SEE BELOW FOR DESCRIPTION
|
|
H053256 MOUNTAIN TROOPER ARTILLERY FELDWEBEL'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 different branches of service within the army were allocated a particular identifying waffenfarbe, (Branch of Service Color), with bright red being chosen for Artillerie, (Artillery), personnel. On the field blouse and service tunic the waffenfarbe was generally displayed on the shoulder straps/boards and the collar tabs. Originally NCO ranks wore a bright silver/aluminum tress on the forward collar edge of the dress and service tunics, on the tropical and continental field blouses, as adornment on the shoulder straps and dress tunic cuffs and also as sleeve rank chevrons. On April 25TH 1940 a new subdued tress of matte blue/grey rayon was introduced for wear on the field uniform and a subdued golden tan rayon tress was introduced for wear on the tropical uniform. Although these new subdued tress’s were intended to replace the highly visible bright silver/aluminum tress it continued in usage until the end of the war. On May 2ND 1939 the Oberkommando des Heeres, (High Command of the Army), authorized wear of a distinctive Edelweiss tradition badge by Mountain Troop personnel to be worn on the upper right sleeve of the service, dress and field uniforms. The design of the badge was based on a badge worn by the WWI German Alpine Corps. On introduction the badge was on a blue/green badge cloth base, but in early 1940 this was altered to a field-grey wool base.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Issued, field-grey wool/rayon blend construction M36 field blouse with a blue/green badge cloth collar, features a vertical, five button front closure with a single metal hook and eye positioned at the neckline. The field blouse has four, pleated, patch, front pockets with scalloped button down flaps. The right breast has an NCO/Officer’s quality, machine woven breast eagle in bright, silver/aluminum flat-wire threads on a woven, blue/green rayon base which is machine stitched on a blue/green badge cloth backing. The eagle is neatly handstitched to the breast. 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 belt support hooks are absent. The back panel has two, vertical, tapering darts and a short, central, vertical, tail skirt vent. The straight cut sleeve cuffs each have a vertical slash to the outside seam with dual fit adjustment buttons to each. The upper right sleeve has a pre-1940 pattern, mountain troopers edelweiss consisting of a roughly, 2 3/4" tall, 2 1/8" wide, vertically oval, dark blue/green badge cloth base with a machine embroidered edelweiss flower with thirteen irregular white petals, an eight bulb, yellow stamen with black accent threads and dual green leaves and stem. The edelweiss is encompassed with a simulated silvery/grey mountaineer rope border, with a piton to the top center. The insignia is neatly handstitched to the sleeve. The field blouse has the early, first pattern, (Circa September 1935-March 1939), blue/green badge cloth construction slip on shoulder strap with a pointed tip and no waffenfarbe piping. The shoulder straps feature bright, silver/aluminum, diamond patterned NCO’s tress to all the outside edges and a single, stamped, natural aluminum rank pip to each. The bottoms of the shoulder straps and the slip on retaining tongues are in field-grey wool and the tongues have ribbed, greyish/tan cotton twill reinforcement panels machined stitched to the reverse. The shoulder strap retaining buttons and fabric loops are also still intact. The field blouse has a lay down, blue/green badge cloth construction collar with bright, silver/aluminum, diamond patterned NCO’s tress machine stitched to the forward edges. The collar features the early, September 1935 pattern, machine woven rayon construction EM/NCO’s collar tabs with ribbed, field-grey litzen and an interwoven blue/green center stripe and red branch of service stripes. The collar tabs are mounted on blue/green badge cloth bases which are machine stitched to the collar. The interior of the field blouse is partially lined in ribbed greyish/tan cotton twill. The lining has a field dressing pocket to the right forward tail skirt with a single button closure and a small metal hook inserted to each forward side panel at the waistline. Two of the original five collar liner attachment buttons are intact. The lining to the right front closure panel is well marked with a faint, black size inkstamps and a handstitched on, small white fabric label with black handwritten script, that includes the owners name with rank prefix, "Fwb. Geschke", and a unit designation, "XVIII/Geb. G.R. 931". (931st Gebirgsartillerieregiment, In the 10.Gebiirgsjaegerdivision). The field dressing pocket also has an additional, partially illegible, purple manufactures inkstamp that appears to include, "Franz Minarfk". The field blouse is in overall very good condition with light age and usage toning and some small areas of moth grazing resulting in lost nap. The right sleeve cuff has two, very well done, small, glued, post-war patch repairs. The front closure, exterior pocket and shoulder strap buttons are all the field-grey painted, pebbled alloy type and they all retain the majority of their field-grey paint. The cuff, field dressing pocket and collar liner buttons are the molded grey bakelite type and most of the buttons appear to have their original stitching. The field blouse is roughly size 38" chest.
GRADE ***3/4 PRICE $2,400.00
To Order this item, please use one of the two e-mail addresses below to contact us. Please make sure to quote the item number in your e-mail
-E-Mail Address pawmac@nbnet.nb.ca Or guild@nb.aibn.com
To return to the main page please CLICK below