NZ General in a B-3

[Smithy]

Was watching a doco about the Battle of Cassino and I was surprised to see footage of Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg VC, commander of the 2nd NZ Division, wearing a US B-3 jacket. First time I had seen him wearing one of these and not his more normal British greatcoat.

 

[ausreenactor]

Legendary commander. As soon as I read the post title I knew the pics you were talking about.

 

[Smithy]

I'd never seen this footage before Couchy so I got a bit of a surprise when he popped up wearing a B-3. Must be virtually the only British/Dominion forces senior commander to have worn an American B-3.

 

[ausreenactor]

Fair point

 

[Smithy]

Actually found another one, General Alexander wore a B-3 in Italy too, so that makes two British/Dominion senior top brass who wore them.

 

[ausreenactor]

Good work!

 

[John Lever]

Looks a bit big

 

[Smithy]

And Freyberg wasn't a small bloke by any stretch of the imagination!

 

[ausreenactor]

Massive unit.

 

[Micawber]

Looks a bit big

I wonder if he stood in front of mirror checking out the front, then one side, then the other followed by having his batman hold up another mirror at vatious angles so the back could be assessed as well. Maybe the General also cast his beady eye over the quality of the hide finish and spent time judging density and colour of the pile too?

 

[John Lever]

I doubt it probably too busy fighting a war.

 

[Cogerrunt]

That MP looks a big bloke too.

 

[Micawber]

I doubt it probably too busy fighting a war.

Precisely

 

[Smithy]

That MP looks a big bloke too.

Alexander wasn't massive and certainly not stocky, and a lot slighter than Freyberg. Here's Freyberg on the left and Alexander in the middle to give you an idea...

I agree though, the MP is a big unit. They often seem to have been, probably a lot to do with breaking up fistfights and brawls with combat experienced troops!

 

[B-Man2]

Alexander wasn't massive and certainly not stocky, and a lot slighter than Freyberg. Here's Freyberg on the left and Alexander in the middle to give you an idea...

I agree though, the MP is a big unit. They often seem to have been, probably a lot to do with breaking up fistfights and brawls with combat experienced troops!

Tim
I don’t think that was what Couchy was referring to

 

[Smithy]

Tim
I don’t think that was what Couchy was referring to

Burt, in Aussie and Kiwi slang, a "big/massive/etc unit" means a a big person, usually a bloke, as in "that bugger playing flanker in the footy game on Saturday was a damn, big unit".

Joys of Antipodean slang cobber!

 

[ausreenactor]

Cobber.....

You drongo!

 

[B-Man2]

Burt, in Aussie and Kiwi slang, a "big/massive/etc unit" means a a big person, usually a bloke, as in "that bugger playing flanker in the footy game on Saturday was a damn, big unit".

Joys of Antipodean slang cobber!

Hahahaha
Tim and Couchy ....you guys are killin me I can’t stop laughing . Massive Unit means something totally different here in the US. We have a few ladies on the forum now so...No going further...
Cheers Guys!!