!!! THE ITEMS SHOWN ARE NOT FOR SALE, I DON'T OWN THEM !!!
The field uniforms used by the SS-VT units between 1938 and 1940 were largely derived from the uniforms used by the Wehrmacht during this period. There were several types of uniforms, which can be divided into two large groups. The first was the classic coarse woolen "dill" uniform in field grey, the second uniform was the so-called "training" uniform, made of HBT cloth. The wool uniform was used in many designs, to which collectors (not Wehrmacht or SS !) assigned numbers referring to the year of their origin or model*. The older ones date from the mid-1930s and are referred to as Heeres Dienstanzug Modell 1936 - M36 or M37 they were used until stocks ran out, with these uniforms or parts of them appearing throughout the war (every piece of usable fabric was recycled). In addition, M40 blouses and trousers, which differed slightly from their predecessors, began to arrive in the late 1930s. Both uniforms (M36 and M40) had a sewn-in quartet of pockets, the HBT uniform did not have sewn-in pockets. The older M36 apparently bore a collar made almost entirely of dark green cloth; the M40 had a simplified collar, made of the material of the blouse itself, in the colour of field grey. These uniforms bore a strong resemblance to Wehrmacht uniforms, only in the later models were the differences outwardly visible. Otherwise, until 1940, SS-VT units also used uniforms from army depots without modification, only with different facing and rank markings. But the SS-VT and the Wehrmacht did not share a common source of uniforms, both forces had their own factories in which the uniforms were produced, the mixing being only the result of occasional shortages. The colour of these uniforms, referred to in the literature as feldgrau - field grey - represents a great myth. It is now reliably proven that the Wehrmacht and the SS never had uniforms that were perfectly colour-coordinated and unified. This was a consequence of the production processes and raw materials used, where factors such as the proportion of wool and other fibres or the saturation of dyes caused the Third Reich's uniforms to be slightly out of tune in terms of colour. Today, it is very difficult to find uniforms that match perfectly in colour, even with the so called storage uniforms that have never left the warehouse. Generally speaking, the uniforms were various shades of grey-green-blue, with each of these colours appearing in greater or lesser quantities. It was not uncommon to see a soldier on the battlefield whose trousers, blouse, and boater did not match in color. As headgear, M18 but mainly M35 helmets were worn. I have no evidence that M18 helmets appeared on the heads of SS-VT soldiers in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland or even in France and Benelux during the first war. However, there is evidence that they were worn just before the war, so I list them as a point of interest. The standard helmet was the M35 in "field grey" (but not identical in colour to the uniform, this is another myth) with party symbols on the left and SS runes on the right. The helmets were slightly shiny. As a headgear outside the front area, the M40 boat was worn. The field cap appeared only later !
The carrying system consisted of a belt with a metal buckle and leather straps in dark, often black. On the belt there were two M1911 triplets, then a breadbox, a field bottle, e.g. M1931 and an eskers e.g. M1931, a bayonet for K98 and a field blade. Also carried were celts, gas masks in metal cylindrical cases, and various types of capes and rucksacks, which I shall deal with when describing uniforms of the later period of the war. A pouch with an anti-chemical cape was sometimes worn on the chest or belt. Belt buckles carried party symbolism and slogans; I will also deal with these later.
SS-VT units were among the first in the world to equip themselves with camouflage disguises designed to improve camouflage in the field. I will also deal with these later SS-specific equipment components later in a separate topic.
It *is extremely important to note that nothing like the "M37" or "M40" was known to the Germans, and they never used such a designation. In their minds, only one type of uniform was used throughout the war, which was gradually simplified. The " Mxx" designation was only introduced by collectors in order to be able to handle the different "models" of this uniform.
This list does not claim to be absolutely complete or accurate, I welcome any comments you may direct to me by PM. At the same time, please do not post photos that do not stimulate anything or show anything new (googled indistinct shots from battlefields or museums).
The first board (internet source) probably shows a trio of uniforms from the fighting in France in the summer of 1940
The next photo shows a so called "training" HBT uniform made of lightweight fabric with no pockets, note the color.
The third photo shows an older blouse (although it does not have a dark green collar) of SS-VT members
SOURCE:
Osprey Men at Arms - Waffen SS
KVH
Photos - author's archive.