P37 blancoed web equipment

[The woodpecker]

Good evening mates!I hope that you are all fine!I have a small question.As a ww2 British collector I am interesting at pattern 37 web equipment.Can blancoed and unblancoed equipment match at a ww2 period display? Many thanks for your time and help

[Watchdog]

This is not a definative answer but I can see no reason why not.

Blanco was a cleaner / maintainance item that after WWI (it was introduced in the late 19th century) was mainly used in barracks rather than in the field. Different units used different shades of colour and this would have been one of the first things to stop once troops got into combat. So, as well as different shades some units may have dicontinued the practice (or maybe had to) sooner than others and of course new / replacement webbing would have to be issued in parts more often than complete sets.

Items in field use whether blancoed or not would soon take on a similar appearance with wear. Therefore, a set made up of untreated khaki colour and light olive blancoed parts would IMO not be incorrect and would not look unusual. Black parts mixed with new khaki might look odd but I still don't think it would be actually wrong. I am sure the Household Brigade might have taken a different view though!!

As I say, not a definative answer but my thoughts on the practicalities of field conditions.

Mark

[MG1918]

Very timely. I was just about to put a block of original British blanco on an auction. Please contact me if you need it.
Mark

[The woodpecker]

Many thanks mates for your feedback!I really appreciate the offer MG1918 but it was just a question...

[PhantomGuitar]

By 1944/45 in North West Europe web equipment that was of a personal nature would of been blancoed KG3. Before D-Day infantry units would of blancoed their equipment in a uniform color, that of KG3. There were other shades at different times in the war, but generally, the blancoing of webgear was up there with the care of boots and polishing brass - some might call it busy work under the SGM's watchful eye.
Things such as belts, braces, ammo pouches, and packs would of been blancoed, but items such as gas mask bags, bren barrel bags, and other unit level equipment would not have been blancoed.

Looking at period photographs would agree with this, as I recently scoured the IWM archives, and the webbing almost always appears to be of a fairly consistent nature colorwise. It of course will get use/worn/dirty, but even with a worn coat of KG3 it still appears different from a unblancoed piece of webbing.

So, in my opinion, if you are doing a display of a British Infantryman say, in North East Europe, 1944/45, his web equipment should be blancoed. Same goes for the rest of the war in my opinion. Would you have boots that weren't properly dubbed/polished/whichever local terminology? Brass covered in verdigris?

Cheers!