Drillichanzug

The Drillichanzug (fatigue uniform), or "Drillich", was designed to be worn for work details to protect and prolong the useful life of the wool field uniform. The Drillich could be worn over the field uniform, or buy itself, and was sometime worn outside of combat areas in lieu of the field uniform in hot weather. Tunics and trousers were constructed of Leinen-Drillich (Herringbone) cotton twill and were unlined. At different times they would have been issued in natural-undyed or light grey. The color tended to fade fast.

Pictures of an original Drillich jacket and trousers

There were two versions of the jacket, a Drillichrock for NCO's and a Drillichjacke for enlisted men. The Drillichjacke was simple in design, a short standing, or "Mandarin", collar and unlined with a single internal breast pocket. It was shorter than the field jacket with no rear skirt and no belt ramps. It was buttoned with six exposed zinc, or later, horn buttons. The use of the Halsbinde (neck stock) continued, but instead of the grey version used with the field uniform, Drillich versions were in black - although some double-sided black-grey Halsbinde exist.

Original pictures of a group of soldier in Drillich uniforms

Drillichhose (trousers) were nearly identical in construction to the field uniform trousers, except they lacked the side piping and lining. The buttons were typically all zinc.

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