Germany, Heer. A Pair of Tropical Enlisted Personnel Wehrmacht Service Trousers

(Wehrmacht Heer Tropenhose). This is a pair of tropical Wehrmacht (Heer) service trousers as worn by enlisted personnel in the entire Mediterranean theater of war, including Africa and Southern Italy. They are constructed of tan-coloured cotton, with one diagonal-slit pocket per side in the front, that is secured shut via a single button sewn to the underside of the pocket. There is a small horizontal slit pocket to the side of the right pocket that is secured shut via a triangular flap and a single button, with an additional pocket on on the right side of the reverse that is secured shut via a similar triangular flap and button. The front is secured shut via five vertically mounted nonmagnetic buttons that meet an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the opposing side. Towards the rear of the waistband are a pair of straps with a matching button on the ends, for the suspension of optional suspenders. Both sides feature an integrated belt with a silver-coloured magnetic buckle that is marked “Solide” on the reverse. These trousers are unlined, for the exception of the waistband, crotch, and the interior of the pockets, which are lined with off-white cotton, marked “102, 76, 53” with a black inked stamp on the right side of the interior seam. The cuffs of the pant legs have a 14 cm long vertical slit with reinforced buttonholes and a 48 cm long dual bootstrap sewn to the ends. This pair measures approximately 40 cm across (seam to seam), with an inseam of 79 cm, and an overall length of 106 cm. An extremely well preserved, possibly unworn example, in near mint condition.