68 Pattern Sniper Smock

Picked up a 68 pattern Sniper smock some time ago. It has an interesting label and may be an experimental or trials example. Can anyone shed any more light?

Try asking on the army rumour service, UK Kit Monster is full of good gen, as is General Melchett

Could well be an experimental or trials example:

SCRDE = Stores & Clothing Research & Development Establishment, formerly based at Colchester.

The building is now derelict and probably won't be saved when the rest of the Victorian Barracks is developed - it's a VERY ugly building - but I hope there will be some recognition of the important role played by SCRDE; after all, not all British Army kit is rubbish!!

Having worn Army clothing for nearly 40 years I have found that the majority of kit has been designed and developed well, where it is let down is that it is produced by the lowest bidding company and standards drop during the production runs.

Having worn Army clothing for nearly 40 years I have found that the majority of kit has been designed and developed well, where it is let down is that it is produced by the lowest bidding company and standards drop during the production runs.

yeah I'd love to be a QA inspector on these contracts. We had clothes with a loose thread and if you pulled it your sleeve would fall off

I got some new BCH, last year and within a month the soles and heels were af and my new CS95 shirts looked like wash rags after only 4 months, the thing to remember this kit was only worn 15-20 times for a couple of hours.

Oh the memories!

As a spotty youth in the late 70s, I had a 1968 Pattern DPM smock, bought after weeks of pocket money saving from The Toy Soldier, Maidstone (any Kent members remember this shop and the sequel, Soldiering On, next door?). It was superb and lasted for years, being worn to death, before finally meeting it's end as a Labrador's bed!

I've now got a 1990 Pattern smock (several in fact!). Warm, hard wearing, cheap as chips and almost as good as the 1968 Pattern in my opinion.

Soldier 95 jackets? - I know they're all about layers, but I wouldn't be seen dead in one!

Just my opinion of course!!

not all British Army kit is rubbish!!

No, just the bean counters who 'Run' it!....................:argh: