Early Gebirgsjaeger Portrait

[Asbjoern]

Has someone ever seen camo knickerbockers?

Yes, I did...found one pair by chance on Ebay around year 2000 ...and sold them later, not long befor the rush on early BW stuff started...

Jens

[Oberbootsmann]

Yes, I did...found one pair by chance on Ebay around year 2000 ...and sold them later, not long befor the rush on early BW stuff started...

Jens

That's bad news! I guess not many have survived until today.

Regards, Matthias

[Collectinsteve]

Has someone ever seen camo knickerbockers

Yes, I have one in my collection. I also have the supposed Luftlande variant, which is (basically) a full length version of the Kneehosen.

So far I've seen one and only photo of the longer trousers in use. It is of a crew manning a 4.2" Chemical Mortar (the US equivalent of a 120mm mortar). I'm not sure that Luftlande operated such mortars. There is also a notation which might indicate the photo is of a Gebirgsjäger unit. They certainly would have operated heavy mortars. Since FJ units already had their own variant, I lean towards attributing the longer trousers to GJ and not LL.

Either way, the GJ Kneehosen and the longer trousers share the same features which differentiate them from the standard trousers. The soldier in the photo had a jacket with features that match the trousers. I've never, ever seen the jacket except in this one picture.

Here's pictures of my trousers:

[Collectinsteve]

Here's the picture I mentioned. TJ posted it ages ago somewhere else on this Forum:





Since the trousers were experimental, it doesn't surprise me that they produced a short and a long version to see which they liked better. In the end they liked neither Kneehosen were then made in Filzlaus and after that Moleskin.

Steve

[Tom B]

Great photo !!! Tom