Belgian military 1980's

Hello all, I am trying to find some info on Belgian military from the 80s. I'm mostly after pictures or videos if you have them. I know most about the webbing but have a few questions, when did they introduce the ammo pouches with the clips like on US ALICE pouches instead of the twist closures? Also when did they switch from the long handle shovel to the tri folding American style shovel? The Dutch switched in 78-79 and the West Germans in the early 80s so I assume it was around the same time but if you know the exact year that would be helpful. I plan to do a 1983 impression so I need to know if I should look for the tri folding or the regular type. Also on the uniforms do you know anything about them? I know about the jacket but the normal uniform is what I cant find info on. Also on the jackets the type with flags and the hood that you can zip into the collar like on the American M65 is from the late 80s correct, I have only seen them dated from 1988 up. Before that it was no flags and the hood was out all the time correct? Thank you for any help.

These are all of the types of shirts I have seen and all of them are Belgian, can anyone tell me what each type is and when it was used?




The last two look to be the same except one has the flag and the other doesn't. I imagine the one with the flag is also late 80s to go with the new jacket. Another thing, I have seen the US OG-507 uniform claimed as Belgian, at first I just thought it was a mistake of the seller but I have seen it a few times now and if one video it looked like they were using them and another seller said they came from Belgian army stocks, so did Belgian army use the OG-507 uniform too?

I have also see a lot of different pants





Anyways that's all for now, sorry for so many questions. Thanks.

fallout wrote:Hello all, I am trying to find some info on Belgian military from the 80s. I'm mostly after pictures or videos if you have them. I know most about the webbing but have a few questions, when did they introduce the ammo pouches with the clips like on US ALICE pouches instead of the twist closures? Also when did they switch from the long handle shovel to the tri folding American style shovel? The Dutch switched in 78-79 and the West Germans in the early 80s so I assume it was around the same time but if you know the exact year that would be helpful. I plan to do a 1983 impression so I need to know if I should look for the tri folding or the regular type. Also on the uniforms do you know anything about them? I know about the jacket but the normal uniform is what I cant find info on. Also on the jackets the type with flags and the hood that you can zip into the collar like on the American M65 is from the late 80s correct, I have only seen them dated from 1988 up. Before that it was no flags and the hood was out all the time correct? Thank you for any help.  

My ABL tri-fold shovel is dated 1979, so it had to be at least that early.

As for the plastic QR clips, I am not sure. I have never seen them on M1971 FAL pouches, so possibly they did not appear until after the new 5.56 rifle was introduced?

I have few 1983 dated ABL photos in my collection. As You can see, soldiers used the tri-fold shovel.

The field uniform in this time consisted from (IMHO):
- summer weight shirt

- summer weight trousers (like on this foto - with dressing pocket on right front and one left side cargo pocket)

- field jacket (wiht permanently attached hood)

winter(?) weight/foul weather trousers (like on you last two picks)

Thank you very much stotski! Nice photos, do you have any more?

No problem.
Sure I have . But mostly these photos by the late 80-early 90
https://picasaweb.google.com/110115648178681635516/292015?authuser=0&feat=directlink

PS: I upload the photos unsorted. Please, feel free to contact me, if you have any questions

Wolverine wrote:

fallout wrote:Hello all, I am trying to find some info on Belgian military from the 80s. I'm mostly after pictures or videos if you have them. I know most about the webbing but have a few questions, when did they introduce the ammo pouches with the clips like on US ALICE pouches instead of the twist closures? Also when did they switch from the long handle shovel to the tri folding American style shovel? The Dutch switched in 78-79 and the West Germans in the early 80s so I assume it was around the same time but if you know the exact year that would be helpful. I plan to do a 1983 impression so I need to know if I should look for the tri folding or the regular type. Also on the uniforms do you know anything about them? I know about the jacket but the normal uniform is what I cant find info on. Also on the jackets the type with flags and the hood that you can zip into the collar like on the American M65 is from the late 80s correct, I have only seen them dated from 1988 up. Before that it was no flags and the hood was out all the time correct? Thank you for any help.  

My ABL tri-fold shovel is dated 1979, so it had to be at least that early.

As for the plastic QR clips, I am not sure. I have never seen them on M1971 FAL pouches, so possibly they did not appear until after the new 5.56 rifle was introduced?

I would have to agree. The earliest pictures I have seen of the QR clips is in Bosnia in the early 90s. Does anyone know why the short twist closure pouches are so hard to find?

Stotski wrote:No problem.
Sure I have . But mostly these photos by the late 80-early 90
https://picasaweb.google.com/110115648178681635516/292015?authuser=0&feat=directlink

PS: I upload the photos unsorted. Please, feel free to contact me, if you have any questions

The link isn't working. Maybe a bad path.

abefroman wrote:

Wolverine wrote:

fallout wrote:Hello all, I am trying to find some info on Belgian military from the 80s. I'm mostly after pictures or videos if you have them. I know most about the webbing but have a few questions, when did they introduce the ammo pouches with the clips like on US ALICE pouches instead of the twist closures? Also when did they switch from the long handle shovel to the tri folding American style shovel? The Dutch switched in 78-79 and the West Germans in the early 80s so I assume it was around the same time but if you know the exact year that would be helpful. I plan to do a 1983 impression so I need to know if I should look for the tri folding or the regular type. Also on the uniforms do you know anything about them? I know about the jacket but the normal uniform is what I cant find info on. Also on the jackets the type with flags and the hood that you can zip into the collar like on the American M65 is from the late 80s correct, I have only seen them dated from 1988 up. Before that it was no flags and the hood was out all the time correct? Thank you for any help.  

My ABL tri-fold shovel is dated 1979, so it had to be at least that early.

As for the plastic QR clips, I am not sure. I have never seen them on M1971 FAL pouches, so possibly they did not appear until after the new 5.56 rifle was introduced?

I would have to agree. The earliest pictures I have seen of the QR clips is in Bosnia in the early 90s.  Does anyone know why the short twist closure pouches are so hard to find?

I don't know the answer, but I had a devil of a time finding the FAL pouches with twist closures in Belgium even. The SMG pouches were rather more common, and I never did find any 5.56 mm pouches with twist closures, only with QR...

The link isn't working. Maybe a bad path.

another one
https://picasaweb.google.com/110115648178681635516/ABL?authuser=0&feat=directlink

That one works for me - great photos!

Love the British influences in uniforms and kit and had no idea they used the Lee Enfield no4? Superb pics.

I was in the base museum at Camp Elsenborn a couple of summers ago and saw some great displays of ABL weapons and kit going back to the 1930s. The Lee Enfield was well represented in the 1940s and 50s.

Gulf91 wrote:Love the British influences in uniforms and kit and had no idea they used the Lee Enfield no4? Superb pics.

fallout wrote:I have also see a lot of different pants





Anyways that's all for now, sorry for so many questions. Thanks.  

Hello Luke,if any use to you,have a 1973 dated pair of trs,same as in the last 2 pics.

Thanks