British Tropical Dress

[Argonor]

Hi

When should the shirts of the WWI Brits be grey, and when should they be khaki?

[Plynkes]

It's not a question of when, more of what the figures are wearing. The grey one is their shirt, that would be worn under their jacket on all fronts, even in France. I believe grey shirts were worn throughout the period of the Great War. Other ranks, at any rate. You do see officers with Khaki collared-shirts and a tie.

If the figure is not wearing his jacket due to the heat, then paint him grey. If he has got his jacket on, then it should be the sand-coloured Khaki Drill.

Like so:


Mine are a bit too blue I think, just ignore that.

http://www.freewebs.com/themanchesters1914-18/Manchesterfiles/Shirt.htm
I think the Greyback shirt was worn into the 1930s. But having said that, I have seen quite a few photos of troops in the Great War in shirt sleeve order that appear to be wearing Khaki Drill shirts. Not quite sure what to make of that, perhaps they are grey that has just faded a lot (hard to tell on a B&W photo), or maybe there were some khaki shirts. I bet Helen knows.

[Lowtardog]

Strangely enough I based my Quar on this uniform, yep the shirts were grey issue

[dodge]

Funnily enough I like that blue. Seen it somewhere else...

I would do mine something like that.

 

[Aaron]

I don't know if that blueish grey is accurate or not, but boy howdy that paint job is great!

[Plynkes]

It is described as a blue-grey, and I think the shade did vary quite a bit. But given the chance to start over I would make them a bit more towards the grey side I think.

Most examples you see are more grey than blue, like the one in the link I posted (though that is a reproduction rather than an original).

[dominic]

Exactly.  The grey shirt is the inner shirt that they wear under their field tunic.  It does not have a collar, just a round neck with buttons halfway down the front.

The khaki-drill shirt is a made of lightweight material for use in tropical climates.  I think these were introduced sometime in the 1930s.

So if you peer closely at the Copplestone Brits, most of them are wearing shirts with no collars - hence grey.  On the other hand, the Pulp Figures Brits have pockets and collars, so khaki-drill would be more correct.

To complicate matters further, I have seen photos of colonial policemen in the tropics wearing a proper grey shirt with collar and pockets, along the same pattern as the khaki-drill shirt, together with khaki-drill shorts.  So I could imagine that some British units may also have worn such a shirt.

Incidentally, the word "khaki" comes from the Hindustani word khaki - meaning "dust coloured".  So take a look at photos of the Northwest Frontier, and that should be the correct shade!

[Argonor]

Exactly.  The grey shirt is the inner shirt that they wear under their field tunic.  It does not have a collar, just a round neck with buttons halfway down the front.

The khaki-drill shirt is a made of lightweight material for use in tropical climates.  I think these were introduced sometime in the 1930s.

So if you peer closely at the Copplestone Brits, most of them are wearing shirts with no collars - hence grey.  On the other hand, the Pulp Figures Brits have pockets and collars, so khaki-drill would be more correct.

OK, so your avatar is a policeman? Just kiddin'  :wink:

Basically, for the inter-war period, both could be correct, but the ones with no collar should always be grey, if I understand this correctly.

Thanks mates, I shall tattoo this somewhere on my forehead!  ::

[harmonkeys]

If greybacks are incorrectly getting painted blue I blame Osprey. I matched my figures as closely as possible to the plates in "Armies in East Africa" and "British Army Insignia"  and they are almost identical to the blue in color photo posted above. I love Osprey but frankly I don't trust their color representation at times (meaning often).
Yours
Scott

[carlos marighela]

Other ranks were first issued with Khahki shirts, with the introduction of the Aertex pattern shirt in 1937. Prior to that the greyback was worn. Officers privately purchased their shirts and the khaki could and would vary from the familiar sandy khaki drill to quite drak greenish brown. It wasn't entirely unknown for oficers to adopt the greyback for purposes of camouflage.

South African troops serving in East Africa wore a collared khaki short but this was a SA issue item.

[Plynkes]

Hello, Carlos. How's the old Urban Guerilla business treating you these days?

Are you the same chap who posted under that name at TMP? I seem to recall he was something of a Great War Buff. If so then welcome.

Actually, even if not so, welcome anyway.  

[carlos marighela]

Hiya plynkes that's indeed me. Always considered myself more of an urbane guerilla actually

All taken a back seat to imminent fatherhood.

Thanks, glad to be aboard.