braces were issued; in some cases a sweater was worn. A woollen shirt was typically worn under the wool jacket. Wearing an open collar jacket (with tie) was initially restricted to officers, other ranks buttoning the top button of the jacket and closing the collar with a double hook-and-eye arrangement. Short webbing anklets covered the gap between the trousers and the ankle boots, further adding to the streamlined look and keeping dirt out of the boots without having to use a taller, more expensive leather boot. Battledress was issued widely beginning in 1939 in the British Army (as well as the Canadian Army, who produced their own, almost identical, copy of Battledress after the outbreak of war), though shortages meant that some units of the British Expeditionary Force went to France in Service Dress. Some officers initially refused to wear Battledress themselves, contrary to orders. One Guards major declared: "I don't mind dying for my country but I'm not going to die dressed like a third-rate chauffeur". Variants Battledress, Serge being the original pattern of battledress uniform commonly (and incorrectly) referred to as '1937 Pattern', the blouse had a fly front, pleated pockets with concealed buttons and an unlined collar, the trousers having a large map pocket on the left leg front with a concealed button and a small, single pleat dressing pocket on the front of the right hip. The trousers have four belt loops which fasten at the top with buttons; tabs and buttons are fitted to the cuffs to fasten the trousers at the ankle. 1940 Pattern Battledress introduced in 1940 saw some small changes to the original design, a lined collar and slightly closer cut to the blouse and trousers with a new dressing pocket on the trousers with two pleats and a revolving shank button. 1940 "Austerity" Pattern Battledress (occasionally labelled 1942 Pattern) was introduced in 1942; it deleted the fly front so the front buttons, as well as the pocket and cuff buttons, were now exposed. Pocket pleats to the blouse were removed, early manufacture included two inside pockets but this was soon reduced to a single inside pocket. Plastic buttons were introduced, rather than the brass dished buttons of Battledress, Serge. The trousers lost their belt loops and ankle tabs, the pocket buttons were now exposed and made of brown or green plastic like those of the blouse. Officers were permitted to tailor