"British Tropical Service Uniforms - Greyshirts or not?" Topic

I wonder if the big brains from TMP can help me with a painting query – I am about to paint up some of Copplestone's British infantry, who are in Wolseley pattern helmet, shorts and short sleeves – they are carrying short Lee-Enfields and I have a couple of Lewis gunners with them

Question is, would it be appropriate to paint their shirts grey? I know the Brits had short sleeved grey shirts that were issued in India and the Middle East. However, some of the figs look like they have rolled their sleeves up – would those be in khaki drill?

Insights would be greatly appreciated

Yes grey shirts.

Yes, silverbacks were worn by ORs up to the Second World War with all forms of dress and became effectively the default item for tropical field service and work parties. It was a long sleeved collarless shirt, so the rolled sleeved figures are in shirts. I think the only one of the British figures, apart from the officers, who is wearing a tunic is one of the Lewis gunners. The Officers shirts should be khaki drill as should the tunics.

As Still Lucan says, the so-called greyback was the standard shirt of the British Army and had been for decades (it would be worn under the Service Dress on the Western Front and everywhere else: You see some characters wearing them in the film "Zulu") and it had long sleeves.

For tropical service when heat meant the khaki drill jacket was unlikely to be worn, rank chevrons made of white tape were attached to the sleeves for NCOs.

They were worn in tropical climates with the sleeves rolled up, they didn't have a special tropical shirt until the Aertex khaki shirt came in in the 1930s.

So yes, if the model has a collarless shirt grey is really the only correct colour for it.

so wot are all the light blue ones one sees all over the place?

People getting the colour wrong. I'm guilty of it myself.

There's a South African in the Osprey on the Great War in East Africa wearing some kind of collared shirt with pockets that is depicted as light blue. It's not a British greyback shirt, I have no idea what it is. Obviously something unique to South Africa.

I think that plate has a lot to answer for as far as people's colour choices for Brits of that era are concerned.

I have seen greyback shirts vary in shade from straight grey to light grey with the tiniest hint of blueyness, but I've not seen one that is outright blue like that SA shirt, and so many you see on internet forums.

We had a discussion along those lines a while back on the LAF, Cardinal:
link

I will look, I am actually due to paint some so this is very opportune, grey it is..I know in New guinea many shirts washed out to a slate colour,,I might go with that a pale slate..with just a hint of blue..

Well Brigadier Plynkes that is a damn fine link and says it all..many thanks you are a mine of info on areas that I don't know that much about..

Well, thanks a lot, Hrogthgar for a very quick response, Still Lucan for some additional clarity, Cardinal Hawkwood for asking the question I have always wondered about as all those blue shirts -the Plynkes for giving the definitive answer! Grey it is! I just finished the Rolls Royce armoured car, so this is very timely

yes I have one of them ready to go…all very helpful indeed..I better post my copplestobes on LAF when I finish them with a special cap doffing for Lt General Plynkes..