Reply To: 28mm British Early WWII

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Early War British have two different uniforms and two different sets of webbing. Basically you have the Service Dress (SBs) uniform, the one with longer jacket, walking trousers and leggings. The uniform is the same as was worn at the end of the Great War and actually you could use Late Great War figures with no problem.

The other uniform is Battledress (BD) with the short gaiters, the uniform that like what we think of as British soldiers wearing in the Second World war.

The issue comes with the webbing as you will find troops wearing SDs with pattern 08 webbing, just like in the Great War but also some will be pattern 37 webbing too. At least you wont have mixed webbing. Empress Miniatures have the British in SDs and pattern 37 webbing and are actually what most of the BEF worn in France 39/40.

You also found, rarer though, BDs, with pattern 08 webbing, I not see any manufacturers do these, though 1st Corp do a Home Front range and Foundry and the Home Guard are wearing something similar to it. Then there is BDs in pattern 37 webbing which Warlord do, BEF platoon, and they are the best Early War Brits.

The thing also to watch out for is the SMLE rifle as at the beginning of the war the British used the MKIII with the 18″ bayonet, the same rifle as used in the Great War and the late war used a MKVI and a pig sticker bayonet. There is a marked difference between the weapons especially the muzzle furniture, the MKVI has the barrel sticking out.

The other differences between Early and Late War British is the position of the Gas mask, Early War is was carried on the chest, Late War it was on the left hip and the Helmets, Early War was the Battlefield Bowler and Late War was the Tortoise Shell

Hope that helps.