LeeEnfield

Just be careful if getting items from some of the Asian sellers as I have been stung with getting uniforms that were supposed to be BD khaki coloured etc to find them almost orange and I had to dye them a few times to even look desert sun bleached brownish. Ask for samples of cloth before you buy.

 

Gary

Again, another good point. :-)

Can I suggest you pick up Ingram and Braleys book 'WWII british womans uniforms',........a mine of useful infomation.

There IS a lass who does made to measure ATS,...if you get yourself on to wwii forum as previously mentioned, and PM Miss Spitfire for Della's details..........

All the best.

Andy

Good informative answers by both Rosie and Stableboy.

Main question is which branch of the services does your wife want to depict,.for example, if your going to wear battledress, she might think of ATS where she too can dress in Khaki, if you decide a sailors life is for you, she could portray a WREN.

www.wwiireenacting.co.uk is a mine of info, including a ladies section.

www.battledressandbayonet.com does Soloman Adler repro clothing, inc ladies.

All the best.

Andy

Thanks Sparky. No, the belt is standard army khaki colour, doesn't appear to be designed to be blancoed or anything. I think it would be too flexible to keep any on. It's unusual to put something on for identification - and I've tried a few other sites - and nobody can place it. Luckily enough I stumbled onto www.karkeeweb.com last night and have been in touch with the webmaster with some better pictures. If he is able to turn anything up I'll post a follow up.

Hi Paddy, I did mention this site to you,a couple of posts back

Hi Paddy,........Interesting article, sorry, doesn't look like anything I've come across.

have a look at www.karkeeweb.com

had a (very quick)look myself and couldn't see anything, but maybe's worth contacting them with a pic. (them letting us know, if you find out. :-))

All the best,

Andy

Hi mate,

Size 10 in Battledress BLOUSE is

waist 31-32

breast 36-37

height 5'9-5'10

measurments are in feet/inches

as has already been said, overgarments are usually 'sized up' but to be safe, I'd always go for trying before buying; Is the seller maybe's coming over to w&p ??

All the best, and good luck in your quest.

Andy

Lanchester pouchs don'th have the 'tuck under' straps, also they have loop on back to keep them close in to body, as well as belt fixings, and lastly, one of them would have pouch for reloader.

(for sale, complete lanchester webbing set. )

Andy

Andy, thanks, I have borrowed a copy from a friend and its proved very useful with some fascinating insights; we now know a lot more than we did when we bought the Jeep, along with some excellent stuff on here. Its one thing that attracted me to this particular Jeep, just a bit different, with plenty more to find out I'm sure. Yes, we will be in a muddy field before too long, that's all part of the fun I hear!

 

Cheers, Adam

No worries, Adam.

Horndean (Overlord) is well worth a visit, run by a group of nice people. :-)

Are you looking to 'dress' jeep,.....and yourselves ??

All the best,

Andy

Hi Adam, as others have already said, welcome.

dunno if you've seen this book, but it MIGHT be of interest.

The Wartime Jeep in British Service. by Gavin Birch, (I know Mark Askew/Jeepworld did stock it)

All the best, and see you in a field somewhere.

Andy

R.I.P.

An Honest and Humble HERO.

And the Germans believed this??

Why would they not believe it, Mike.........if its being broadcast by their equivilent of our BBC, the majority would believe it, just as much as the majority in this country believed what the BBC broadcast..........

This is something that certainly is a talking point at events, when I ask youngsters, after they come out with the statment, 'all germans are bad,- they started the war'......i usually follow up by asking them where they hear the news; most (obviously) say telly, followed by internet, mobile phone, etc.....very few say radio as number one choice..........which, of ourse, it was, and on;y then for a very limited amount of people and time it was on for.

I'm guessing the Kwacks are 250cc's,...........nice bits o kit,.......well the civi ones that were sold over here are. certainly as good as the Honda equvilent.

Why the white paint sploges over paintwork/plastics on the Kwaka's, Mike.........is it a crude form of de-militarising them, perhaps.......

Just out of interest, does anyone take tracked armour Poppy collecting?

 

I was thinking the other day after buying mine about getting in contact and offering to take the 432 to our local High Street next year if they were interested.

 

 

I was out collecting with carrierbarry with one bike one jeep one morris 8 and one bren carrier in the local high street so it can be done ,I know Barry contacted local police and parking control and obviously the legion and there seemed to be no problems,

Nigel

Nice one, Nigel.

As you say, think it depends on the local branch etc.

All the best,

Andy

Whilst collecting for the Legion yesterday I mentioned your general situation, without names locations etc, to one of the Legion guys. He said he could understand a decision not to include vehicles etc in a Remembrance Service/Parade as he could see that some might see it as taking away the focus of what the Service was all about, and making it in to more of a 'show' type situation. Which he was dead against, 'there are enough of those already'. He reckoned it could be seen as a thin of a wedge and that others might want to get on the bandwagon and for him that was a strict 'no-no'. He was meaning re-enactors - 'there is a time and place for these things' and the actual official service was not one - in his opinion. I can see his point, but he was just one fella putting forward his view. Other areas will no doubt see it differently.

Hi mate,

I can understand your fella's reasoning, and to a certain extent, agree with it; I'd certainly not want to turn any rememberance parade, collecting day into a reenactment event, or a 'look at me', type show,...............not the reason I do what I do.

As I said, Legion were more that happy for us to be there,..........had already worked out, with them how we could best position ourselves to provide best possible 'effects' for them,........and to act as windbreak/shelter in ness.

Whilst it wrankled at the time, Hailsham B/legion are more that happy to allow us (and only me turned up today ) to be involved in parade.

Its interesting, as you so rightly say, to see differing attitudes to this in different area's.

All the best,

Andy

(drying serge at the mo.....:-))

eastbourne's british leagon said no to me using the vehicle to help collecting said bedford mk was to large so doing a school tommorow instead

Eastbourns's commoration's and parade are organised by Combined Services, and from the dealings I've had with them, ie, their representative's refusal to even talk to me, after being asked to by both eastbourne police and local British legion branch, when I offered to bring some vehicles down to 'backdrop', the rememberance service a few years ago; The local council were quite happy, along with the police and local B/Legion,........for some reason this other group, or rather its representative, were not; I was going to contact them directly, but ended up following parade in Hailsham, and have done so ever since. Anyone local who wants to bring (smallish :-))vehicle along, please get in touch. Parade is sun 14th.

Can anyone help me, im trying to get hold of two ww2 heavy cotton button fastening navyblue overalls/boilersuit 44 inch chest as worn by National fire service and post office.Its for an Austin K2 ATV that we are kitting out and intend going to shows.Any help would be great

I think you'll be VERY lucky to get genuine origional's, most people who reenact this service, along with other homefront services, have found dark blue boiler suits and adapted them, to style.

All the best,

Andy

Hi Guys, do you have to book in,or can you just turn up.

Hi Mate,.......as what, I'm guessing if you want to bring a vehicle and parade, there is paperwork to do, (note, DON'T know for deffo).....if you want to turn up in kit and 'amble', just do so..........:-D Still have to pay to travel on trains though.

Maybe's a case of contacting Pickering Tourist infomation office and getting a contact from them.

All the best,

Andy

i know :shocked:

You going to be based in pickering for w/end ??

hope to see some of you lot there then :-)

Maybe's,........but you know what pickering is like,..............HEAVING. :-D

Got a cottage sorted in pickering, and heading up next wednesday for week and a bit's holiday. Used to live up there, so will be good to visit some old haunts.

Andy

Dark-er yes, but the earlier post stated they should be dyed black. That isn't true and would be a pity to ruin an original pair of anklets. Dying repro is fine pf course should you wish to wear them black. Some did, some didn't.

I have original Leather equipment anklets (attached to the 1939 pattern set, often called Home Guard pattern) and they are a lovely polished mid brown shade.

Same here,...........

The belt was 1903 pattern plain leather. NOT the 1939 pattern leather belt with rear buckles as used in Dad's Army!

 

The leather anklets were issued brown and fine to use brown.

Anklets will soon go dark, once they start getting polished.

I think for general wearability,John, repro is the way to go.

A its cheaper, esp to replace should the worst happen, and B origional is getting scarce,(as your finding)and expensive.

Good luck.

Andy

 

 

Hi Andy,

 

Yep they are both dated 1942 and 1944. However they are very small size. The clothing patch on one of the jackets says, Size 4, Height 5'2"/ 5'4" Breast 28/30", waist 26/28", made by Benjamin Simons & Sons, Leeds (that's what it looks like anyway, it not clear) and there is an Arrow and stamped in ink JAN 1942. A label on the waistband of the trousers say Size 3, 24/28" seat 30/32", Leg 29. The other jacket just has a stamp mark on it, the date 1944 and also Size 4 can be seen but anything else is worn so you cannot read. They only just fit my mate’s son, an average build 18yr old.

 

One is a No.2 Dress Uniform, but other is a heavier wool/cotton like demin pilots BD and trousers with flying helmet & mask, gloves and 1941 Pattern Mae-west, and also a coverall/boiler suit and a sheepskin flying jacket. There is one pair of black Brogues and one pair of shin-high lined boots both size 6 &1/2. There is one side cap, one peeked cap 6 & 5/8, and one Dress Cap. All with rank, medal bar and unit insignia and even a bus ticket for 1s 3d for his journey home to Poole, dated 16th Feb 1944 was in the pocket!

 

The chap that gave them to us (a Flt Lt) was stationed at RAF Chickerell, Dorset. He was just 18 when he joined the RAF and served till his was retired off. We are Hoping to lend them to the local museum for permanent display, as even if they fitted, are really to good to be worn for the tours and should be preserved and seen by others.

 

Cheers

 

John

Cheers for that John; Welcome to the joys of British wartime uniforms.......:-D the guyswere certainly of smaller statue then we are today,..........although looking at youngsters at the mo, I think we are of smaller statue to them,..........must be a modern age thing, I guess.

Must admit to having gone canadian with the two wartime b/dress I own, and was lucky enough to pick up just post war mess dress that fits, (if I leave off the pie's for a week before I want to wear it.........:-D:-D)

All the best

Andy