Falklands1982

It could be a trial item? never seen one like it though :-)

Hi,

Many thanks all for the pictures and various information. So was it just the 1950-1960 KFS set that was re-issued during the 70-80s period? Also did anyone get the jungle 44 pattern KFS set in the 60-80 period?

I think either a spreadsheet or input form of some kind would be useful to people to update the contract numbers and to add to as well. Just a though.

Thanks all for the info does anyone know what sizes they made the caps. from what I have seen 7 and 1/2 seems to be the biggest but also the most uncommon size.

Regards,

Lewis

Nice smock Edward, here is the one that I got the other day

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Issue-DPM-Issue-Tropical-Jungle-Combat-Trousers-Airborne-XLarge-PARA-SAS-/272124479103?hash=item3f5be2067f:g:77oAAOSwJb9Wtlk-

 

If anybody is looking for an early Parka with later liner

Either you posted it in the wrong thread/facebook post, also I wouldn't take a gamble on a supposed 35" waist as I have had a pair before and could not get them above my thighs and I'm a 34" waist

One does have a solitary 1976 (iirc) fork knocking around somewhere, but not the somewhere I'm currently situated at.

 

However here's some 70's spoons and some 80's knives.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113108[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113109[/ATTACH]

H.M & Co. Ltd 1988

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113110[/ATTACH]

Harris Miller & Co. Sheffield 1986

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113111[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113112[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]113113[/ATTACH]

 

If I ever find the fork I'll add that in unless some-one beats me to it, I think it's a 76 date or it's a 67 it's one of them.

The links you have provided are duds :undecided:

The later 70's-80's dated versions. were exactly the same as sets issued in married quarters as well.

 

Makes sense logisticly, when you think about it!

Ah ok so they did make 70/80 dated sets as the latest I have come across is 64 would be interested to see a picture of a set if someone has some.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/british-1950s-army-knife-fork-spoon-plate-set-national-service-field-kitchen/231847838421?_trksid=p2055119.c100022.m2048&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122153843%26meid%3D4059e0a8857c4f0a86e28444d3708a41%26pid%3D100022%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D3%26sd%3D381546724355

Thanks for the reply and add to the thread, I did manage to find a mid 60s dated KFS set but haven't seen 70s or 80s dated ones unless they just re-used them? Regards

I joined the Regular Army, Infantry, in 1982 so my original issued kit was all ‘Falklands’ period kit - so to speak. We were issued a set of KFS, a green Osprey mug and two tin plates (the tin /aluminium plates were for use at camps where crockery was not provided i.e. central messing in the field or on some camps).

 

The items pictured are all army issue. However, note that there were lots of designs of KFS. They were all silver and plain like those pictured but with minor shape changes.

 

Out in the field things get lost or left behind easily, especially in the dark, so KFS often went missing. As long as you had a KFS in your kit the design wasn’t a problem so replacement with a civvy fork etc was common (as indeed was borrowing items from the NAAFI !).

 

As has been said, in camp you had to carry your own KFS and mug to the canteen so these were used every day.

 

Included in the picture are an exercise KFS set bound with black tape to keep them from rattling and a blue compo ration salt bottle – which comes from the ten man ration pack.

 

Hope this helps.[ATTACH=CONFIG]113041[/ATTACH]

Thank you for the helpful info and picture. Was the plate carried on you as I would have thought the mess tin would do the same job?

Regards

Hi,

Thanks for the replies guys and thanks for all the info.

Many thanks

Hi,

Just wanted to ask was the Combat cap a standard issue item to troops or an optional thing.

Regards,

Lewis

No the KFS sets were carried in your Personal Webbing pattern 58. IE: The belt order & NOT the large pack.

Remember! The KFS was, apart from your Weapon. THE most important thing you had in the Field.

Food/Eating was a Priority for most of us. It was something to look forward to, & relive the bordom in some cases!

 

Centralised catering was better like this. Because it was almost a social event, meeting up with you mates. Having a scoff & a chat with a Brew as well!

 

It Was VERY Common for the KFS sets to be carried in the long pouch/tube. On the side of one of the 58 patt Ammo pouches.

These 'Tubes' originaly, were designed to carry either an Energa Grenade Launcher Attatchment. Or the LONGER Bullet catcher BFA.

But was QUICKLY discovered to be a good fit & an ideal facility. To carry our KFS sets! :cheesy:

Ah ok this is a bit off topic but did anyone have a NO7 Field cooker or No12 Field cooker? or did you have to sign for it because you usually get the cooker with the hexis?

Cool, you were allowed to bring your own kit to the TA, also i thought the compass would have been a stanley prismatic compass rather than a silvia?

 

The prismatic compass was available from the stores but was bulky and expensive ,the silva compass was cheap and easy to use and did the job we wanted it for for.

The weapons we had were the 9mm Browning, GPMG, 9mm Stirling and the good old SLR. Also fired the Carl Gustav, 66mm Law rocket, and 81mm Morter but not very often . Also had access to M16 , Kalashnikov and Simonov Rifle.

I thought the M16 was only issued to those on Jungle carta?

I remember them well (KFS) I used to get a new set before every exercise along with half the regiment until the cookhouse cottoned on and a few weeks before excecises the plastic cutlery came out and they still disappeared from thhe cookhouse, nothing was safe in them days.

Alright so people used to pinch them?:-) Also were they ever carried in the 58 pack/ GS bergens on exercise/battle

If you go on you tube and enter Lionheart 84 there are a series of films about the exercise gives a good idea of the scale of the exercise and equipment used and worn at that time.

We were not supposed to take cameras and take pictures for security reasons, before the days of mobile phones with cameras.

Thanks ill check it out :cheesy:

Were the KFS set used with the Compo rations also what is the tube/bag the KFS set was carried in?

Thanks everyone for the help and interesting info. If you have any pics could you post them please as it would be a great help.

Regards, Lewis

Bit of a random question but does anyone know about the sizing of the early pre-metric jumpers. what i mean is what sizes they went up to and what they equate to. i own a size 3 4 and 6 jumper and just wanted to know how high up they go.

Bloody hell, I remember the KFS and plastic spoon, and marching to the mess with them in my left hand, while a corporal yelled at me to get my arm up and stop looking down. I must have a photo somewhere

Cool if you do have a photo that would be nice to see.

No idea about cadets as I wasn't one. We fired the Browning 9 mm pistol at recruit camp, ditto the Stirling and I never saw either after that. We also each threw a Mills 36 grenade in training. C Company still had the LMG as opposed to the GPMG - we seemed always to get everything last! At 6 foot 3 I was usually the tallest and ended up carrying it, or the GPMG at recruit camp.

Is the LMG you are refering to the bren gun?

I used to carry a tin of lighter fuel (to get the hexi going ) , curry powder and a box of fruit gums .A small torch, silva compass plastic bag to protect maps

We ditched the 58 pattern water bottles in favor of 44 pattern metal bottle and a metal cup for brews . Water tasted horrible out of a plastic bottle more so in the unlikely event of warm weather.

Used a civi waterproof as the issue ones were useless not waterproof at all. I purchased a HH fleece very expensive but I still wear it today nearly 40 years old.

Gloves were woolen never saw NI gloves in the TA . As for KFS I only carried a spoon you could spread and saw away at food and was handy to dip into someone else's mess tin .

I never used issue mess tins ,I had a WW2 US Army set more compact to stuff in bergan.

Most of us had boot extensions stitched to the top of the standard DMS boot to get rid of soggy puttees.Still got a pair somewhere.

Cool, you were allowed to bring your own kit to the TA, also i thought the compass would have been a stanley prismatic compass rather than a silvia?

I don't think the TA ever got 60 pattern dpm which I believe was a stopgap for troops in NI. We went straight from 60 to 68 pattern towards the end of 1974 just as I was leaving. I think my unit (2 Wessex) was one of the last to get it. As I remember it, the SLRs were recalled about that time for refitting with plastic which everyone hated. It was particularly unpleasant on cold wet days. We also had ancient 37 patt webbing blackened with boot polish except for a few who purchased their own 58 patt. No-one seemed to be bothered by the mix of equipment. Some wore gaiters (again blackened) and trouser elastics, others including myself wore puttees. I forget if we were issued KFS or brought our own. We were issued underclothing but everybody scorned it and wore their own. I'm also pretty sure we were never issued with "Noddy suits", as NBC suits were known.

Ah ok were the TA ever issued the Browning HI-Power aka (l9a1 i think?) also did any cadets get the 44 pattern webbing equipment?

The woollen ones, NI gloves never filtered down to the TA when I was in it. I forget where I stowed the snacks but probably in the side pockets of the smock where it wouldn't melt (we still had the OG 60 pattern) or possibly the big trousers pocket for the apricots.

They were still using OG 60 patterns? im guessing that 60 dpm was a rarity in the TA .

I joined in '76 and was issued with a set of KFS along with a green plastic mug.

 

Whilst in training, that year, the prescribed method of marching to the cook house at mealtimes, was to hold the KFS and Mug in the left hand positioned behind ones back. This left the right arm free for saluting and swinging in the correct Military fashion

Is the green plastic mug you are refering to the 58 pattern mug?