BACKGROUND: In the early summer of 1939 the Canadian army was still outfitted with the British influenced, WWI-era, M1902 style, khaki serge service uniforms. In the mid-summer of 1939 the British Army’s War Office sent samples of their new M1937 pattern battledress uniform, consisting of a tunic and pants, to Canada for evaluation. During July and August of that year the Canadian army tested these uniforms, found them acceptable, and officially adopted them on August 24th, 1939, with Canadian production beginning in early September. The Canadian battledress was virtually identical to its British counterpart, but was manufactured in a slightly higher quality wool, and was a subtly darker, greenish-brown shade. It would be the standard issue Canadian uniform utilized by all ranks for the duration of the war. Of Note: Although the British battledress uniforms underwent numerous minor changes, the Canadian version remained quite consistent, with its only modification, in 1943, being to the neck closure.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Standard issue, olive drab wool battle dress trousers with a four button front fly closure, with an additional button at the waist, vertical slash side seam pockets, a large patch pocket to the left forward thigh with a scalloped flap and hidden button closure, a smaller patch pocket to the right forward thigh with an open top and a button closure partially obscured by its single pleat, and a horizontal slash pocket with a scalloped flap and hidden button closure to the rear right. Four vertical straps are sewn along the waistband, each terminating in button closures to their tops. Similar buttons are between each of these straps, as well as having six mis-matched metal dish buttons to the interior of the waistband. The interior waist band are stamped with a "C" broad arrow, size, measurements, manufacture name and date of 1945. Nice pressed seam.