was formed on 14 February 1942 when Amphibious Operations Headquarters decided to recruit volunteers from Royal Marine divisions to form a special strike force. This member of 40 Squadron, 2nd Commando Brigade, Royal Marines, wears a 1937 Pattern 1937 khaki twill field uniform with belt and pouches; on his feet he has boots with gaiters. There is a camouflage net on the helmet. Post prepared hhhhhhhhl
The Royal Marines initially wore casual army khaki uniform, but after the outbreak of war they began to wear standard field uniform. The only one distinctive sign There was a straight red and blue shoulder patch with the inscription "Royal Marine" (Royal Marines). The Royal Commandos wore field uniforms with straight woven blue shoulder patches bearing the words "Royal Marines", the squad number and the word "Commando" in red. Post prepared hhhhhhhhl
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1. Private East Yorkshire Regiment January 1940, this is a camouflage suit, supposed to be what he looks like in the snows of Norway;
2. Corporal Hampshire Regiment June 1940
3. Sergeant Welsh Regiment of the Guards Division September 1940
4. Sergeant 1st Commando Squadron USS Campbeltown 28 March 1942
5. Air Force Sergeant 1943
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6. Captain of the Guards Grenadier Regiment May 1940
7. Squadron leader of the Air Force, Volunteer Reserve 1945
8. Lieutenant Infantry 1944. This is an officer of a special reconnaissance unit (Far Desert Reconnaissance Group), so his uniform is very casual, atypical for an ordinary infantryman.
9. Senior Air Force Officer, Observer Corps 1944
10. Lance Corporal 4th Infantry Division May 1940 Post prepared hhhhhhhhl
For extra comments thanks partizan_1812
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[In my opinion, their helmets were kind of ridiculous.]
Army of France.
This Private 1st Class is wearing his dress uniform with a blue and black cap. He is wearing a khaki jacket, although the summer army uniform included a gabardine jacket. By 1938, all military personnel, except cavalrymen, received new-style breeches. On the upper part of the soldier’s left sleeve there is a badge of a specialist, indicating that this is a gunsmith.
In the French army, there were three types of headdresses: caps, which were worn by all military personnel, regardless of rank (they were sewn from blue or khaki cloth); field cap - bonnet de police - made of khaki cloth; steel helmet. The type of troops was designated by the color of the cap and buttonholes.
Sadly, it should be noted that the French army in 1940 was completely infected with defeatist sentiments. They became widespread due to the “strange war”, as well as the harsh winter of 1939-1940. So when German troops broke through the Ardennes, the French did not have the resolve to resist them.
Since 1945, soldiers of the Free French troops had different uniforms. It was almost entirely American.
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1. Private Free French Army 1940
2. Sergeant Armored Forces 1940
3. Major 46th Infantry Regiment 1940
4. Senior Sergeant 502nd Air Reconnaissance Group 1940
5. Private infantry regiment 1945 (An example of American uniforms.)
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Red Army, which turned out to be stronger than everyone else.
I won’t give a description of ours. Everyone has a view. But I want to recommend documentary- "Military uniform of the Red and Soviet Army". 4 episodes of 40 minutes each. The film tells in detail the history of the creation of military uniforms in the period from 1917 to 1991: chronicle, comments, interesting facts from the non-combat life of the army, the projects of the country's leadership and the reality that prevented the fulfillment of plans. I was struck by the fact that even after the reduction of the army in post-war years Those remaining in the service could not be dressed according to the required standards. We were only able to improve the clothing supply. The rules for wearing military clothing, approved in 1943, provided for, in addition to everyday wear, a dress uniform for soldiers and officers. But in fact, officers were provided with this uniform only by 1948. Unfortunately, it was not possible to achieve the same in relation to sergeants, soldiers and cadets.
Download from rutracker.
Film three. 1940-1953
The history of the SS (Schutz Staffeln - security detachments) begins in the early 1920s, when the SA (Sturmabteilungen - assault battalions) a group of bodyguards of Adolf Hitler was formed.
By 1929 the SS numbered less than 300 men, but by 1933 it had grown to 30,000 men. The security detachments, under the command of Heinrich Himmler, consisted of three gendarmerie battalions. It was through the forces of the SS that Hitler managed to become the sole leader of the NSDAP during the “night of long knives” on June 30, 1934...
By the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, the SS had only a few small armed units - the SS-Verfuegungstruppe.
The military viewed the SS with suspicion, seeing them as a kind of gendarmes, incapable of conducting regular combat.
The first experience of war in France, and then in Soviet Union changed this attitude. In several stages, the SS-Verfuegungstruppe became organized into a structure that became known as the Waffen-SS.
By the end of 1943, the SS troops already numbered several battle-hardened mechanized and tank divisions. Unlike the first years, when obsolete or captured models entered service with the SS troops, now the Waffеn-SS had the highest priority, receiving the most modern German military equipment and weapons.
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In the “non-Nordic” SS units that were formed towards the end of the war, the prefix SS- was changed to the prefix Waffen-. For example, a Hungarian who was awarded the position of captain was called Waffеn-Hauptsturmfuehrer. If not a regular division was formed, but a foreign legion, then the prefix was changed to Legion and it sounded like Legion-Hauptsturmfuehrer.
These modifications of ranks were explained by the fact. that Heinrich Himmler was seriously passionate about the theory of racial superiority, and therefore did not want non-Aryans to wear the sacred SS runes. For foreigners, buttonholes of a special type were also required, without runes.
Non-commissioned officers, starting with the SS Rottenführer, wore on their sleeves a chevron made of aluminum or gray silk braid (Tresse), woven on a triangular black base. The runic right buttonhole was a diamond-shaped piece of oilcloth covered with black felt. SS runes were embroidered on a black field.
The shoulder straps of the SS troops were generally copied from the army.
For officers of the SS troops, a cap was provided with a black band and a crown of the main color; along the upper seam of the crown and along the top and bottom of the band there was cloth piping in the color of the branch of service.
In addition to cotton or woolen underwear, the SS men wore gray woolen shirts, cut in such a way as to retain warmth and provide the greatest freedom of movement.
The trousers and jacket were not only practical, but also quite elegant. Both of these items uniforms they were sewn from wool with the addition of artificial fiber (viscose), which extended the life of things.
Although SS men wore a variety of hats in the field, until 1943 the most popular was the cap (Feldmutze), very similar to the caps used in many armies around the world. In 1943, the soft cap (Einheitsfeldmutze) was introduced, which was previously worn only by mountain riflemen. The cap turned out to be much more practical than the cap, as it protected the eyes from rain and sun.
There was a tropical version of the tunic, trousers and headdress, sewn from lightweight fabric, and although SS troops were not sent to North Africa, tropical uniform clothes were widely used in the summer on the southern sector of the Eastern Front.
However, even such overcoats turned out to be “weak” against the harsh Russian frosts, so in the fall of 1942 the SS men received thick, warmly lined parkas with a hood. The hood had a cord, which, together with the waist belt, protected the soldiers from the piercing wind.
The basis for the equipment was a Y-shaped belt, the black leather straps of which passed along the chest over the shoulders and there, at the level of the shoulder blades, were connected together with a metal ring.
During marches, the SS men wore additional belts, which were attached using buttons at collarbone level to the front belt straps, passed under the armpits and connected to D-rings on the back of the belt.
The bowler hat in the stowed position was attached to the back wall of the backpack, and camouflage, a blanket and an overcoat in a roll were wrapped around the backpack. The result was a rather cumbersome structure, which was completely impossible to carry on your back during battle.
At first, the shovel had a straight blade, but later a new type of shovel with a triangular blade was introduced, which made it possible to use the shovel as a bladed weapon.
To balance the shovel, a large canvas bread bag was hung from the right side of the belt. In addition to rations, in this bag the soldiers kept their caps and other small items that were not included in the backpack.
The SS men began the war wearing standard high black German military boots (Marschstiefel), and SS officers also wore high cavalry boots (Reitstiefel).
Later, more comfortable laced boots (Schnurschuhe) appeared, similar to those previously used by mountain riflemen. Usually the boots were worn with canvas gaiters. The tall boots provided support for the ankles and allowed soldiers to move freely over rough terrain without fear of spraining their ankles.
At the very beginning of the war, in September 1939, the personnel of most SS units wore loose blouses worn over the head over the main jacket. Blouses were made from cotton fabric with the addition of artificial fibers (viscose).
The first blouses had two slits on the chest, allowing soldiers to use the breast pockets of their jackets, but it soon became clear that it was impossible to use the pockets anyway, so the slits were soon removed.
Since such complex fabric dyeing had never been done before, the dye formulation and dyeing technique were specially developed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
