"Polish Black Brigade Leather Uniform" Topic

I assumse everyone is aware of the black leather jacket and it relation to the brigade's nickname. However, the book "INVINCIBLE BLACK BRIGADE: Polish 10th Cavalry Brigade 1939" by Jerzy Majka makes reference to the jackets being issued in 1938 and only to officers and NCOs. The book has many photos and in them you can see the motorcyclists and tankers also wore them but in support of the author statement, the motorized troopers are indeed wearing greatcoats and not leather jackets. In b/w photos the leather shines while the greatcoats do not and are a longer cut.

Has anyone any other references to support the soldiers not wearing leather?

Dismouted troopers running around in leather doesn't seem to make alot of sense.

I am painting True North 15mm figs and they appear to be all wearing leather.

Have you seen this picture?

According to historical sources they wore the same kind of tankers jackets – which look like trenchcoats more than greatcoats.

This picture shows them in something resembling a regular greatcoat – but the picture is taken 1938 during training

More pictures of troops in leather trenchcoat

Colonel Maczek , commadner of the 10th motorized cavalry

link

In these photos the jackets are worn by Officers, honorguard, motorcyclcists, and NCOs due to the lack of webgear. Notice they all have pistol belts and bino cases.

There are just as many not wearing leather and instead wear a greatcoat. Anytime you see multiple leather jacketed soldiers, it is a group of officers and/or motorcycle reconn types that wore leather in nearly every army. Find some fiat truck photos loaded with soldiers and they likely are not wearing leather.

I'd like to think they are had leather because the figs are cool. I am just asking if this is yet another myth of western historians lead astray.

I have two Polish uniform books an the color plates of 10th BDE soldiers in trucks wear greatcoats.

I also ran across another reference that the jackets were limited issue and not to all, supporting the above statement of issue to officers, NCOs, tankers and motorcyclists.

Oh and yes I have seen these pics and about a hundred more.

Again, just posing a question based on a more modern and Polish (not english) author's statement.

Your first photo is indeed of the officer and nco honor guards of the 10th Rifles and 24th Ulhan on parade 3 May 1938 in Rzesow. The book noted above has a couple more photos of the event. The best is a wider view that also shows the 1st Sqd (company) of the 10th Rifles and yes, they are wearing greatcoat.

Your photo with the anti-tank gun is typical of the dozens of photo in the book showing soldiers in greatcoats. Some photos clearly show a few trenchcoated officers in the larger crowd of greatcoated soldiers.

Your last photo is of three officers.

All the photos in Jerzy's book of 10th BDE soldiers in trucks are wearing greatcoat or just tunics. In the 100 or so photos in his books leather jackets really are rare amoungst all the greatcoats. The only photos with leather are, as I noted, tankers, officers, ncos, and motorcyclists.

Perhaps a mute point since all TH's figs are in leather.

Since the figs are 15mm, is the cut of the greatcoat similar enough that if you painted it the color of the normal greatcoat it would pass?

Yes, I painted an anti-tank crew and 75mm crew with the NCO in leather and the crew in greatcoats, all by True North. Nice figs by the way IMO. The cut of the figs was close enough to not matter.

this is a classic pic.

According to Jerzy's book it is an inspection by Maczek (in leather) and the 10th Regt commander is beside him (in an overcoat like the rest of his men).

In the Flames of War game a dismounted motorcycle platoon would certainly all be in leather jackets.

After more reading i found this:

In the summer of 1938 the Brigade's uniforms were changed. A beret was introduced in place of the the forage cap (fuazerka), otherwise known as a garrison cap. At the same time German M.1916 helmets were issued. A number of these were stored at Polish military depots as remnants of the First World War. All officers and non-commissioned officers were issued black leather jackets, wz.36. Altogether, it was a rather characteristic attire, distinguishing the Brigade from other Polish Army units."

p.38 Invincible Black Brigade by Jerzy Majka