An original photo of a private in the 5th DCLI, Autumn of 1944, he is wearing p-40 "Austerity" BD, and is also curiously using two American 30-06 bandoleers.
Uniform and Equipment Guidelines.
There are three main kits that unit members are encouraged to assemble. They are as follows;
Primary kit (used at most events)
5th Battalion DCLI, Northwest Europe, June 1944 - May 1945
Weapon used: No.4 Mk.1-2 Enfield rifle
This is the standard post D-Day that will be used at pretty much any event, this is the first outfit you should put together if you are new. There are several features of this kit that separate it from our other outfits. first is that any pattern of battle dress is usable, the 1937 pattern, the 1940 pattern and the 1940 "Austerity" pattern were all in service by 1944, and there would have been a mix of those patterns in the unit. Photo evidence supports this.
Secondary kit #1
2nd Battalion DCLI, North Africa and Italian Theater, 1942 - 1945
Weapon used: No.1 Mk.3* Enfield rifle
This is a commonly used kit during the summer, though we often come across scenarios that call for impressions dealing with the Italian theater. the main feature of this kit is the Khaki Drill (KD) cotton uniform, which can include shorts, rather than the wool uniform.
Secondary kit #2
2nd Battalion DCLI, British Expeditionary Force, France 1940
Weapon used: No.1 Mk.3* Enfield rifle
This is our specialty kit, very few units portray 1940 France. Some particulars of this kit include P-37 battledress only, Field Service caps instead of GS caps, and early war entrenching tools instead of the later helve and handle shovels.
Primary kit (used at most events)
5th Battalion DCLI, Northwest Europe, June 1944 - May 1945
Weapon used: No.4 Mk.1-2 Enfield rifle
This is the standard post D-Day that will be used at pretty much any event, this is the first outfit you should put together if you are new. There are several features of this kit that separate it from our other outfits. first is that any pattern of battle dress is usable, the 1937 pattern, the 1940 pattern and the 1940 "Austerity" pattern were all in service by 1944, and there would have been a mix of those patterns in the unit. Photo evidence supports this.
Secondary kit #1
2nd Battalion DCLI, North Africa and Italian Theater, 1942 - 1945
Weapon used: No.1 Mk.3* Enfield rifle
This is a commonly used kit during the summer, though we often come across scenarios that call for impressions dealing with the Italian theater. the main feature of this kit is the Khaki Drill (KD) cotton uniform, which can include shorts, rather than the wool uniform.
Secondary kit #2
2nd Battalion DCLI, British Expeditionary Force, France 1940
Weapon used: No.1 Mk.3* Enfield rifle
This is our specialty kit, very few units portray 1940 France. Some particulars of this kit include P-37 battledress only, Field Service caps instead of GS caps, and early war entrenching tools instead of the later helve and handle shovels.
The P-37 webbing equipment set for North West Europe kits, 1944 - 1945. Webbing is Blancoed in K.G. No 3. Click on the picture to find out how to reproduce K.G. No 3 Blanco.
The P-37 webbing equipment set for the BEF 1940 kit.
Basic & Accepted Uniform and Equipment list
Uniform:
Equipment:
Personal items:
Weapons: (machine guns must be legally owned or modified to fire semi-auto or with gas)
- Battle Dress (BD) Blouse and Trousers, P-37 - P-40 - P-40 "Austerity" (in the grand scheme, you will likely want one set of early war, and one set of late war)
- Wool collarless shirt
- undershirt, plain white crew neck t-shirt (the wool shirt will eat you alive without an undershirt)
- Black "Ammo Boots" with heel plates, toe plates and hobnails
- P-37 webbing anklets
- Field Service (FS) Cap and General Service (GS) cap
- Plain P-37 web belt for "walking out"
Equipment:
- P-37 webbing equipment set (belt, bren pouches, brace straps, canteen and carrier, bayonet frog, small pack with L-straps, and Large pack with pack extension straps)
- Gas mas bag, Mk.V or VI for early war, Light pattern for late war. gas masks are optional
- Helmet, Mk.II "Tommy" steel pot. net with scrim for late war
- Early pattern Entrenching shovel & carrier, and Late pattern helve and handle entrenching tool. These are both optional and hard to find.
Personal items:
- British army dog tags, pressed fiber green/grey and red
- Toiletry roll or holdall, to hold personal items, razor, toothbrush, etc.
- Mess kit and mess utensils, either early pattern or late war nesting set.
- cup, white enamel or brown enamel.
- Sewing kit or "housewife"
- Flashlight, No.1
Weapons: (machine guns must be legally owned or modified to fire semi-auto or with gas)
- No.1 Mk.3* Enfield rifle & sword bayonet
- No.4 Mk.1 - 2 Enfield rifle and spike bayonet
- Sten Mk.2 or Mk.3 Sub machine gun
- Bren Mk1 or Mk.2 Light machine gun
- 2 inch mortar
- 3 inch mortar
- Vickers Medium machine gun
Top: No.1 Mk.III* Enfield Rifle, with sword bayonet, clip of .303 ammo, and buttstock oiler.
Bottom: No.4 Mk.I Enfield Rifle, with spike bayonet and clip of .303 ammo.
Bren Mk.II Light Machine Gun, with spare barrel and bag, cleaning rod, pull through, oil bottle, and parts wallet.
Various personal effects of a common WWII Tommy, mess gear and utensils in the upper left corner, personal papers and ID credentials in the lower left, soldiers pocket knives in the lower center, "toiletry roll" in the upper right with assorted personal hygine supplies. A soldiers flashlight and ID discs are in the lower right corner.
