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8th Army uniform colors in Western desert?


jinx46

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Hi,

 

Does anyone know what the 8th Army uniform colors were like in the western desert 1941-43? My net search reveals conflicting colors.

 

I assume the tank and infantry regiments had most items similar, though the Scots had different dress (tartans) and then they had all these COLONIAL TROOPS and ANZACS also.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Nick

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That is one can of worms. I think you'll find that 8th Army troops wore whatever was at hand. I've seen them with puttees, and without. With jerkins and without. Long pants and shorts. Tin hats and slouch hats. And like you said, then add in the South Africans, ANZACs, Indians, Gurkhas, Jews, Poles, French, Czechs and every one else. I have an Osprey book titled Monty's Desert Army and the illustrations show all sorts of variations of green, light stone, tan, brown, whatever. If you're just doing generic British troops, you could get away with almost any combination. And from what I've been able to see, with the exception of kit specific to armour, arty or some other specialty, there wasn't that much difference in dress.

 

So. a search that yields conflicting colors may be more right than wrong.

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Thank you Ron,

 

In effect, you are saying what I was suspecting all along--they wore whatever was at hand, and it also looks as if footwear was not the same color for all ranks and units.

 

I am modelling Taniya's 25-pdr British Field gun and it has six figures, of which I have managed to lose one, as I started it 12 years ago and took it upto finish it again now. I will vary their dress colors a bit, just to spice things up.

 

 

 

:smiley29: I am reading that best of all war books ever , Robert Crisp's BRAZEN CHARIOTS, a day-to-day first person narrative of the desert war.

The book is so good this is the 4th time I am reading it, and it will not be the last, either, I am sure !!.

I noticed that each time I read it I see new things. Bob was a tank commander on the Stuart M3 Honey, 8th Army, 3 RTR.

 

The book, though not directly saying it, implies that everything was makeshift, including the general movements and strategic plans. (90% of the time they did not know where they were or where the enemy was and what was happening.)

I also read somewhere that the Israeli army uses that book as a instructional text and tool, since they have desert and lots of stuff in the book is on tank warfare in the desert and its peculiarities. :smiley14:

 

Thanks again

 

 

:smiley14: Nick

Edited by jinx46
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  • 1 month later...

This post of mine appears twice on my webpage.

Could a moderator please delete the 2nd entry?

Edited by jinx46
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