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H031966 CAVALRY UNTEROFFIZIER'S M36 FIELD BLOUSE. (Feldbluse M36)

BACKGROUND: The development of the M36 field blouse can be traced back to April 1933 with the introduction of the first pattern field blouses which were a departure from the cut and style of tunics utilized in World War I. From its introduction until 1936 the field blouse underwent a couple of small modifications designed to enhance its performance, appearance and longevity. Modifications to the 1933 pattern field blouse began in December 1934 when the original field-grey basic cloth collar was altered to a field-grey badge cloth for a better appearance. In September 1935 the collar was altered again from the field-grey badge cloth to dark blue/green badge cloth. The final pre-war modification to the field blouse occurred in December 1936 with the addition of a partial lining to the interior breast and upper back panels to increase its wear-out time. Officers and certain senior NCO ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers and certain senior NCO’s could choose to purchase their uniforms from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase garments of higher quality. Although enlisted personnel were issued their uniforms from government supplies they were also permitted to purchase privately tailored uniforms although the price may have been restrictive. The German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), national eagle by order on February 17TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all steel helmets, visor caps, and tunics by May 1ST 1934. Generally officer’s ranks utilized hand or machine embroidered breast eagles while EM/NCO’s ranks utilized machine embroidered or machine woven breast eagles. The different branches of service within the army were allocated a specific, identifying, waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), which was generally displayed on the field blouse and the service tunic as piping on the shoulder straps/boards and an the collar tabs. Of Note: Besides the rank indicating shoulder straps NCO’s were further distinguished from enlisted ranks by the wear of NCO’s tress on the forward collar edge of the field blouse.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Issued field-grey wool/rayon blend construction M36 field blouse with a lay down, blue/green badge cloth collar, features a vertical, five button front closure with double hooks and eyes positioned at the forward neckline. The field blouse has four, pleated, front pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The breast pockets are the basic patch type while the hip pockets are the saddlebag type with expanding side panels. The right breast has a machine woven NCO’s eagle. The eagle is machine stitched through the liner material, however in this case I believe it to be an original application done when the tunic was upgraded to the NCO rank. These early 36 patterns always had the original EM’s eagles hand applied. The application of the tress and tabs all looks to be original, so the breast eagle would most probably been done at the same time by the unit tailor. The field blouse has four sets of three, vertically aligned, stitched eyelets with one set situated at either side of the front closure and two to either side of the back panel, at the waistline. The eyelets were designed for the belt support hooks. The back panel has two, short, vertical, tapering darts and a short, central, vertical tail skirt vent. False French cuffs to each sleeve, again these would have been added when the tunic was upgraded as the original sleeve ends would have been straight. Nice Unteroffizer’s, badge green topped, slip on strap with tress and chain stitched unit number 18. The field blouse has a lay down, blue/green badge cloth construction collar. The forward edge of the collar is trimmed with bright, silver/aluminum, NCO’s, diamond pattern tress and the collar features cavalry pattern, issue EM/NCO’s collar tabs. The machine woven rayon collar tabs feature ribbed, light, field-grey litzen with interwoven golden yellow branch of service and center stripes. The collar tabs are machine stitched directly to the collar. The interior of the field blouse is partially lined in light weight, greyish/tan cotton. The lining has small, opened slashes at each shoulder panel and at the mid-back panel to accommodate the internal belt support hook retaining straps. The separate internal belt support hook retaining straps are absent. All three of the collar liner attachment buttons are intact. The lining to the right front closure panel is well marked with the faint, black size inkstamps, "M41", indicating the field blouse passed through the army’s clothing depot in Munich in 1941 and the faint black inkstamped, manufacturer’s name and location. The lining to the lower, left front closure panel has a small, cut-out horizontal slash, intended for the sword/dagger hangers. Overall excellent condition. All the buttons look to be original stitching. The field blouse is roughly size 36" chest.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $ SOLD

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