temperate battle dress in Desert ?

[Sunray]

I was scanning through WW II  by ORBIS Publishing (London, 1972) Volume 1 and in Chapter 31, 'Tripoli in danger, January 1941' page 411 is an image of British or Australian, New Zealand) troops marching past a Matilda tank

What intrigued me was the uniforms.  The infantry in steel helmets- two are dressed in great coats with 37 web worn externally.  The other two appear to be clad in  temperate 37 pattern battle dress. They carry SMLE Mk 3s.  The colour in the B/W photo is defiantly of a dark fabric colour when contrasted with the very light 37 web.  The background is definitely Western Desert terrain  

The Tilly is in classic desert cammo. Crew in a mix of light and khaki overalls.

On page 412 is an image of Australian artillery at Derna - the caption states January 1941.  They are in khaki trousers and woollen pullovers.

How long was khaki BD worn in the desert ? And was it perhaps an Australian thing ?  

[Steve J]

Remember it can get bloody cold in the desert, hence the greatcoats etc. I've seen pics of snow in North Africa, which surprised me. So in the 'Winter' months, with wet and cold, troops would really feel it after the hot Summer ones. I remember when I lived in Nigeria, a chap can down from the Lake Chad area to where I was in Kaduna, during the Summer where our temperatures where in low 30's; he'd come from the mid-40s and higher and found our area really cold!

[Sunray]

Remember it can get bloody cold in the desert, hence the greatcoats etc. I've seen pics of snow in North Africa, which surprised me. So in the 'Winter' months, with wet and cold, troops would really feel it after the hot Summer ones. I remember when I lived in Nigeria, a chap can down from the Lake Chad area to where I was in Kaduna, during the Summer where our temperatures where in low 30's; he'd come from the mid-40s and higher and found our area really cold!

Yeah - I have been in the Western Desert, and my late father was an original Desert Rat.  It was the issue and wear of temperate khaki BD that caught my eye.

[Steve J]

I think that lack of uniformity adds to the visual appeal of the Western Desert. You often see the DAK in a myriad of uniform colours due to sun bleaching etc, but the Brits always seem to be in shorts and shirt sleeves.

[Sunray]

I think that lack of uniformity adds to the visual appeal of the Western Desert. You often see the DAK in a myriad of uniform colours due to sun bleaching etc, but the Brits always seem to be in shorts and shirt sleeves.

  Yes! the classical apparel of Bombay Bloomers and KD shirt.   This lack of uniformity means a wider range of figures can be mobilised !   The Hebron Sheepskin and  Wavell's 3/4 length coat are well known images. 

It was the temperate European Khaki BD that jarred with the desert background in the image.  But the Western Desert terrain is much more than sand dunes.

[fred.]

I suppose with the DAK you can do paint job conversions easily enough, to mix between the greenish tropical uniforms they were issued with, and the various sand colour Italian and British kit they acquired.

British 8th Army figures are nearly always in shorts and shirt sleeves, and tend to look very uniform. More in jumpers and greatcoats would be nice.

Troops in trousers and short sleeves would be good for Italy as well.