Officer
Full set of British wind proofs, TAP/EO M1 helmet, footwear is the French M50 jump boots, gear include the TAP M50 belt, M50 pistol holster and suspenders with US M1 carbine pouch, TTA M51 water bottle, US WW map case. He has the TAP50 musette with entrenching tool, M51 binoculars, weapons are the M1A1 carbine, Colt 45 in its TAP M50 holster, US M3 fighting knife and one OF37 in a leather grenade pouchand DF grenade on his belt.
Radio Man
Full set of British windproof uniform but this time modified with the addition of a full zip, he is sporting the 6th BPC latest headgear, “Casquette Bigeard” and TAP/EO M1 helmet, footwear is the French M50 jump boots, gear include the TAP M50 belt and suspenders with US M1A1 carbine pouches, TTA M51 water bottle.A PRC10 radio is slung in his Bergam on witch is attached a M35 tent.
His weapons are the M1A1 carbine, US M3 fighting knife and OF and DF M37 grenades.
NCO
Again full set of British windproofs , US M1A1 helmet, footwear is the French Pataugass jungle boots, gear include the US M36 belt and TAP50 suspenders
with TAP50 MAT 49 pouches, US M1910 water bottle.
He has French M35 half tent and a M35 quart tucked away under the flap
of his TAP50 musette.
Weapons are MAT 49, US M3 fighting knife
and one French OD37 in a leather grenade pouch.
Bigeard Cap:
The Bigeard cap was adopted by the 6th BPC after the Raid on Lang Son (July 1953).
The new cap took the form of the WWII Japanese cap but with a two part triangular neck cover instead of the rectangular one.
This helped into the folding of it inside the cap if not needed. Several models do exist with slightly different constructions, different stitching on the visor, different construction neck covers and caps were lined or unlined.
The Indochina ones were made out of British Windproof but a few examples also exist in the US HBT cammo material.
The same cap saw service during the Algerian war in windproof material as well as in French TAP Lizard material.
The Bigeard hat has been the traditional headgear of French Para since the 60’s.
Re-enactors notes: genuine Indochina war time Bigeard hats are extremely rare and do go for a lot of money
if they can be identified as genuine war time ones.
The ones that you do see occasionally for sale are either Algerian war or post war manufacturers with genuine material which were made when the British Windproof was affordable in the 80’s-90’s.
I believe also that some of been made out of reproduction material to be sold to re-enactors,
they can be easily identifiable as the material feel more silky to the touch.
Helmets:
The Para helmets were either the WWII US M1c or the US M1 with a modified liner which had received the TAP/EO Airborne Indochina modification. The camo net was the US WWII M43 net with its foliage band. On the photo above, the band holds a US WWII Carlisle dressing which was much preferred due to water resistance. The white cord looped around the foliage band is a piece of parachute suspension cord which was used to secure the helmet to the webbing during parachute jumps.
In fact the TAP/EO modification were not that strong and sometimes broke during parachute jumps resulting with the loss of the helmet. With the cord, the helmet would stay suspended to the webbing to be retrieved once on the ground.
Re-enactors notes: genuine war time TAP/EO converted helmets are extremely rare and command very high prices. Conversion kits and converted post war M1 helmets are available from specialised dealers.
Genuine nets are a little more difficult to obtain but repro are available. Genuine bandages are very common.
The jacket and trousers:
WWII period British Army issue windproof came in a two-piece suit: smock and trousers, the Windproof Camouflaged Smock was intended to be worn as an oversuit over the Battledress. The pattern of printed camouflage was unique to this form of dress and it became popular with the Special Air Service and various commando units.
It is sometime referred as SAS smock by collectors. This was know to the French army as “peau de saucisson” “sausage skin” due to it’s feel. They were used as issued or received modifications: the top sometime received an half or full zip or an opening with buttons, the hood were sometime removed and made into a collar, the trousers were remodeled with a Zip or button fly and pockets were some time added.
Re-enactors notes: Genuine British War time Windproofs are commanding high price now,
luckily fairly good reproductions have been available for re-enactors and even collectors.
As far as I am aware, there is 3 manufacturers of them,
Panzerfaust, What Price Glory and Silverman, the last one been a poor replica due to the wrong colour print and heavy material used.
Boots:
“BONUSAGE” brand genuine 50’s issue Pataugass
French military jungle boots “Pataugas” officially started to appear in small numbers around 1948, prior and post that time, soldiers had to rely on civilian or locally made ones. They were light and quick drying and paras often wore them instead of their leather jump boots. The “Pataugas” is also another characteristic item worn by many soldiers in Indochina from 1950 onwards. The first one issued were from the famous “Bata” brand, but the manufacturing was soon sub contracted to many other manufacturers to fulfill the demand
Re-enactors notes: The same pattern was produced and used by the French army well into the 1980s so later models are not that difficult to obtain. Modern copies are made by Miltec and by French Surplus store “La Tranchee Militaire), Miltec one include their name and LTM “Operation Castor” on the black rubber ankle re-enforcement making them easy identifiable as copies. Beware, the French army had some post war Pataugas made with a green rubber sole and others with a buckle gaiter section added (similar to the Rangers). These are no good for Indochina or Algeria.
TAP Jump boots:
Genuine M50/53 jump boots on the left and Italian copies on the right (shiny smooth dark brown leather)
Re-enactors notes: these French M50/53 jump boots are very rare and expensive to purchase. For a long time it has been acceptable for re-enactors to wear the Italian para boots which, from the front, resemble the French model. The sole and the rear of the boots are slightly different as well as the leather used.
What Price Glory are making very good reproduction boots to order. The only difference is they use a Vibram sole.
Equipment:
The 6th BPC during Castor and DBP was mainly equipped with the new TAP 50 and 50/53 French made equipment
with still a few previously issued WWII US gear.
The photos above showing you the Officer set up,
TAP 50/53 suspenders with Carlisle bandage, a TAP 50 belt, WWII US M1 carbine pouch, TTA M51 water bottle, TAP 50 holster with Colt 45 or MAC 50, WWII Airborne compass pouch and OF and DF M35 French grenades.
Our radio man carry virtually the same set up, minus the compass and the pistol holster ( which was standard issued to radio men). He opted to take instead a entrenching tool much more handy for close combat. Under his “peau de saucisson” he his wearing a sleeveless white sport shirt, this were favored to the army issue under vest.
Our NCO has a mixture of French and WWII US equipment with M36 US pistol belt and M1910 water bottle but TAP 50 suspenders, TAP MAT 49 ammo pouches, the US M3 fighting knife and DF M35 grenade in a leather pouch.
Re-enactors notes: The M50 belt is the one to get, but is rare.
From the late 50’s some M50 belts were manufactured in Europe or locally for “Regimental foyer” which can be recognised by the flat metal belt loop instead of the rounded type used on the original Army issue belt. They are a lot less desirable.
Buyers must be aware that fake M50 belts have been made from the French M50/53 belt webbing with 50’s British web belt buckle and the flat belt loop.
The M36 US WWII web belt would still have been common with the 6th BPC.
The rest of the equipment can be easily obtained via the internet, except for the TAP musette which is rarer.
A genuine M3 knives are expensive, but good repros do exist.
The NCO and Officer carry the TAP 50 musette/haversack. This one has a French M35 light khaki half tent rolled
under the flap and you can just about see a M35 quart tied down to one of the strap.
Special notes “Information obtained from Philippe Fabre whose father served with the I/II RCP at Dien Bien Phu.
French Para always traveled light and would usually carry in their “musette”, a jumper, a spare pair of socks and underpants, half a shelter tent, a ration and a couple of emergency rations (to open only under order) and loads of ammo.
No mast or pegs for their half tent. For water a single water bottle with some purification tablets.
Philippe’s father was a radio repair man and carried a lot of radio spare for the Battalion in a Bergen rucksack, on the first combat operation he did, he took a MAT49 and a couple mag pouches (10 mags) plus loose ammo, as this was too heavy on his second one he took a 45 and found out that this was a little light, then he settle down for an M1A1 carbine, 3 mags and loose ammo in bulk. He said that on operations, they was a shortage of everything except ammunition.
To the unusual comment I made that in most photos I have seen, the French paras on operation in Indochina
always appear to be well shaven despite having only one water canteen,
he said that they shaved every morning because drinking water was not required for a shave and he added that
Bigeard said “At the 6th, we die well shaven because it is not pleasant to shave a corpse”
The Radio man opted for the French TTA Bergen, to carry his extra load.
M35 tents
Both French model 1935 and 1951 tents were issued in Indochina.
The Para mainly used the M35 or some US WWII 2 men tent “Tent Shelter Half) when available as the cotton was more waterproof that the French ones. Both French models had a slit with buttons to be used as a poncho.
The French Paras did not carry the poles and pegs with them and used branches or bamboo
to set them up when ever needed.
The M35 is designed once assembled to sleep 6 soldiers, with four sections for the two sides
and one each for front and back, each individual section of the tent is 1.6m . These of course were often used as pairs to sleep two men.
Re-enactors notes: In 1956 (post Indochina), a new tent was introduced, the M56 (1956)
which was a copy of the US Tent (Tent Shelter Half) to sleep two men.
Weapons
US M1A1 carbine (folding stock) were issued to Officers and many radio men also carry them.
Standard M1 carbines were sometime seen in Airborne battalion, M1 and M1A1 with or without bayonet lug were used. The M1A1 carbine was well liked by the Para for it compactness and lightness, more ammunitions could also be carried, but the 30 Carbine caliber, with its 1990 fps muzzle velocity lacked a little in punch and penetration specially in jungle environment.
The MAT 49, iconic weapons of the French army started to appear in Indochina during 1950.
The 9mm MAT 49 SMG was an excellent weapon for close combat with a 32 round mag which folds under for transport.
In the photo above is also a US WWII entrenching tool and a Colt 45 in a Vietnamese made holster, the other photo is of the TAP pistol holster, this is the rare model M1950, the 1953 model will receive re-enforcement rivets.
Standard US M3 fighting knife, the most common type of fighting knife found in the French Para units in Indochina.
Re-enactors notes: A genuine M3 knives is expensive, but good repros do exist.
US MKII pineapple grenade, French OF37 and DF37 grenades and
a couple of the French leather grenade pouches used in Indochina.
Re-enactors notes: MAT 49 and OF/DF37 are rare and difficult to obtain here in the UK.
Map Case:
Standard WWII US Army map case with genuine Indochina maps.
Re-enactors notes: maps are a little more difficult to obtain than a genuine issue map case,
which are to be preferred to repro ones.
Locally-made as well as German and British map cases were also used.
Binoculars:
French issue 8×30 M51.
Those used in the photo shoot were 1944 Canadian ones.
WWII British, US and German ones were also used in Indochina
***
Please note the equipment and uniforms described here are time specific for the 6th BPC.
For instance,
some of their uniforms and equipment would have been different
during the fighting at Tu Le in 1952.
***
Here is the list of our requirements for that specific photo shoot.
Helmet US M1C or M1 modified TAP
US 1944 pattern camo net with or without band
Bigeard cap
WWII British Windproof uniform
French M50 – M50/53 jump boots (Italian para boots) or Pataugas (jungle boots)
Equipment
M50 TAP or M36 US belt
TAP M50 or M53 suspenders
French M47 or US WWII M1910 water bottle
MAT 49 and TAP ammo pouches,
or
M1A1 carbine with US M1 twin cell pouch, or French M50, or M50/53 riffle ammo pouch.
TAP M50 Para musette bag
TTA French Bergam rucksack
US WWII entrenching tool
WWII parachute silk scarf , camo or white (NOT RIPSTOP)
French or US WWII Carlisle field dressing (in metal can)
M3 fighting knife
OF and DF French grenade, or US Pineapple grenade
TAP50 holster, or US or M48 French leather holster
French or US M32 medic pouch
PRC10, SRC536, BC-1000 radio
M51 French binoculars or WWII US, British or German
FM24/29 with TAP 50/53 ammo pouch
M35 light khaki rectangular half shelter tent
***
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Điện Biên Phủ
These following leaflets have been translated in English by myself to illustrate the fate of French prisoner in Indochina. |
Dien Bien Phu prisoners
Photo from Google search, taken by Russian photographer
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Viet Minh prison camps in Indochina were
equal if not worse than the German or Soviet prison camps during World War II.
One in four Dien Bien Phu prisoners will not return alive from their four months in captivity.
The Viet Minh captured 11,721 men. The badly-wounded were looked after by the
Red Cross. The remaining 10,863 were taken as prisoners. Only 3,290 of them were repatriated.
Also, there is no record as to what happened to the Indochinese who helped and fought with the French during the battle.
***
Some more data from an article from French Maj Turellier
who spent 5 years 6 months as a prisoner of the Viet Minh
A total of around 36,979 prisoners were taken by the Viet Minh during the war.
10, 754 were released and 26,225 died in camps or on the roads, which amounts to 71% of deaths .
The DBP prisoners mortality rate was, on average, 72% in four months.
The Viet Minh prisoner camps numbers 42 and 113 were the most deadly. They were simply
extermination camps, a grim reminder of the WWII German camps.
At camp number 42, out of 400 Dien Bien Phu prisoners, only 73
came out after four months. That equates to 82% of deaths.
Article/Study in French byMaj Turellier – pdf download link below
http://www.atdm34.net/images/stories/souvenirs/Maj_Turelier.pd
The information published is to my/our best knowledge and may be altered if new information is uncovered.
Article written by JLD from Rolling Thunder, The Vietnam Experience, Nov 2016
All photos are from our collection unless stated and nothing should be re-use without our prior consent!
Please contact us first.