WW2 Haircuts

Discussion in 'General' started by von Poop, Aug 3, 2011.

  1. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Reminded by that slightly odd thread of a mate who once went into a Polish Barbers with a page from a German soldier's Handbook on how to get a 'correct' Military haircut, and came out with something that oddly suited him... and Owen's suggestion that we have a separate haircuts thread.

    Here it is.

    Let's get this picture over with first:
    [​IMG]
    That's that done...

    I remember some mention of Spielberg insisting the Germans in Band of Brothers (or maybe Shaving Ryan's Privates?) had shaved heads rather than a more authentic style as it made them look more brutal, but you really don't see many pictures of shaven headed German troops at all.
    Getting a WWII German Haircut / der Erste Zug

    Some pictures from the IWM:
    [​IMG]
    British and American troops queue to have their haircut in Cully, 9 July 1944.

    [​IMG]
    A soldier with the 1st Norfolk Regiment, 185th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division, has a haircut in the line south of Venray, 16 October 1944.

    [​IMG]
    Pte J Muir of 51st Highland Division has a haircut, 5 September 1944.

    [​IMG]
    Pilots line up for a haircut while waiting on standby near the No. 122 Wing Operations Room at B7/Martragny, Normandy. In the chair is Flying Officer J M W Lloyd of No. 65 Squadron RAF: the barber is Leading Aircraftman William Heasman from Brighton.

    [​IMG]
    A pilot at Fairlop airfield in Essex has a haircut during a break between sweeps. A Supermarine Spitfire is in the background.

    [​IMG]
    The Medical Officer of No 417 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant H J F Joncas, having a haircut while seated on a five-gallon can

    Nice image:
    http://www.mywarhistory.com/uploads/myWarPictures/177-Belts_giving_haircut_to_Parker.jpg
    from: MyWarHistory.com - Thomas L. Buettner - Service Hero Page - Private First Class

    Finding it tricky to find 'official' info on military haircuts via Google - lots of reenactor snippets, but not much from manuals/regulations, Axis or Allied.
     
    Slipdigit likes this.
  2. Rav4

    Rav4 Senior Member

    I don't see a picture of a Gurkha cutting hair with his Kukri:)
     
  3. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    "Haircuts? We don't need no haircuts!"

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    My late father served his apprenticeship as a hairdresser before going into Engineering when the war started.

    I believe that he exercised his skills a few times whilst serving in Italy and Greece.

    I can just see him now providing short back and sides, just the same as he inflicted on me as a young boy!

    Regards
    Tom
     
  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Army haircuts ?

    Every unit, without exception, had someone who would perform the necessary for a very small fee.

    It usually produced something that in civilian life was referred to as a "Tuppeny All-Off" :)

    Ron
     
  6. Nicola_G

    Nicola_G Senior Member

    I've been trying to find info/pics on how a lady's cut would look for those with short crops, but can't find anything. Any suggestions?
     
  7. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Nicola

    Attached see my lovely sister Esther as she was in 1943

    Ron
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Nicola_G

    Nicola_G Senior Member

    Nicola

    Attached see my lovely sister Esther as she was in 1943

    Ron

    Brilliant! Thanks Ron
     
  9. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    here is one on my late father from August 1942
    shaved round the sides longish on top
     

    Attached Files:

    Mr Jinks likes this.
  10. Jen'sHusband

    Jen'sHusband Punchbag

    My grandfather had the same haircut until the day he died: a simple short back and sides. He got used to it in the British Army in WW2 and simply retained it.

    Edited to add: So did my great uncle.
     
  11. kiwi craig

    kiwi craig Member

    When I joined the Army, the unit barber was decided by the question, "Any one here know how to shear a sheep?"
     
  12. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Had a look through my Army photos and then realised that they virtually all showed me wearing a beret.

    However, on the last page of my Album there was this early snap showing the hair cut sharply across above the ear and my first civvie snap which shows a slight improvement :)

    Ron
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Nicola_G

    Nicola_G Senior Member

    Just remembered something from the Vintage Fair last week. Whilst there were several good re-anctors there, I also noticed one chap who at first glance seemed to be re-enacting a soldier. Then I realised he was only wearing the uniform jacket and not the trousers, he was wearing khaki coloured trousers that didn't match the jacket and ordinary shoes and an army hat of some description. Don't know what he was supposed to be or if he was just being a fashionista, but my first thought was Get A Hair Cut! His hair was shoulder length and scraggly. Overall a very weird out fit.
     
  14. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Did he wear a Ronald McDonald nose as well?

    How to apply decals, WW2 style :)

    Clipboard01.jpg

    That was a PBY Catalina wing, before the meatball was dropped. Here Rosie is more careful with her hair (and her safety too!)

    Clipboard02.jpg
     
  15. Nicola_G

    Nicola_G Senior Member

  16. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    "Haircuts? We don't need no haircuts!"

    That was Marshal Ivan Konev in an official portrait, late war or after. Here he is again but in May 1943, a Col.Gen., CO Steppe Front, preparing for the Kursk battle and what came after.

    More hair but not much, and more wrinkles.

    RIAN_61520.jpg
     
  17. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    And another hairstyle :) Squadron Leader Maria Smirnova, Jan'44.

    RIAN_812778.jpg
     
  18. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

  19. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

    when I was 17 I used to sport the Fallschirmjaeger look,
    very high, very short, short back and sides with a long
    mop on top... I'll try and dig out a pic to scare you pals
    with!

    but in effect, it was like this:
    [​IMG]
     
  20. At Home Dad (Returning)

    At Home Dad (Returning) Well-Known Member

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