Swedish M/39-58 uniform - Vapenrock M/39-58

Above: M/39-58 uniform with two brass collar badges  - two crossed riffles equals infantry. 

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The Swedish M/39 uniform is one of the most affordable WWII uniforms on the world market at the moment. They were produced in large quantities for the Swedish armed forces during the Second World War. Sweden mobilised when WWII broke out, but managed to remain neutral for the entire war. Most of the soldiers were actually stationed in the north and east, to guard against the red army, and fewer were stationed on the west coast, close to the occupied Denmark. Nazi Germany was seen as the "lesser" threat of the two. 

Post war the Swedish army underwent some changes like the rest of the western armies. In 1959 the first "webbing" was introduced (stridssele M/59), and a new and improved cotton uniform was introduced in 1959 as well. But the old wool uniforms remained in mobilisation stocks for many years to come. They even made some new M/58 wool uniforms, that I will show in another blog post. 

The remaining M/39 were re-tailored to resemble the new uniform. 

The shoulder boards were removed, and two new pockets were added to the back of the uniform.

A piece of cotton were added under the arms, and the uniform jacket was sewn shut in the back.    

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 Above: The uniform is very German in design, and is often used as a cheap alternative to the more expensive re-productions or original uniforms with re-enactors. 

Above: The original tailors note. It says among many things that it is a size 102K and the customer is the "army". 

Above: A closer look at the brass collar badge. 

Above: This particular jacket is made in 1942.

 Above: Notice the different shade of grey on the two new back pockets.
It is a dead give-away that they are added later. The buttons are made of aluminium.

 Above: The added piece of cotton underneath the arms.

Above: What there is left of the shoulder-boards.