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Worth a repost...

m444uk

Active Member
The_British_Army_in_Italy_1944_NA11881.jpg


Feb and March 1944, General Alexander Commander in Chief Allied Armies Italy wearing B-3.
American General Tuscott bellow explains the slow progress at Anzio wearing civi leather jacket

alexander.jpg
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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Nice Photo's
Cool the way the allied forces often exchanged equipment.
I remember my dad telling me a story of him acquiring a British uniform battle jacket similar to our Ike jackets.
He said that all the GI's were trading anything they had for them, because they were heavy, made of wool and very warm.
His lieutenant tried to take it from him saying that it wasn't regulation and a fight occurred.
Dad got busted back to private and the LT got transferred.
 
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Smithy

Well-Known Member
Excellent photos!

One thing that always gets me about US generals and I don't understand in theatre are the shiny helmets, talk about an advertisement for Hun snipers.
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
Hmm yes I've often wondered about such helmets, can't imagine they were lightweight 'dress' helmets but then I imagine rarely were they in the front line to need the real thing! Looking at the first pic the helmet liners are obvious, could the shiny version be one of those?
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Hmm yes I've often wondered about such helmets, can't imagine they were lightweight 'dress' helmets but then I imagine rarely were they in the front line to need the real thing! Looking at the first pic the helmet liners are obvious, could the shiny version be one of those?

That in fact is a Lacquer painted steel helmet. You can see the steel helmet chinstrap attached at the back of the helmet the way that many GI's preferred to wear them. A couple of high profile generals wore parade dress liners under their steel pots and when not in a combat zone or situated in a rear command area, would simply wear their parade dress liner when meeting other high ranking officers. Most of us have seen picture of Patton wearing a parade dress liner in the rear areas but when in a combat area he wore his steel pot over the liner.
But you're right about making yourself a target for an ambitious sniper. I guess ego outweighed common sense in certain individuals.
 

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Obscurator

Active Member
That in fact is a Lacquer painted steel helmet. You can see the steel helmet chinstrap attached at the back of the helmet the way that many GI's preferred to wear them. A couple of high profile generals wore parade dress liners under their steel pots and when not in a combat zone or situated in a rear command area, would simply wear their parade dress liner when meeting other high ranking officers. Most of us have seen picture of Patton wearing a parade dress liner in the rear areas but when in a combat area he wore his steel pot over the liner.
But you're right about making yourself a target for an ambitious sniper. I guess ego outweighed common sense in certain individuals.
During the First World War, when steel helmets were first issued to British troops, a short-lived fad was to drill holes in the helmet to mount regimental cap badges. That, of course,weakened the helmet's ability to withstand bullets or shrapnel in that area, and the Powers That Be quickly made it a military crime to do so.
I guess later stars and badges were attached less destructively.

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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Sure the high ranking generals walk around behind the front lines in their B-3 and Irvin's while the front line troops were freezing their butts off at Bastogne and the Hurtgen in 44 and 45.
 

m444uk

Active Member
93b44acb1f1b402e0b5c744b55178f74.jpg


Almost disappeared these days as retired army majors check out: the British warm coat as worn by Monty. To bulky and hot for today's lifestyle...

In the Irvin is Air Chief Marshall Tedder who was appointed Deputy Supreme Commander for Overload in Jan 44 beneath Supreme commander Eisenhower.
 
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