Description
Physical description
Single-breasted jacket of beige herringbone cloth, featuring a turn-down collar, front fastening of five removable buttons (none present), open patch pockets to the skirt and a rear vent. Internally, there is a drawstring fastener at the rear waist and buttons fitted to the inside of the collar for the attachment of a collar band.
Label
Introduced in April 1933, the two-piece 'Drillichanzug' (drill suit), replaced the earlier 'Moleskinanzug' worn by the Reichsheer. The basic two-pocketed jacket (drillichjacke) and matching trousers (drillichhose) were produced in an off-white cream colour and made of either linen or cotton drill with a herringbone weave. Intended for work and fatigue duties, the jacket was not to be worn with insignia apart from sleeve rank and/or NCO collar tresse, however it was not uncommon for soldiers to ignore regulations and add insignia in the format of the 'feldbluse', while photographic evidence also suggests that the suit was sometimes used as snow camouflage.
In February 1940, the colour was changed to 'reed-green', and an increasing number of troops began to wear the lightweight jacket and trousers (though not always together) in the field as an unofficial summer alternative to the standard field-grey woollen uniform, while some even added breast pockets and skirt pocket flaps.
As a response to this, in early 1942 the purpose-made reed-green field service uniform was adopted (Schilfgruener Drillich Felddienstanzug) as an intended replacement of the field-grey uniform in hotter climates, mimicking the style of, and the later changes to, the feldbluse and feldhose, and like the standard uniform was intended to display all rank, branch of service insignia, and awards. Not to be confused with the tropical uniform, this was made of herringbone cloth. All buttons were removable and secured to the jacket by metal 'S-rings'.
Inscription
107042
62342