6e
BCCP, "QuangTri, Annam,
late 1949
Rolling
Thunder French Indochina war
studies for re-enactors
The
Indochina Living
History small section of Rolling
Thunder have done another photo
shoot
at Military Odyssey 2018 with members of
"the Fighting
French" and
Photographer Phil Royal from
"Depth of Field"
to write an uniform study
on the 6th BCCP, this time
towards the end of 1949.
The
French paratroopers in Indochina
were the post-WWII elite forces
of the French army. They were
used as firemen for the
Indochinese theatre and wherever
a situation needed sorting out, they
were engaged.
As Elite troops,
their uniform was always quite
distinctive from the other
French troops and evolved
quickly
during the war.
|
6e
Bataillons
Colonial
de Commandos
Parachutistes
6e
BCCP was
created July 1948 in
Quimper Brittany,
arrived in
Indochina in
Saigon in
July 1949.
They fought
in Annam
South
Vietnam
until middle
of
1950.
After the disaster
of the RC4
and Cao
Bang, the battalion
was transferred
to the
Hanoi,
Tonkin,
North
Vietnam
where it
will fight
until July
1951when it
will return
to
France.
Setting
the scene
The
6th BCCP is
conducting
clearing
operation around
Quang Tri in
Annam late 1949.
(South Vietnam)
Original
photo of the 6th BCCP arround
Quang Tri in
late 1949 which inspired our
photoshoot.
To be noted the
use of M40 and
MAS 36, US Army
demo bag.
 ---------
The
6th was using US
Camo berets made
of recycled
uniforms as well
as the MAS36.
The
mixture of
British
Windproof
trousers with US
Camo HBT jacket
will be a characteristic
feature
of the French
Para during the
period of 1949
-1954
|
|
6th
BCCP
.
"Bataillon
Colonial Commando
parachutistes"
circa 1949/50
this battalion will
become later on
the 6th
BCP
and one of the
most famous Para
battalions in
the French army
having been
commanded by
Bigeard in
Indochina and
Algeria and
having fought at
Dien Bien Phu.
The
photo shoot was
a combine
operation between
members of
Rolling Thunder
and The Fighting
French at
Military Odyssey
2018 and
our official
photographer was
Phil Royal from
"Depth of
Field"
(photo aged by
myself).
|
***
Uniform
& Equipment description
You
will find in those re-enacted
photos a mixture of US WWII
uniforms and equipments
FM
24/29 Gunner
Our
"Tireur au FM"
is wearing an US ARMY M43 camo
HBT jacket with the standard
green M43 HBT trousers.
The Beret is in country made out
of recycled uniforms and was the
standard headgear for the 6th
BCCP at the time. He is wearing
the M45 French army ankle boots.
Webbing
consisted of a US M1936 belt,
with two theater made grenade
pouch as well as a EO holster
for is hand gun, a M1910
canteen/cover, a Baguette M35
(FM cleaning rod), a British M37
ammo pouch for the rest of the
FM cleaning kit as well as M37
small pack with a US folding
shovel and M35 French quarter
shelter ticked in. You can
also see a length of parachute
silk used to wrap yourself at
night to keep warm a lot lighter
that a blanket. In
addition he carry some of the
French FM ammo bag
Weapons
are FM24/29, MAB hand gun and
two DF-37 grenades
His
assistant gunner/ "pourvoyeur"
has
decided to wear a French bush
hat
which offered better protection against
rain and sun.
He is wearing the US army M43
camo HBT jacket and
trousers.
His webbing and equipment is all
British M37 pattern
apart from the M44 pattern water
bottle/cover. You can also see a
French M35 quarter shelter.
You
will notice that he armed with a
MAS36, rarely used by the French
para,
but used by the 6th BCCP circa
1949-50
3rd
man is a "Sergent
Chef" senior NCO, wearing
all US Army M43 green HBT
uniform, British gaiters on his
French ankle boots, British ammo
pouches on a US M36 pistol
belt, with theater made
grenade pouch and a US M3
fighting knife. His weapon is
the German MP40, again used by
the 6th BCCP during that period
The
last man of our group is
probably an officer looking at
the binoculars, wrist compass on
his sleeve and the British
Airborne map case. He is wearing
the M43 US army camo HBT uniform
with theater made camo beret.
His foot wear are the US M43 combat/buckle
boots. A US M1910 canteen and
cover attached to the buckles of
an inverted British M37 belt, a
couple of theater made grenade
pouches as well as an EO holster
with a Colt 45 and a M3 knife
complete his webbing.
Interesting to note that during
that period webbing suspenders
were rarely seen on the photos
taken.
Our man is also equipped with a
US demo bag probably used to
carry his personal gear,
a M1 carbine and a SCR-536
radio.
***
US
Army M43 camo HBT uniform mostly
worn by the 6th in 1949/50
|
.JPG)
|
|
 This
The camo beret
worn at that time were
locally made from new
retailored or used
uniform.
This beret is a 4 piece
construction type which
is a little less common
than the 3 piece type,
the head band is
made of vinyl but head
band made of the same
material were also
common.head band
is made of vynyl
|
 |
Us
Army
Please
note the equipment and uniforms
described here are time specific for
the 6th BCCP
***
|
