ITALIAN ROYAL ARMY REENACTING
BASIC EQUIPMENT
WORK IN PROGRESS
WW1 - BASIC EQUIPMENT
Rifleman, 1916-1918
WW2 - BASIC EQUIPMENT
WW2 - CONTINENTAL
Rifleman, 1938-41
Rifleman, 1941-43
Bersagliere, 1938-43
Alpino, 1938-43
WW2 - COLONIAL
Rifleman, 1938-41
Rifleman, 1941-43
Bersagliere, 1938-43
WW1
BASIC EQUIPMENT
ELMETTO METALLICO LEGGERO/MOD. 16
Its use started in October 1915 to replace entirely the Farina style armors and helmets. Tthe French Adrian Helmets got initially tested in a small batch of 1400 units distributed to the 3rd Army (on the Isonzo), in the apallingly low number of 6 helmets per company.
Once the first tests showed a surprisingly good resistance to artillery shrapnels, a further order of 104.550 helmets arrived from France in January 1916, always as an "exclusive" for the personnel of the 3rd Army on the Isonzo. After these far wider and more effective trials, the helmet got formally adopted as "Elmetto Metallico Leggero" On April 24th 1916.
Immediately after that, while ordering Millions of Mod. 15 Helmets from France (Reaching a grand total of about 3 million helmets received), the Italian Army tried to find a locally produced alternative to sustain a steady supply. This supplier will be found in the Moneta Giuseppe Metalware factory, in Milan, specialised in pots and lamplights production, that will develop their own construction process, molding the helmet in their entirety, and just welding the crest, instead of assembling and riveting 4 different parts as the French Mod. 15 did.
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These simplified Helmets got tested regularly by the Brescia Arsenal, and most of them carry the inspector marking of the Chief Inspector Manenti Antonio, visualized as his Initials MA in a circle, with a crown on top.
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The internals of both helmets are composed by either a single piece of leather with 7 teardrop shaped ends on the top, or as a single strip of about 7cm of leather, with 6 teardrop shaped leather pieces sewn on the upper side of the strip, converging to the top of the shell, each with one hole to pass a small leather rope to enlarge or restrict the ensemble.
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LEATHER GEAR
EQUIPAGGIAMENTO MOD. 907
Adopted with circular n. 221 of August 1st 1907, these were created to replace the older mod.91 pouches, in order to improve the ergonomics, simplify some production process and improve the overall practicality.
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Natural/brown leather color at first, sometimes around 1912 [2][3] the grey color was introduced and basically all new production equipment was in grey color.
Circ. 358 of May 20th 1915 imposed that all the previously produced pouches had to be colored in grey (shades vary from light grey to grey-green) before being issued to frontline soldiers.
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GIBERNA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907
The Mod. 907 turned the old mod. 1891 "Chest-like" concept into two separate, more modern pouches, far more practical to open and use during fights, instead of keep opening and closing a larger chest pouch.
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Each individual pouch wasa supposed to hold a complete paper box of ammo with three clips, plus an extra loose clip in front of it, for a total of 96 rounds among the four individual pouches.
FASCIA MOD. 907
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The Mod. 907 belt simplified the old M1891 by several factors: one side of the belt, without any regulation holes, was just bent in position (through hoops and loops) in the new model of buckle.
The other side, separated and sewed on the main body of the belt to increase strength, only had two regulation holes, andwas fixed in the buckle via the buckle's only prong.
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​CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNA DI CUOIO
CON BOTTONI E GANCI
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Following the example of the new belt and buckle, the suspenders too were simplified, holding the leather sling onto the hooks via loops instead of prongs and regulation holes.
The regulation button and buttonholes behind the neck remained, in order to help with individual needs.
We have 2 and 3 button examples, differently combined to reach the correct length needed.
WW1 - RIFLEMAN
(1916-1918)
Uniforme Mod. 909
Giubba Mod. 909
Pantaloni unificati mod. 1916
Pants
WW2 - PRIVATE
BASIC INFANTRY RIFLEMAN EQUIPMENT
(1940-1943)
ELMETTO METALLICO MOD. 33
Adopted in 1933 to replace the short lived Mod. 31, these helmets were modern, efficient, easy to produce and mantain. The Italian Army used them non stop from 1933 to 1993, when they got (slowly) replaced by Kevlar PASGT (SEPT2) helmets.
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The WW2 features you absolutely need are:
- Greygreen color (Usually RAL 7009 suits fine early war colors). Postwar the army adopted a kaki color both for leather gear and helmets, so you'll have to refurbish that.
- Leather chinstrap, several artisans produce conversions kit for relatively cheap. Avoid at all costs to keep the postwar fabric chinstrap.
- If you want to go specific even on rivets, try to get helmets with rivets showing a thin "step" around them. But really, these are minor minuteries for collectors.
- The rear of the leather liner was sewn together with two parallel lines, after WW2 it has a diagonal line, forming a Z
- the leather liner top doesn't have metal eyelets, but just leather, with circular leather reinforcements behind every hole where the rope pass.
- Squared and short chinstrap swivels, avoid trapezoidal postwar swivels at all costs.
LEATHER GEAR
GIBERNA IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/26
These were a semplification of the previous mod. 907, with a single strip of leather to cover the front and the sides, instead of the three sewed squares of the old model. Another distinctive feature is the extra rivet placed to reinforce the closing lace, which was already used on older model since the early 20s.
CINGHIA REGGI GIBERNE IN CUOIO GRIGIO MOD. 907/36
Adopted with Circolare N. 431 of May 27th 1936, with a standard length of 1166mm, this new iteration got rid of the older buttons and buttonholes behind the neck, leaving it as a simple strip of leather regulable by the hooks.
Old Mod. 907 suspenders were ordered to be converted to the new standard length with Circular n. 45M, June 16th 1936, by sewing the two parts into a single neckstrap.
CINTURINO MOD. 907/26
​With Circular n. 681, 1926, Belt and buckle got further simplified by adopting a buckle with double prong, and shortening the leather belt by using some regulation holes instead of the previous hoops and loops system.
BORSA IN CUOIO GRIGIO PER
SCIABOLA-BAIONETTA MOD. 91
E BAIONETTA-PUGNALE MOD. 38
Mod. 91 "Saber-bayonet"
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Mod. 38 "Dagger-Bayonet"
GAS MASKS
MASCHERA ANTIGAS MOD. 31-33
Mass produced gas masks produced to substitute entirely the british SBR adopted in 1917.
It was contained in a squared bag, with an adjustable strap with a quick deployement button (in order to position it steadily either on the chest or on the side, as the SBR were), and with two leather straps on one side, whose purpose was to host the mod. 31 water flask.
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Formally replaced by the T 35 after 1935, it was overall considered a valid gas mask and hence you're going to see it rather frequently on the hips of all kind of units, both first line infantry and support units.
MASCHERA ANTIGAS T-35
Adopted in 1935 as a cheaper and more effective substitute of the mod. 31-33 gas mask system.
It was hosted in a tubular canvas container, with a strap only adjustable to stay in position on the hip.
Came in three size, I was the bigger, II the medium and III was the smaller.
BORRACCIA TIPO UNICO MOD. 33
Adopted in 1933 to replace and unify the different mod.31 canteens, differentiated in Foot soldiers model (with short strap, suspendable on the belt) and Mounted soldiers model (with long strap, in order to be carried on the hip, with the strap across the back.
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The Mod. 33 was with a flat base in order to be easily leaned on the ground or on a shelf, and with a unified long strap, adjustable, in order for all soldiers to carry it on the hip.
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Completely made out of Alluminum, it was covered with a greygreen wool cover, in order to insulate the alluminum. Once dampened with water, the wool helped keeping the water cool for a longer period of time.
The cheap canvas strap, was prone to quick deterioration, and even today it's fairly easy to break.
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2 LITERS CANTEENS
The 2lt canteens are part of the "Standard" equipment for troops in colonial theaters (But 1 lt are fine nonetheless in such theaters).
There's a widespread Legend that Alpini received them too, but no pics nor documents emerged so far about this. As far as we know and as far as pics show, Alpini got bigger mess tin kits but standard 1lt canteens.
STIVALETTO PER ARMI A PIEDI MOD. 32
As the name implies these boots got adopted in 1932 as the standard "unified" boot for all foot soldiers. These boots were slightly lower than their ww1 Mod. 12/16 counterpart, with similar construction methods overall.
The Alpini received these as replacements/fatigue boots, but their main footwear issue were the Mod. 29 Mountain Boots we'll see in their specific section.
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These boots were made of good quality leather (Vacchetta conciata al vegetale), with the "Light, reinforced" hobnail pattern, defined mostly during WW1 as standard for all troops. It consisted in a half circle of triangular shaped "Fly wings" hobnails, with several rows of "Almost semi spherical" circular hobnails to save the sole from the ground. lastly, the heel was surrounded with "truncated pyramid" hobnails
FASCE MOLLETTIERE MOD. 28
Adopted in 1928 to uniform and standardize putees for all units, in order to overcome the issues of old WW1 supplies mostly composed of straight putees, difficult to wear without proper methods.
These "banana shaped" ergonomical putees were far more easy to wear and far more effective in their intended purpose.
CAMICIA DI COTONE
Officially categorized as "underwear", these shirts were to be worn under the tunic or by themselves in summer or hot spring/autumns.
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Beige/green were distributed... rather randomly, so it's up to you! IMHO I prefer the beige ones, they have a far cleaner touch in the overall uniform.
But that's up to your unit! The most important part is to get as uniform as possible as a unit!
CAMICIA DI FLANELLA MOD. 39
Officially categorized as "underwear", this Flannel shirt were to be worn under the tunic or by itself in Winter or in cold environments.
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With the Mod. 37 the ideal flannel shirt to use would be the Mod.35, which had a ziptie instead of buttons and removable collar, but it would take some work to obtain that properly!
CALZE DI COTONE BIANCO
Long, calf covering white socks, cotton. Each soldier had 3 pair of them, that were supposed to last 6 month of military service. You'll often see them rolled over tightly over the boots, especially in colonial theaters.
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Usually these would cover the calf in order to offer a solid, continuing base for the putees, but wasn't at all a mandatory practice.
WW2
METROPOLITAN
UNIFORMS
WW2 - PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1940-1941)
GIUBBA MOD. 37
Adopted in 1937 to replace the previous mod. 34, it differed from that for the black collar, the "batwing" pockets and the more elegant belt.
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Unit Mostrine (collar tabs) were slightly larger and longer than the following mod. 40 ones.
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These tunics are going to be seen with all units, mostly during 1940-1941, while the mod.40 modifications were either applied on former mod.37 tunics or distributed brand new as replacements.
Mod. 37 tunics will be seen all the way into 1943, but after 1941 mostly to second-third line units.​
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PANTALONI MOD. 35
WW2 - PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1941-1943)
WW2 - BERSAGLIERE PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1938-1943)
WW2 - ALPINO PRIVATE
CONTINENTAL UNIFORM
(1938-1943)
WW2
COLONIAL UNIFORMS
WW2 - PRIVATE
COLONIAL UNIFORM
(1940-1941)
WW2 - PRIVATE
COLONIAL UNIFORM
(1941-1943)
WW2 - BERSAGLIERE PRIVATE
COLONIAL UNIFORM
(1938-1943)
Uniforme Mod. 40
Giubba Mod. 40
Pantaloni mod. 40
Pants