Tony Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Hello, This great coat belongs to a mate but as I have very little knowledge about WWII uniforms I'm hoping someone here can help me. Would have been used by the Free Belgians during WWII, the Belgian army in the 1950s or is it just a Brit great coat that someone has sewn Belgian buttons on? I'm assuming the buttons are Belgian. My mate wants to move it on and would like to know exactly what he has before doing so. Thanks for any advice.
Stuka f Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Hello, buttons are Belgian all right! Any makers mark on the back?
Tony Posted January 16, 2019 Author Posted January 16, 2019 Thanks for the prompt reply Kris. I don't have the coat and didn't look at the back of the buttons either, I'll have to ask. I actually thought the buttons may have been British until searching online. Is there any way of dating the buttons to WWII? Or could they be either 1940s or 1950s?
Stuka f Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Hey Tony, having the outer circle they look more like WWI buttons, but the lion is quiet different of the lion's I have on buttons. So my guess is they are British made.... The bunker is a mess at the moment, not able to check it ....
Tony Posted January 16, 2019 Author Posted January 16, 2019 No worries mate, give me the address and I’ll tidy up for you. ? It’d be interesting if they are Brit made, if so perhaps for the army after liberation. Still waiting for him to get back to me about anything on the back.
SillyOldGrandad Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Going by the description "Olive Drab" and the manufacturer being "L. L. Rosenthal and Co. Inc." I would lean towards it being U.S. made. Pete.
Tony Posted January 16, 2019 Author Posted January 16, 2019 Pete, US made but who for? It looks Brit pattern to me but as said, I'm not knowledgeable when it comes to WWII gear.
SillyOldGrandad Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Tony, a lot of the British and Allied clothing was manufactured in the U.S. to British design. On arrival they would be fitted with the buttons of the units to whom they were allocated. In this case to a Belgian unit. Pete.
Tony Posted January 17, 2019 Author Posted January 17, 2019 Thanks for the lend lease confirmation Pete. Just need to work out if the Belgian buttons are possibly Brit pre 1945 made or post 1945 issue.
Tony Posted January 18, 2019 Author Posted January 18, 2019 Unfortunately he can't see any maker stamped on the back of the buttons.
Stuka f Posted January 18, 2019 Posted January 18, 2019 That is a pity...but still foreign made (supposed to be ...) Belgian buttons to me...
Tony Posted January 18, 2019 Author Posted January 18, 2019 Yeah, I think it would've made it more interesting to say it was Free Belgian issue. Next time I'm round his place I'll check the buttons myself, just in case he missed something. Do you know how soon after liberation the Belgian army changed back to their own style of uniform?
Stuka f Posted January 19, 2019 Posted January 19, 2019 The style is quiet similar, but I couldn't tell you when Belgian uniform makers started making our own uniforms again.
Tony Posted January 21, 2019 Author Posted January 21, 2019 Thanks anyway Kris. If I find anything worth mentioning when I'm there I'll post it.
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