King & Country Dispatches -- November 2025 (1 Viewer)

[Obee]

......you thinking Sgt Harper and maybe the odd Spanish partisan John?

Sure, but also maybe some more French Infantry, but in campaign clothing NOT parade uniform.

John

 

[Francis]

Good heavens! Why isn't Rommel wearing his legendary black leather coat instead of the same old uniform we've seen a million times? It was the perfect opportunity! And in both versions!
What an oversight! What a frustration...
Nevertheless, I will manage to buy both versions, despite this lapse in taste!

 

[OzDigger]

Good heavens! Why isn't Rommel wearing his legendary black leather coat instead of the same old uniform we've seen a million times? It was the perfect opportunity! And in both versions!
What an oversight! What a frustration...
Nevertheless, I will manage to buy both versions, despite this lapse in taste!

You may be confused with the James Mason version, Rommel never wore a Black leather coat, that's more an SS colour.

 

[Francis]

You may be confused with the James Mason version, Rommel never wore a Black leather coat, that's more an SS colour.

 

[Francis]

Je n'ai aucune confusion... même si vos remarques concernant les SS et la version de James Mason sont tout à fait pertinentes et vraies...
Rommel aimait porter du cuir ; cela lui conférait une distinction singulière...

 

[OzDigger]

Je n'ai aucune confusion... même si vos remarques concernant les SS et la version de James Mason sont tout à fait pertinentes et vraies...
Rommel aimait porter du cuir ; cela lui conférait une distinction singulière..."I have no confusion... even though your remarks concerning the SS and James Mason's version are entirely relevant and true... Rommel liked to wear leather; it gave him a singular distinction."

Rommel, when not dressed in Woolen uniforms certainly wore leather coats, usually coloured Dark Brown, sometimes Grey or lighter colours, but never Black, the legendary/mythical Black leather coat only occured in 'Rommel' movies. Your photos are good examples, if you check the shade of his coat against his Black leather boots you will note the difference.

 

[jazzeum]

I don’t think movies are the best judge of accuracy although I note that Rommel did wear a leather coat at the beginning of The Longest Day.

 

[Francis]

Après quelques recherches dans ma bibliothèque, j'ai trouvé un livre présentant l'AK à travers des photos couleur haute définition sur papier glacé. J'en ai trouvé une montrant Rommel en manteau de cuir, et malgré le contraste qui rend la couleur difficile à identifier, je dirais qu'il s'agit plutôt d'un brun foncé que de noir. Bon, on n'est pas sûrs, mais cela suggère une inexactitude historique, par exemple dans le film avec James Mason. C'est aussi le problème de la grande majorité des photos en noir et blanc : le brun foncé et le noir ne sont pas faciles à distinguer. Quoi qu'il en soit, le débat est intéressant. Il n'en reste pas moins que K&C n'a pas habillé Rommel d'un beau manteau de cuir en normandie…

 

[OzDigger]

After some searching in my library, I pulled out a book featuring the AK through high-definition color photos on glossy paper. I found one showing Rommel in a leather coat, and despite the contrast making the coat's color difficult to identify, I'd say it's more of a dark brown than black. Okay, we're in the dark here, but it points to a historical inaccuracy, for example, in the film with James Mason. This is also the problem with the vast majority of black and white photos. Dark brown and black aren't easily distinguishable. In any case, the debate is interesting. The fact remains that K&C didn't dress Rommel in a nice leather Normandy version...

We can agree on that

 

[Barkmann]

I am going to order the Normandy version, i think the uniform he is in fits in with the Normandy 1944 Rommel era, there are pictures of him wearing the coat, have 4 Rommel figures, one for Normandy, like the new set up, the car and the staff officer, which i think looks like a better figure than Rommel, as not sure on the Rommel likeness, but that maybe my eyesight and that figure can be used in some of other setting, for Russia, France 1940 etc. Wonder if the next Rommel and car set could be the aftermath of the straffing by the Spitfire, which, ironically, was piloted by a Canadian named Charley Fox. I know there is some discussion of exactly whom it was, but he seems to have been accepted as the very likely pilot who did it.

 

[Panzer ace]

The Christmas Pandas are excellent!