Battle dress pattern ( 37/40 ? ) and unit ( 28th belgium ? )

[ytarg]

Hi,

Here 's a BD just purchased on a belgian flea market.

Could you give me more information about it, as :
- type : pattern 1937 or early pattern 1940 ? The ink letter is fade : R ( 1939 ) or P ( 1941 ) ? Is the stamp ink 41 for 1941 ?
- unknow "Belgium" title ( early ? )
- rank : staff sergeant ?
- unit : 28th ????? with belgian soldiers ????

Thanks.

[stefke_smle]

It is a P37

Badged for the 28th fusilier brigade, no rank badges
this brigade consisted of the 23rd, 32nd and 61st fusilier batalions

the fusilier brigades were raised between 12/1944 and 06/1945 and disbanded between 10/1945 and 06/1946. They mostly performed guard duties and assistance for allied units.

also see: http://www.be4046.eu/BnFus.htm

[ytarg]

battle dress belgium

Hi ( hallo ) Stefke,

Thanks a lot for these interesting informations.

99,9 % chance that tis BD is a 23rd fusiller bataillon. Indeed, this BD is coming from Mons, 5 km from Casteau Camp ( now SHAPE ).

I dont know the difference between a 1937 pattern and a early 1940 pattern ( before the P1940 war simplified during 1942 ). Twice have invisible buttons and the same pocket ...

Can you explain why it's a 1937 pattern and not an early ( before 1942 ) 1940 pattern ?

Thanks and for our flamish friends ... mvg !

[Bond]

Metal buttons on the front and plastic buttons on the shoulders is correct for Blouses Serge, the so called 37 Pattern. 40 pattern pre austerity have all plastic buttons as standard, though I would think a few early examples might have still had the metal buttons.

[SprogCollector]

The sleeves appear to be the slimmed-down type with the pleats seen on the early blouses absent

[SprogCollector]

The sleeves appear to be the slimmed-down type with the sleeve pleats omitted so I would put your jacket as after 1940.

The original Blouse, Serge (you will never see an original battledress referencing 1937 Pattern on a label) didn't have drill lining in the collar. The pockets were raised slightly in 1939 and the overall cut was slimmed down which resulted in the 1940 Pattern.

The 1940 Pattern also included the 1942-45 economy/austerity pattern. You will find the odd jacket which actual has 1942 Pattern on the label but the majority are labelled as 1940 pattern -- both with and without the economy/austerity descriptor.