History

Winter Over-Trousers were introduced in 1942 as a result of the extremely cold conditions during the previous winter in Russia. They were worn over the field service uniform. Since they were reversible, all the features like pockets and buttons can be found on both sides. One side is white, the other side is mouse-grey.

The buttons were made of black plastic for both sides. The trousers have built-in suspenders. There are two pockets with buttoned down flaps, and four buttons down the fly front. An adjustable waist band could be tightened by two tapes in the back. There are tapes at the bottom of the legs as well.

These trousers were also produced in the green “splinter” camouflage pattern and the tropical tan-coloured camouflage pattern.

They were so popular in the winter that they were worn mostly every day, which led to them becoming too dirty to be effectively used as camouflage in the snow anymore, and they were so thick that they wouldn’t easily dry after washing. For this reason, several one-piece or two-piece white pieces of clothing had to be worn over this new winter uniform.