Trousers, Field (Hose, Field), Moleskin

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History

In the late 1950s, the West German army (Bundeswehr) introduced a woolen field uniform that soldiers often dubbed ‘cat louse’. Constructed from a dense woolen fabric, this uniform proved abrasive on the skin and too hot for wear during the summer months. After a few years, it was replaced by a heavyweight, stone-grey cotton cloth uniform, maintaining the same design as its woolen predecessor. However, the woolen uniform continued to be issued during winters to deplete remaining stocks. The cotton moleskin uniform remained standard issue for the West German army until it was eventually replaced by a flecktarn pattern in the early 1990s.

The trousers for this uniform were based on the previously issued woolen trousers, which themselves seemed to use the US M-1951 Trousers, Shell, Field design as a base concept. Initially, these trousers had a complex design, but after a few years, a simpler and more cost-effective version was introduced. These trousers were designed to hold a specific set of items, including 2 handkerchiefs, a pocket knife (for soldiers), a shroud knife/Kappmesser (for paratroopers), an ABC Protective Tarpaulin, a mosquito veil, a first aid kit, a boonie hat, and a helmet net/cover.

By the late 1960s, the design of the trousers was further simplified, reducing the complexity of production and modifying the pockets’ arrangement. This design remained standard until the 1990s. After their removal from service, these trousers became popular on the army surplus market in the mid to late 1990s, appreciated for their durability and value.

Description

The trousers are made from heavy moleskin stone-grey cotton cloth. The external side of the waistband has cloth loops for the field dress belt. They feature a button-up fly with a button that faces inwards for a flat surface. The waist pockets and the back hanging pocket close with buttons. The thighs have bellows cargo pockets with covered buttons and a sleeve for the issue pocket knife. The cuffs of the legs have cotton draw-cords to blouse over boots. The internal waistband has a button for suspenders and horizontal button-down tabs that thread through the jacket’s fabric loops to retain heat during colder months in Germany.

Examples

Example One
Example One, fabricated in 1969, is a cotton version of the previous woolen uniform. It features button-down covers for the waist pockets and the back pocket. The thigh pockets are bellows-style with tape tie cotton cords for support when heavily loaded, and full-length open-top sleeve pockets for the issue pocket knife. The knees and seat are reinforced with extra cloth on the exterior.

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