From the German occupation of Belgium in May 1940, Flemish recruits from northern Belgium - considered by the Nazis to be 'Germanic' - were accepted individually into Waffen-SS units. From Hitler's invasion of the USSR in June 1941, additional recruits from the French-speaking south (Wallonia) were drafted. Both communities formed volunteer 'Legions', to fight (according to Goebbels' propaganda machine) 'for European civilization against the Bolshevik threat'; these were a Flemish Legion in the Waffen-SS and a Walloon Legion in the German Army. Both served on the Russian Front in 1942-43; the Walloon Legion was then also transferred into the Waffen-SS, and the decorated Walloon officer Leon Degrelle became a publicized 'poster boy' for foreign SS volunteers. Both Legions were then redesignated as SS Assault Brigades, and thereafter saw extremely hard fighting in the Ukraine and on the Baltic front. In autumn 1944, their survivors were withdrawn from the front and incorporated into two new understrength SS Divisions, 27. 'Langemarck' and 28. 'Wallonien'. This new account, featuring detailed colour plates of uniform and insignia, recounts the battle history of the French and Flemish-speaking Belgian SS, up to their final transformation into full divisions in the winter of 1944/45.

A paperback edition of this classic work, which describes and illustrates the uniforms and equipment of the WWII British soldier using original items worn by live models in authentic settings. A huge range of subjects is covered, from the uniforms and equipment of the front line infantryman, to the officers' and men's walking-out dress, the special kit issued to tank crews, air-landed and mountain troops, motorcyclists, medics, arctic clothing, anti-gas kit and assault kit, even down to the demob suits issued to discharged soldiers in 1945.

This book provides a highly detailed account of the history, organisation, uniforms and insignia of South African Special Forces from their origins up to the early 90s - units such as the 44 Parachute Brigade, the Hunter Group and the infamous SWA Police COIN Unit 'Koevoet'. These elite units of the South African Defence Force and the special anti-terrorist units of the South African Police Forces comprised the largest, best trained and best equipped of any country in southern Africa. Robert Pitta and Jeff Fannell provide the text in a volume packed with photographs and illustrations.

Originally published in 1909 to 'interest and educate the public mind in the men who constitute the first line of our defensive forces', this series of beautiful illustrations and quaint descriptions explains the jobs behind the uniforms. From the responsibilities of the Admiral, to the manual work of the ordinary seaman and the duties of the stoker, this charming book provides a very British introduction to the Royal Navy.

During the American Revolution (1775-83), German auxiliary troops provided a vital element of the British war effort. Some 30,000 German troops served in North America, continuing a long-established relationship between Britain and various German principalities. These troops were widely referred to as mercenaries, implying that they sold their services individually, but they were in fact regular troops hired as a body by the British. Initially feared by the American population, the German troops came to be highly respected by their opponents. Their role in the fighting would inform the tactics and methods of a generation of German officers who returned to Europe after the war, many of whom went on to hold senior commands during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. The largest body of German troops was from Hessen- Cassel. The only German contingent to be employed as a unit under its own general officers, they were clothed and equipped in the style of Frederick the Great's Prussians and were trained in much the same way. Many had seen active service during the Seven Years' War (1756-63) and served under career officers; they were well-disciplined and competent but showed little overt enthusiasm for the British cause. The troops of Hessen-Cassel would participate in every major campaign of the conflict, with the specialized skills of the famous Jager being particularly in demand. Fully illustrated, this lively study examines the organization, appearance, weapons, and equipment of the Hessen-Cassel troops who fought for King George in the American Revolution.

The United States Marine Corps was one of the phenomena of the Second World War. Greatly expanded from its pre-war order of battle of scattered defence battalions, overseas garrisons and ship detachments, it became a multi-division force bearing the brunt of the hardest fighting across the whole vast expanse of the Pacific theatre of operations. In August 1942 Marines were among the first to strike back at the Japanese in the jungles of Guadalcanal; Marine Raider battalions were formed to carry the fight to the enemy; and from the Central Solomon's landings of mid-1943 it was the Marines who spearheaded the 'island - hopping' amphibious campaign which brought them to Okinawa, on Japan's doorstep, by VJ-Day. This epic story has been well documented in most respects - except one: the uniforms, insignia and personal equipment of the Marines who fought their way across the Pacific. Authoritative, illustrated reference works of this important aspect of World War II's physical history have been notoriously lacking. In this book, long-time collector and researcher Jim Moran fills the gap, with a systematic, detailed guide illustrated with more than 300 photographs, including some 200 close-ups of surviving items in private collections on both sides of the Atlantic. The author covers service and field uniforms at the outbreak of war; the development of the Marine's dungaree's'; the introduction and development of the camouflage uniforms which became the Marine's trademark in the popular imagination; the 782 gear' webbing equipment; the various packs and other load-carrying items; the uniforms, insignia and equipment special to the elite Marine Raiders and Paramarines; the uniforms and accoutrements of the US Marine Corps Women's Reserve; and a range of issue and personal small kit items which collectors may encounter. His research is supported by some 100 wartime photographs showing the identified item in use. Assisted and encouraged by the US Marine Corps Historical Center at Quantico, Virginia, Jim Moran has produced an essential reference for the collector, modeller, illustrator and uniform historian.

This new book takes a close look at a variety of authentic World War II era German uniforms including examples from the Army, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Allgemeine-SS, Hitler Youth and Political Leaders. The pieces are shown in large full frame front and rear shots, and in painstaking detail to show tailors tags, buttons, insignia detail etc. and allow the reader to see what the genuine article looks like. Various accoutrements worn with the uniforms are also included to aid the collector.

Hitler first considered an invasion of Great Britain in autumn 1940, then scheduled Operation Barbarossa, the conquest of the European part of the Soviet Union, for May 1941. Anxious to emulate Hitler's successes, the Italian dictator Mussolini embarked upon unnecessary military adventures in North Africa and the Balkans, which forced Hitler's intervention, diverting and depleting precious German resources, and a six-week postponement of Barbarossa. In this second of four volumes [Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326 & 330] on the German Army of the Second World War, Nigel Thomas examines the uniforms and insignia of the forces involved in North Africa and the Balkans.

An unprecedented, fully illustrated study of every regimental uniform of the five most powerful empires of the period, with more than 700 photographs, illustrations, and diagrams gathered from sources across the globe

During the period 1880-1914, the soldiers of the great empires of Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States were dressed in a rainbow of colors. Bedecked in elaborate helmets, with ornate weapons and finery, their uniforms represented centuries of regimental history and tradition, and often bore reminders of famous victories and heroic last stands. This book is the definitive study of every regimental uniform in the five empires, including those of the colonies of India, the Philippines, and North Africa. It explains the history behind sartorial peculiarities--such as why the Russian 15th Hussars wore a bright pink uniform and the Wiltshire Regiment had dents on their buttons--and reveals the lives and service experiences of the men who served. This book will be used as both a one-stop reference work and as a brief narrative history of the period.

This book is the first part of a two-volume investigation into the clothing orders of the British late Georgian army, combined and contrasted with an analysis of fashion in the same army - comparing the regulated dress with the 'modes of the army' as revealed by contemporary writing and illustrations. The first quarter of the nineteenth century witnessed a refinement of fashionable masculine dress that has not since been surpassed. Military tailoring inspired a parallel flowering of uniform splendour that continued into the 1830s and sparked an enduring fascination with military costume that still rages today. The army that operated in these cumbersome uniforms managed to achieve fame as one of the most effective British fighting forces ever recognised, and is still remembered and honoured for its achievements. These three strands: the flowering of late Georgian civilian tailoring; of its martial equivalent; and of military excellence on campaign, have gripped the interest and the imagination of the public, and are endlessly revived and recycled through popular culture, on television, film, through books and all of the other new media. The reader then might properly ask why another book on uniforms of this period is necessary. Quite simply, it is because the amount of material available to the researcher has increased exponentially since the advent of the internet, especially in regard to the now widely available digital archive files of institutional collections. The huge amount of accessible material makes the task of assembling accurate information much longer and much harder, but the results are consequentially more satisfying and accurate than hitherto.

The second part of an investigation into the clothing orders of the late-Georgian British Army, combined and contrasted with an analysis of fashion in the same army - comparing the regulated dress with the 'modes of the army' as revealed by contemporary writing and illustrations. The first quarter of the nineteenth century witnessed a refinement of fashionable masculine dress that has not since been surpassed. Military tailoring inspired a flowering of uniform splendour that continued into the 1830s and sparked an enduring fascination with military costume that still rages today. The army that operated in these cumbersome uniforms managed to achieve fame as one of the most effective British fighting forces ever recognised, and is still remembered and honoured for its achievements. These three strands: the flowering of late Georgian civilian tailoring; of its martial equivalent; and of military excellence on campaign, have gripped the interest and the imagination of the public, and are endlessly revived and recycled through popular culture, on television, film, through books and all of the other new media. The reader then might properly ask why another book on uniforms of this period is necessary. Quite simply, it is because the amount of material available to the researcher has increased exponentially since the advent of the internet, especially in regard to the now widely available digital archive files of institutional collections. The huge amount of accessible material makes the task of assembling accurate information much longer and much harder, but the results are consequentially more satisfying and accurate than hitherto. This, the second of two books on the topic, pays particular attention to the 'Prince's Regulations,' of 1812, which exhibit the full extent of the Prince Regent's excursions into military taste.

From its origins as the Consular Guard of the French Republic, and as Napoleon's personal bodyguard, the Imperial Guard developed into a force of all arms numbering almost 100,000 men. Used by Napoleon as his principle tactical reserve, the Guard was engaged only sparingly, being deployed at the crucial moment of battle to turn the tide of victory in favour of the Emperor of the French. Naturally, the Imperial Guard has been the subject of numerous books over many decades, yet there has never been a publication that has investigated the uniforms and equipment of the infantry of the Imperial Guard in such detail and with such precision. The author has collected copies of almost all the surviving documents relating to the Guard, which includes a vast amount of material regarding the issuing of dress items, even in some instances down to company level. This information is supported by an unrivalled collection of illustrations, many of which have never been published before, as well as images of original items of equipment held in museums and private collections across the globe. In addition, the renowned military artist, Keith Rocco, has produced a series of unique paintings commissioned exclusively for this book. This glorious book is, and will remain, unsurpassed as the standard work on the clothing and equipment of the Imperial Guard, and will not only be invaluable to historians, but also reenactors, wargamers and modellers. It is one of the most important publications ever produced on this most famous of military formations.

Preceding and simultaneously with the conquest of England by Duke William, other ambitious and aggressive Norman noblemen (notably the Drengot, De Hauteville and Guiscard families) found it prudent to leave Normandy. At first taking mercenary employment with Lombard rulers then fighting the Byzantine Empire in southern Italy, many of these noblemen achieved great victories, acquired rich lands of their own, and perfected a feudal military system that lasted for 200 years. As news of the rich pickings to be had in the south spread in Normandy, they were joined by many other opportunists - typically, younger sons who could not inherit lands at home. Steadily, these Norman noblemen fought their way to local power, at first in Apulia, then across the Adriatic in Albania, and finally in Muslim Sicily, defeating in the process the armies of Byzantium, the German 'Holy Roman Empire', and Islamic regional rulers. Finally, in 1130, Roger II founded a unified kingdom incorporating southern Italy and Sicily, which lasted until the death of Tancred of Lecce in 1194 - though its legacy long outlasted Norman political rule. This beautifully illustrated title explores not only the Norman armies, but the armies of their opponents, with full-colour plates and expert analysis revealing fascinating details about the fighting men of Normandy, Byzantium, the Arab armies and more.

In medieval times an individual often needed to defend his life, his family and his property. Mercenaries earned their living by hiring out their skills, while feudal noblemen regularly mustered their men-at-arms and their subordinate vassals and tenants to provide military service, even to the point of leading them on Crusades to the Holy Land and elsewhere. In the later medieval period the growing cities required their citizens to take up arms as militia in defence of the community during times of external threat. In The Medieval Fighting Man - Europa Militaria Special No 18, meticulous use is made of the sources available to enable the materials, colours and patterns used for reconstructed clothing to represent the 'real thing' as accurately as possible. Fortunately, great numbers of medieval weapons and pieces of armour survived and can now be viewed in displays, and these form the basis of the arms presented in this book.

Royal Navy Uniforms 1930 - 1945 uses over 400 illustrations - both period images and new colour photographs of original items - to show the clothing of both Officers and Ratings in World War II and during the years leading up to it, when Naval uniforms underwent significant modernization. The illustrations are supported by detailed text describing the development and use of Naval clothing of the time. Its contents include Officers' clothing and effects; Class 1 and III Ratings' clothing and effects; seamens' clothing and effects; battledress and tropical clothing; miscellaneous clothing, personal effects and substantive and non-substantive insignia. This is the first book to offer a detailed study of Royal Navy clothing in the 1930s and World War II and will be a vital resource for collectors, historians and enthusiasts.

Once the flying machine was a practical proposition, its military use became evident and governments needed to develop a way of marking their property. Flying a flag was an obvious but ineffective and dangerous solution so painting the representation of the flag was the natural alternative.

The first known markings to identify nationality were used in the 1910 Bombing Competition in Vienna where each competing machine carried its national colors. Formalized in 1912, precise shapes and colors of military markings were initially introduced by France closely followed by Romania.

Organized by country in 2 volumes, "Military Aircraft Insignia of the World" brings together global markings from such countries as Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Chad and Iran through to Kenya and Kuwait. Over 500 insignia combine with contemporary photographs and a brief history of the military air activity of that country to provide a wealth of information for the aviation historian and modeller alike.

This detailed, highly-illustrated study presents a unique and comprehensive collection of uniforms, insignia, and equipment used by the French Foreign Legion in Indochina from 1946 to 1956. More than 400 original pieces are shown in over 1,000 high-quality, color photographs. Over 200 rare war-era photographs of the Legion in Indochina show the vast variety of uniforms and equipment in use. Much of the information included here is presented for the first time in English. This book will become a standard reference for Foreign Legion collectors and historians.

The twentieth century ushered in new forms of warfare. On the high seas the submarine would challenge the supremacy of surface craft, and in the air the aeroplane offered new forms of both attack and reconnaissance. The advent of the tank made cavalry redundant and speeded-up the pace of war. Concealment, or the ability to confuse the enemy, could profoundly affect military operations and individual survival. Uniforms became drab for concealment, but in their camouflaged forms could denote elite fighting units. Artists were mobilised to devise concealment and the natural world played its part. Assumptions were made that had to be corrected. This book explains the fascinating challenges of the new ways of warfare and how concealment by camouflage played its part.

GPS Declassified examines the development of GPS from its secret, Cold War military roots to its emergence as a worldwide consumer industry. Drawing on previously unexplored documents, the authors examine how military rivalries influenced the creation of GPS and shaped public perceptions about its origin. Since the United States’ first program to launch a satellite in the late 1950s, the nation has pursued dual paths into space—one military and secret, the other scientific and public. Among the many commercial spinoffs this approach has produced, GPS arguably boasts the greatest impact on our daily lives. Told by a son of a navy insider—whose work helped lay the foundations for the system—and a science and technology journalist, the story chronicles the research and technological advances required for the development of GPS. The authors peek behind the scenes at pivotal events in GPS history. They note how the technology moved from the laboratory to the battlefield to the dashboard and the smartphone, and they raise the specter of how this technology and its surrounding industry affect public policy. Insights into how the system works and how it fits into a long history of advances in navigation tie into discussions of the myriad applications for GPS.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), an agency of the Department of Defense (DOD), supplies more than 8,000 different items ranging from uniforms and body armour to tents and canteens. Military uniforms are procured through competitive contracts. This book provides an overview of military uniform assessment and procurement.

Academical dress has been worn by students and graduates for hundreds of years and even in this modern time shows no obvious sign of becoming obsolete. Each new university, on receiving its charter, adopts its own distinctive robes. This is an updated and expanded third edition of Dr George Shaw's comprehensive guide to the academical dress of British and Irish universities, produced in accordance with the original author's wishes, and published by the Burgon Society.

This edition of Badges of the British Army presents a wholly new, completely revised guide for the collector. All the photographs are new, and the coverage extended to encompass the badges that had appeared since the book was first published. Through six editions and many reprintings, this book has proved itself immensely popular with collectors, as well as providing the novice with an invaluable introduction to the subject. Easy to slip into the coat pocket, it is the perfect companion to perusing market stalls in search of collectable items, providing immediate visual identification of each badge. The author, Frederick Wilkinson, supplies excellent advice to the collector, showing how to date badges, warning of the fakes, copies and re-strikes that abounded and how to recognise them, but also demonstrating how enjoyable and rewarding a pastime badge collecting could be. His introductory text presents a brief history of British Army badges, from the shako plates of Wellington's time - now valuable items - to the later, much easier to find, Staybrites.

For over a century and a half, since the Uniform Regulations of 1856 were introduced, identification of rank among officers in the Royal Navy, its branches and its reserves has not been restricted to a single, or even small number, of insignia. Rank may be seen on jacket cuffs, on shoulder badges, on shoulder boards and on epaulettes. It may be seen on swords and buttons, and in the manner in which buttons are worn. Cap peaks indicate rank, as do collars, cocked hat ornaments and cuff slashes. Rank insignia varies just as much between officers of similar rank. Cap badges and variants of gold lace stripes divide Executive from Civil branches, and from the Royal Navy and its reserves. Civil branches were further divided, and some remain so to this day, by the addition of color between the gold lace stripes. For the first time the complete range of Royal Navy Officers' insignia may be seen and studied in a single, comprehensive guide. The badges, buttons, stripes, wings and stars are catalogued separately in order of rank and date of introduction. Where possible, actual examples are used, and where not, an accurate as possible reproduction is offered. In addition, original photographs show the insignia being worn over the past 150 years.