Post war and modern command

[Sunray]

I was looking at creating a few command bases for my late 1960-1970s s era Third World battle groups.  The Falklands officers are great for units up to company command. 

But....we need a few senior officer types- Sam Brown belts,  a modest range of headgear  - berets, SD peaked caps,  Castro style 'Walker' cap, and armed with maps as opposed to weapons.  Generic enough to grace a base in the general post war era.

Meantime its back to waistline conversations of WW1, WWII Very Senior Brits and WW2 Germans.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

+1!

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

In the field senior officers would be in Beret, with 58 pattern - no kidney pouches and 1 ammo pouch replaced woth a pistol holseter, in canvas. Normally right, but could be cav style, least for Brits in the 80's. It's the US officers that have ego problems, pearl  handled revolvers, silver M1 helmets with Brass stars, and a large shoot me badge...(OK thats Patton WWII).

IanS

[toxicpixie]

There might be some useful stuff in the French-Indochina range iirc?

[Sunray]

In the field senior officers would be in Beret, with 58 pattern - no kidney pouches and 1 ammo pouch replaced woth a pistol holseter, in canvas. Normally right, but could be cav style, least for Brits in the 80's. It's the US officers that have ego problems, pearl  handled revolvers, silver M1 helmets with Brass stars, and a large shoot me badge...(OK thats Patton WWII).

IanS

Depends on three things (i) the nationality of the army  (ii)to a point on the theatre of ops and (iii) the era and context of the operation.

I have images of  GOC Ian Freeland (rank Lieutenant General) in No2 Dress shirt/trousers with a 53 pattern Sateen olive green smock and SD cap with General Staff badge.  Brigadier Peter Hudson in the same image is also in No2s and smock but with a beret and a Guards cloth badge.  He is visiting Peace Line Belfast with Chief of DS, Marshall of the Royal Airforce Sir Charles Elmworthy who is in RAF Great Coat and No2s.

This reflects the more formal order of the 1960s. When you get the 1980s it is a slacker order with the smart thing being to dress as a private soldier, cover the collar tabs with scrim and  hold an SLR and blend - it made the job harder from the sniper.

When you get into the Third World service, it was not uncommon in the 1960s for senior officers to habitually wear  No4s. Even in the field.   In recent years this was replaced by the No6.  

Most African armies took their lead from the Brits, French or Portuguese , or if having a  left wing  revolution- Russia/Cuba.  In Latin America, the influence was Spanish or US.   The qualification being WW2 Germanic influence and dress uniforms are inspired by Liberace.   Because of the status symbol the Sam Brown is common in  Africa amongst senior ranks.  I have seen it worn with cammo.

In the Falklands Jeremy Moore consciously adopted an olive green field cap of Norwegian origin (with his rank stencilled in black ink) and a small green civilian rucksack. As Ian rightly says, his only equipment was 58 belt  and 9mm Browning pistol in holster.   The choice of cap made him instantly recognisable amongst his men.

[Leon]

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