Why was the typical equipment of a German soldier in World War 2?

Answer 1

TYPICAL EQUIPMENT for rifle infantry included items such as:

- packs (several types: M1928 haversack, "jungle pack" for marines, "musette bags" for officers, paratroopers, and anyone who could beg/borrow/steal them)

- canteen w/ carrier and cup

- mess kit w/ folding utensils

- portable stove

- steel helmet & fiber liner

- E-Tool

- gas mask and carrying pouch

- flash light

- first aid kit

- combat suspenders

- identification discs ("dog tags," each man carried 2 on a chain around his neck)

- web belt (with cartridge pockets for riflemen and BAR gunners, flat for Tommy gunners and mg or mortar crews)

- tent half w/ pegs, rope, and pole (mated with a buddy's half to form a full "pup" tent)

- various manuals (usually guide- or phrasebooks for the country served in)

- cigarettes

- rations kits (B, C, K, or D)

Many specialized or non-standard items might be included depending upon the weather, the mission, or other local conditions. Officers frequently carried binoculars in a case and a mapcase as well. Battery powered radios in backpack ("walkie-talkies" with a range of about 5 miles) and hand-held ("handy talkies with a range of about 1 mile) styles were also carried by squad radiomen.

TYPICAL UNIFORMS for rifle infantry included:

- wool serge or khaki shirt

- wool serge or khaki trousers

- trouser web belt w/ flat buckle

- trouser suspenders

- field jacket (many divergent styles throughout the war)

- twill shirt

- twill trousers

- combat leggings

- service shoes or boots

- twill cap

- wool cap (the famous "Jeep" or "Radar" cap)

- socks

- boxer shorts

- undershirt ("tank top" or "wife beater" style)

There was also an entire uniform set intended for use when a soldier was not in front line service. Called the "Class A" or, more often, "Service" uniform, this included a coat, tie, service cap, and several other elements. These were the "look good for the civilians" uniforms and were generally left in barracks well behind the fighting.

The actual equipment issued troops varied greatly throughout the war, and was widely divergent depending upon what service and theater a given soldier served in. In just the few years of American involvement many new designs for the various pieces of troops' hardware were developed and saw combat. The combat footwear for infantry alone saw at least 4 distinct versions from'41 to '45. Much of the equipment was also surplus WW1-era material, especially during the North African and Sicilian/Italian campaigns.

Uniforms likewise varied widely based upon theater, service, and when a given soldier was issued their clothing. As new designs became accepted as standard, replacement troops would be issued them even as veterans were still wearing the older-style garments in the same unit. Also, combat troops were given fairly free reign over what they wore in combat, so long as it was U.S. Army issue. Thus, many group photos of troops in combat zones have a "hodge-podge" look, with some men wearing older issue items and others newer, and almost never is there total uniformity.

REFERENCES:

Henry, Mark. "The U.S. Army in World War II." Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2001.

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