British Army "KF" Shirts

British Army KF shirts...a short history............the collarless type top-row on the right is the pre and WW2 issue shirt.......khaki flannel, very generously cut, no pockets or epaulettes, "pullover" style with small metal buttons in zinc or gunmetal........this example is (unusually) dated 1940 and is large and MINT....they weren't generally dated at this point.........late issues from 43-44 can have plastic buttons......

The one next to it (top-row left) is the 1944-onwards issue with an attached collar....same style but all plastic buttons....made post-war, this example was made in 1948....MINT and a large size again.............

Next row on the left shows the "1951 pattern" Korean-issue shirt (issued from 52 onwards).......similar cut to the WW2 issue but with epaulettes, pleated pockets (the left one incorporating a small pencil pocket) and attached collar.....this having small pockets at the front to insert stiffeners for "best dress".....made in sizes up to 8, this one is still very generous and MINT...note also that the lower-front tails incorporate a "wrap-over" style with an additional button to secure, part of the Korean cold-weather insulation programme...........next to this is the "1964 pattern"...issued on a maintenance basis from 65 onwards, this is similar to the 51 issue but of reduced cut and now featuring a "stiffened" collar..........note the change to "civvy" shirt collar sizing............

Bottom row left shows the 1968 pattern "Shirt Mans Combat" in khaki, introduced between 1970 and 71..........reduced cut again, similar to the 64 pattern but now without tails, pleats on the pockets, the internal pencil pocket eliminated and the soft collar reintroduced....made in sizes "0" to "3"..........civvy sizes gone again !!! On the right is the 1972-onwards combat shirt now produced in GREEN hairy flannel, replacing the khaki version that was only in production for a year or so..............and these served on to the mid-80s until KF finally replaced by the poly-cotton "GS" shirt......although some hardy veterans retained the KF shirt into the 90s...........

As with all WD/MoD kit, older stocks and patterns remained on issue and in use until worn out or stocks exhausted........

Enjoy !!!!

You are just whetting our appetities for your book now Steve...

You are just whetting our appetities for your book now Steve...

Thanks Jason....you flatter me...! All will be revealed soon.........(I hope !!!)....

Isn't the name "Shirt, KF" only applicable to the 1965 onwards type?

Never seen it used in conjunction with pre-51 shirts and the phrase never appears on the label of the 1950's pattern shirts.

I think the earlier shirts are just "Shirt, Wool". I'm happy to be shown otherwise.

You forgot the other term for the post 1972 version

SI = Shirts Itchy.

Described in earlier CG lists as "shirts, wool, flannel, Khaki"............we are talking late-1940s/early 50s here............

I guess "KF" was a simple acronym used to identify the type.............(and later (1970s) issue were actually made from a wool/nylon mix......).....)

I have always associated the KF shirt with the type shown in your last two photo's. That type is also significantly itchier than all the earlier types!

I think you could do with a woman and an iron........

I am itching just looking at them, wretched things.

I agree with Bob that you need to plug the iron in for best effect

R

Excellent selection of shirts. May I add another one to the timeline? 1948 to 1950, full fronted as the 1951 pattern but lacking the "wrap over section". The buttons are the same type as the half fronted collar attached shirt of 1948.

That's interesting. I recently saw an example of the first collar-attached type, the one without pockets, that was dated 1948 too. Maybe we've about pinned down the date of the change-over.

The KF, when termed with the Shirt Means. 'Shirt, Khaki Flannel.'

Yes, it does.

Just got this KF shirt from EBay, absolute mint condition, anybody heard of B G Ltd and did they produce any other garments for the MOD?

Finally found a nice 1964 Pattern,now just need a Khaki(got plenty of green)KF shirt.

The Brown shirts were the better variant to wear. Much more comfortable & smarter in my View. With the central pleat down each breast pocket. They were made from wool, so much nicer in use!

The green KF Shirts however, were made from man made aftificial fibre material. They shrank badly each wash.

They were a bit uncomfortable to wear, as they were hard on your skin!

On excercise's in the field, they made you feel dirty & uncomfortable. (Even though you perhaps WERE Dirty at times anyway!) I like a VAST amount of my contemporaries. Disliked them intensely!!!!

When I was attached to the Para's, after the usual weekly Monday Morning Battalion Muster Parade. The first thing we did afterwards. Was get changed into a Jungle green Airtex type shirt. Known as the O.G Shirt FAR more comfortable & superior in wear!

The Airborne were a bit more lax & understanding in this area of clothing regulations!

& We were grateful for that!

Also, the Trousers Lightweight, were changed for the full cotton O.G Trousers as well. IF, you were lucky enough to source a pair or two!

again, MUCH better in the field. As the O.Gs were a wider cut to the leg width. Which meant you could change your trousers without having to remove your boots first. Unlike the lightweights, which would not allow you to do this!

A very important consideration in the field, being able to keep your boots on, enabling you to 'leg it' if needs be. in a fast

Tactical situation!.......:-D

I unfortunately never served in the Armed Forces but did a spell in our local ACF in 86/87 and we were issued brand new green hairy mary shirts and most of us complained that they were so itchy and tried many a time to wear a German "moelskin" shirt instead(under our wooly pulleys) but were always caught and bollocked.

There were several types of issue "combat shirt" to the British military.............

The WW2 pattern dates from the early 1930's, replacing the old grey-blue flannel type in use for around the previous 70-odd years.........this was khaki wool-flannel, pullover design, collarless (with a drill neck-band) and zinc-buttons........

As early as 1943 the above was replaced with an identical shirt but with collar-attached for wear with a tie when off duty...........buttons now generally fibre or plastic........

In 1950-51 a new shirt was introduced as part of the Korean War clothing development.........still in khaki wool-flannel, this now featured pleated chest pockets and epaulettes...............

In the mid-1960s a revised khaki wool-flannel shirt was introduced, the "1964 pattern", which featured a stiffened collar for wear with and without combat clothing, a smarter tailored style and with reduced tails..........

In 1970 the combat shirt was introduced as many of us will remember.........back to soft collar, epaulettes, non-pleated chest pockets and reduced tails.............made in 4 sizes "0" to "3"............first issues were in khaki-brown wool-flannel (to use up existing stocks of the old fabric) and then by 1971-72 a colour change was made to olive green.......the fabric also changing to a wool-nylon mix instead of the 100% wool used previously............

All of the above continued to be issued and used after replacement as long as stocks remained in QM stores............

Scotch Harry, if desperate, I can supply you a new khaki combat shirt circa 1970-72.......:-D

Thank you very much for the offer Steve;)

Not desperate but would be nice to have one in the collection(sure I will stumble on one in time)and my problem is my budget for collecting is a bit on the low side so depending on what price you are looking for,might be interested but not a massive priority and again,thanks for the offer.