S026258 M44 DOT PATTERN CAMOUFLAGE FIELD BLOUSE. (Tarnung Feldbluse 44) 

BACKGROUND: The development of SS camouflage items was initiated by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler in 1935 when he tasked the Reichsführung-SS, (National Leadership of the SS), to begin research of new camouflage patterns and garments for use by the fledgling SS-VT, SS-Verfugüngstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops). In late 1936 and early 1937 the first SS camouflage garments were issued to personnel of the SS-VT Standarte Deutschland for field testing and evaluation. The first items evaluated were the Quarter shelters/ponchos, followed by steel helmet covers, face masks and smocks. As the war continued various other clothing items were produced in the assorted camouflage patterns. Originally the camouflage patterns were all produced in the time consuming manual screen printing until the development of the machine roller printing in 1940. By the end of the war no fewer then ten assorted camouflage patterns had been developed and used by the SS. The M44 dot pattern camouflage uniform, consisting of a field blouse and pants was officially introduced on March 1^ST 1944 as a cost saving measure, and was designed to serve double duty by replacing both the drill tunic and camouflage smock. Originally the early models of the M44 dot pattern camouflage uniforms were manufactured from stockpiles of dual sided, camouflage material with an HBT, (Herring Bone Twill), weave and the field blouse came outfitted with shoulder strap retaining loops and buttons and a factory applied sleeve eagle. By July 1944 the inclusion of the shoulder strap retaining loops and buttons and the factory applied sleeve eagle were discontinued. The M44 dot pattern camouflage uniform was only suitable for warm climates and regulations dictated that the uniforms were to be returned to the units storage depots annually on November 1^ST although the lack of supplies negated this directive and the uniforms were worn through-out the year. 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Later, post-July 1944 pattern, unbleached, subtly ribbed, brushed, cotton/rayon blend construction field blouse with the machine printed dot pattern camouflage to the exterior. The camouflage pattern is predominately light brown with random spots of tan and assorted shades of green. The field blouse features a vertical, five button front closure with small fold back lapels, a single metal hook and eye positioned at the forward neckline and a lay down collar. The field blouse has two, non-pleated, patch, breast pockets with straight edged button down flaps. The field blouse also had two hip pockets that have been removed with faint outlines and stitch holes remaining as evidence. The straight cut sleeve cuffs have a small, vertical, slash to the outside seam with dual fit adjustment buttons to each. Both the obverse and reverse of the field blouse have dual, vertical, tapering darts and the reverse also has a central, vertical, tail skirt vent. The waistline side panels each have two, vertically aligned, stitched eyelets for the belt support hooks. The belt support hooks are absent. The field blouse has no sleeve eagle, shoulder strap retaining loops or buttons or any evidence of any ever having been applied. The lay down collar has no collar insignia as per regulations or any evidence of any ever having been applied. The reverse of the lay down collar has the typical sinusoidal, (wavy), reinforcement stitching. The unlined interior of the field blouse is in the natural, unbleached crème color of the material with a faint bleed through of the exterior camouflage pattern. The interior of the field blouse has grey rayon reinforcements panels with an HBT weave, to the armpits and half way down the side panels. The vertical, belt support hook straps and the field dressing pocket have all been removed but the molded, bakelite, field dressing pocket button remains. The upper right armpit lining is well marked with faint, black size inkstamps and the lower, right, forward tail skirt has an unknown handwritten marking, "HW29068090". The field blouse shows moderate age and usage toning, numerous small picks and pulls, a few small tears and repairs and some missing seam stitching, primarily to the right sleeve. The front closure and breast pocket buttons are the tan finished, pebbled, magnetic sheet metal and alloy types while the cuff and field dressing pocket buttons are the molded black bakelite type and about half appear to have their original stitching. The field blouse is roughly size 38" chest.

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