Short answer: Belgian soldiers’ clothing in WWII
This site covers military dress, so this question is answered as: what did Belgian soldiers wear in the Second World War? In 1940, the Belgian Army wore khaki-toned wool service dress and greatcoats, steel helmets, and national cockades in black, yellow and red. Everyday civilian clothing in Belgium is outside the scope of this guide.
Service dress in 1940
Belgian soldiers wore wool tunics and trousers for field and garrison duty, with a heavy greatcoat for winter. Footwear was leather, and belts were brown. Specific patterns, colour shades and insignia varied between suppliers and units, so check any piece against a dated reference. For more on the 1940 army, see Belgian WWII uniforms.
Helmets and headgear
Steel helmets were the standard protection, and several patterns were in use. Caps and forage caps were worn in camp and off duty. A helmet in a French-style shape does not prove Belgian issue on its own.
Cockades and markings
The national cockade in black, yellow and red is the clearest Belgian marker on a cap or helmet. Reproductions often get the colours right but not the construction.
Identifying Belgian clothing from the period
- Check the date. Uniforms from 1914 and 1940 look different. The context in why Belgium did not let Germany through explains the two invasions.
- Look at the cockade and markings before assuming Belgian origin.
- Compare cloth and fittings with dated references, and do not rely on a single photograph.