KM for coastal artillery ?

[p38]

hello,
I need your help for this buckle, KM alu gilt but looks re-painted in green for coastal Artillery ?
The buckle is ok , but is the green paint original ? I haven't seen this sort of buckle for coastal Artillery ?
thank you
Emmanuel

[p38]

nobody can help me ??
Emmanuel

[regiment739]

Hi Emanuel, this is a strange one, the only explanation I could give is that is was painted green for camoflage then later someone has tried to remove the paint to turn it back into its original colour. If you look where it is now gold at one time it had been painted green and the centre piece is hard to get the paint out of. What do you think?

[p38]

hello Ben, i think that the front of this buckle was painted in green during the war for coastal artillery use... but perhaps this new color wasn't well "catch" on the gilt and the simple use in combat remove it ??
an interessant buckle, isn't-it ?
best
Emmanuel

[KC1]

Emmanuel,

I have not seen this from any buckles that I own but I also have not scratched paint off my buckles to determine this.

Here is my hypothisis. During the early years of the war, Richard Seiper was awarded the contract as the dominant manufacturer of the KM buckle. I believe that during the 1935-1939 time frame, Seiper manufactured an abundance of gilted alum KM buckles due to the Navy having exponentially far fewer troops than the land based troops. Because of this, I believe as the war continued and supplies/materials began to thin that RSS was forced to re-use the surplus and re-paint the buckles prior to them going to the 1-piece steel buckle in 1939.

Dan

[p38]

thank you Dan for your answer.
I think this is a strange buckle
Emmanuel

[p38]

thank you Dan for your answer.
I think this is a strange buckle
Emmanuel