"Italians in Temperate and Tropicl uniforms" Topic

Not a question as much about how to paint them, but more about where they wore them. In short, I know that the plan would be that Italians in Africa would where Tropical uniforms (with some new arrivals in Temperate and maybe Temperate for cold desert nights), but as things started to go bad and some forces flowed back into Sicily and Mainland southern Italy, would some of the Italians continue to wear tropical uniforms or would they have switched back to Temperate Uniforms? Also for the campaigns in Greece and Crete, would the Italians have been in Temperate, Tropical or a mix of uniforms? And last how about those wonderful Sun Helmets – if someone was wearing Tropical uniforms in Greece or Crete any chance they would have Sun Helmets? Thanks.

From what I recall, there were some units in NA with temperate uniforms and some units on Sicily with tropical uniforms. IIRC, there were a few on the continent proper with tropical uniforms as well.

I understood the Italian troops wore the temperate climate uniform during the Greek campaign. It was pretty much a winter campaign, starting in late October and ending in late April. The units involved were those stationed in Albania before the war broke out and units transferred from Italy once things went bad, all of whom would have been equipped with the temperate climate uniform.

In December, the British defeated the Italians in North Africa, so troops from Libya wouldn't have been available to transfer to Albania to help contain the Greek offensive.

Grelber

Looking over my library I would agree that the Italian troops in Greece and Crete would have worn the Continental uniform of a bustina cap, grey-green tunic, grey-green cotton shirt, grey-green pantaloons, wool puttees and black boots; they had a greatcoat as well; all the pictures I have of Italian troops in helmets in these campaigns are the standard steel helmet

In Sicily there was a considerable mix of uniforms; continental uniforms plus tropical uniforms left over from the North African campaign; as well, many of the coastal defense units were second-line troops with old uniforms, including old Adrian-style helmets

Depending where you are in Greece the weather can vary greatly. I would not be surprised to see tropical uniforms in southern Greece, especially in Summer. Crete would be even more likely.

Tropical Uniforms were issued for assignment to North Africa.

Everywhere else it would have been the Continental Uniform. There was both summer weight and winter weight issue. You didn't get a Tropical Uniform just because the weather turned hot.

Some of the units that went to North Africa later in the campaign did not get their Tropical Uniforms. Some units that went over piece-by-piece wound up mixed, with some sub-units getting the Tropical Uniforms and others not.

Most of the units that were sent over to Tunisia to fight with Von Arnim's army did not get Tropical Uniforms. It was in Tunisia that the greatest mix was seen.

As the Tunisian survivors were evacuated to Sicily they brought the uniforms they had with them. A few units equipped for North Africa didn't make it before the evacuation started, and wound up in Sicily. So Sicily also had a mix, but it was mostly the under-strength worn-out formations that were in Tropical Uniforms by that point.

Or so I've read.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

I've compromised and have my Italians in European trousers and N.African jackets. Helmets painted grigio-verde as for Europe. Bustinas in tropical shades.