WW2 British Officers Uniform and Equipment

[Harry Davey]

Hi all, here is my Second World War British Officers Battledress and webbing, the battledress originally belonged to Huge Francis D'Assisi Stuart Law DSO OBE MC TD who was a veteran of the First and Second World Wars, he joined the British Army during the First World War and graduated from the Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1915 as a second Lieutenant in the Irish Guards, and fought alongside Johnny Kipling (Rudyard Kipling's son). He participated in the battle of Loos, Ypres, Somme, Messines and Passchendaele and was awarded the Military Cross for Gallantry in 1917. After the First World War he married Susan Rosemary Dacre Clerk in 1928, whom was a direct descendant of Edward III.

Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War he was appointed the commanding officer of the 5th Battalion Border Regiment and after the outbreak of WW2 was sent with the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) to France, earning the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry and exemplary command of his men in the rear guard action, retreat and the evacuation from the beaches of Dunkirk in the summer of 1940. He also served in the Mediterranean, the Lebanon, India and Cyprus. Post WW2 he was made an Honorary Colonel, awarded a TD (Territorial Decoration), in sept 1955 awarded an OBE (Officer of the most excellent Order of the British Empire), and in 1965 made a Deputy Lieutenant.

He recorded his exploits in his memoirs: A Man at Arms, Memoirs of Two World Wars - Francis Law

The battledress is a tailored 1937 pattern with ribbons for the Distinguished Service Order DSO, Military Cross MC, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal,Victory Medal and 1939-1945 Star. Colonel insignia is present of the shoulder epaulettes and the collar. The battledress is displayed with an original WW2 period collarless shirt with collar attached and tie.

The webbing is:

1937 pattern belt dated 1941
1937 pattern brace straps Both Meco 1944
1937 pattern cross straps
1937 pattern revolver holster with an Enfield No2 Mk1 dated 1938
1937 pattern revolver ammunition pouch
1937 pattern binoculars case with binoculars
1937 pattern compass pouch with Mk1 marching compass

Thanks for Looking

Harry

[Jerry B]

A lovely set and great with the known history and his book, superb.

[harryamb2]

great find.

[jimpy]

Now that I really like Harry!!

[Paul D]

Wonderful group !!

[Harry Davey]

Thanks for the comments, i am pleased how it came together, it did take a few months to complete. I was surprised how hard it is to find unblancoed WW2 dated British webbing, especially the belt which was the hardest item to source.

Cheers

Harry

[Didier]

I have been wondering for some time whether those officer's webbing sets were actually worn into battle - the photographic evidence is, to say the least, rather scarce and now that my own late war officer's set is complete I am beginning to think that it is somehow out of place to depict a (senior) British officer on D-Day or during the Battle of Normandy. Would any of you on here have a clue as to WWII practices regarding officer's sets?

Regards,

Didier

(PS: the original post was one of my primary sources of inspiration for my officer's set)

[AZPhil]

Very Nice displays Gentlemen.

Semper Fi
Phil

[Jojomadness]

Wow amazing items and great photos

[Didier]

Nobody could answer my question?

Regards,

Didier