Worth a repost...

[m444uk]

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

TACH]

 

[B-Man2]

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.

 

[Smithy]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Garylafortuna]

"I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

 

[Obscurator]

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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[Peter Graham]

I've seen quite a few photos of Truscott in that jacket. It's a beaut.

 

[m444uk]

Lt Gen Simpson helps Lt. Gen Miles Dempsey put his Irvin on Nov 44

 

[B-Man2]

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]

Talking of the Ardennes, it was cold enough in Dec 44 for Montgomery to wear an Irvin over his para jacket

 

[m444uk]

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.