battledress P37

[MichalMag]

Hi I bought it for 20pounds. What do you think about it?









PS: I think it's for polish officers internee to Switzerland.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think you did very well

Cheers, Ade.

[MichalMag]

Thanks

Is this bd on 100% for polisch efficers internee to Switzerland?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Impossible to say that. But still a nice BD blouse.

Cheers, Ade.

[MichalMag]

Look at the collar. It's different like normal P37 BD. And inside this bd is different like normal bd....

I didn't found this type of BD. What type is this?

Maybe somebody can say more about this bd?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Early issue and some tailor made BD's will lack the collar lining.

Lining was added because the men complained that the rough wool was not nice to wear against the neck.

Cheers, Ade.

[MichalMag]

OK! Thanks

But look at that, today first time i saw that....

[Ciaran Byrne]

This could be one of the Greek battledress blouses that were issued to the Greek Army after the war. These turn up quite a lot and are relatively cheap.

[SprogCollector]

There is a common misconception that the P37 BD was the only version to precede the economy pattern blouse (sans pleats, exposed buttons, etc). What most presume to be P37 are likely really P40 (P37 with drill lining in the collar, etc).

The progression, as I understand it, goes something along these lines:
P37: The original battledress known as Blouses, Serge. Most notable features: unlined collar; brass buttons on front and pockets.

P40: Essentially the same as P37 but drill lining added to the collar.

P40/42: Still officially Pattern 1940 but the first of the economy jackets. Major features: slimmer cut; exposed fly and pocket buttons; no pleats to pockets. Many variations within this class of jacket: one or two internal pockets; button types (revolving shank, 4-hole plastic, etc).

P46: an interesting hybrid featuring a return of pocket pleats and covered fly front but exposed pocket buttons. Closed collar style with tab closure.

P47: P46 with wear-open or wear-closed collar (open lapel) with exposed button hole on left lapel.

P49: final version with permanently open lapel style.

The BD shown in the start of the thread has a notched front indicating a postwar style of BD. Definitely not Greek but probably Belgian. Look for traces of a label on the waistband -- they're usually a horizontal format. I have a Belgian AF blouse that shares the pattern, including the padded shoulders.

Not a British blouse due to the pockets not having the buttons exposed and the collar is missing the collar stand, making this blouse always designed to be worn open at the neck.

[MichalMag]

Hi! I think I can't agree with you, cos bd have british buttons. Metal buttons were made in Birmingham (BHAM, look photo) and plastic buttons are british too! All of them are originally sew on. BD have typical british colour. It can be polish bd, cos polish soldiers liked, when their uniform is beautiful and it was found in polish small village.

With this BD my friend found this overseas. It's polish type, but made of british wool. What do you think about it?

buttons:







and overseas:

[Marc Sherriff]

Is that Blouse missing the shoulder straps, or is it the angle of the picture?

[MichalMag]

Hi! Yes... it missed shoulder straps. In points where they should be it's very nice seams

[SprogCollector]

Many European countries adopted battledress for their postwar militaries. Many were made in UK and, obviously, would use surplus British bits. I'm now 95+% certain this is Belgian. Compare against this Belgian AF jacket.

Note: Same collar; same notch/step at top button; same curved seam along the inside of the jacket; same padded shoulders. This also has all British hardware -- black RAF buttons and roller buckle -- and is not an British issue.

[MichalMag]

Hi! Yes you're right. But collar in my bd is more narrow and have otline. Inside bd is very good made.

my friend tell me it's Pattern37 after some remaking in after war, but when i see Yours bd.... now i don't know anything. My friends told me that it's early P37. cos it haven't got collar lining. I think it can be belgian, but i haven't got any book where are belgians bd's, or it can be tailored Pattern37.



What do you think about this overseas cap? (It was found with this bd)

[SprogCollector]

I'm extremely familiar with all the British & Commonwealth battledress patterns but just a general knowledge of those used postwar by non-Commonwelath countries.

Belgium and Holland both used battledress in the postwar years, as did Norway. I don't know enough about the postwar Polish military to comment on their possible use of battledress. Greece used the early British wartime pattern for their postwar army. Early on it was the same tan color as the British. By the mid-1950s, Greek battledress was an olive color similar to what the Canadians used.

Your blouse is not a modified P37. I have several modified blouses and the collars are very different. The period term was to have the "lapels faced". Basically the drill material inside the collar was covered with wool so that when the collar was worn open, the exposed fabric matched the rest of the jacket.

The notch just above the top button on both the blue version I have, and your tan version, is unique to postwar jackets. The same feature is present on the P49 version.

I'm not aware of any British battledress which feature padded shoulders. However, the Belgians did adopt this feature.

The cap is certainly not a British design and I'm not familiar with postwar headgear that's not British or Commonwealth.