Eaglehurst

Great finds Steve! Some photos would be great... Is the Sniper Smock in old sizing or metric?

Some guy is selling these on Ebay and I always laugh to see the description.....'Blue army PT shorts, gay interest' Clearly limiting his potential customer base!!

Hear, hear - I won't tell you what I paid for this but it was a little more than £12!! I too have only ever seen James Smith & Co as the maker....

For interest - Unissued 60 Pattern Smock (early version) and 63 Windproof....will try and find my early Para smock at some point!

Thanks Troy - still learning everyday though! There are folks on this forum however who have forgotten more than I know....

Pics posted above of earlier version Steve and yes as you can see partial green poplin lining...

Sniper Smock pics....as requested.

All of them Steve or just the para smock....?

The thread with the pciture of the sniper smock label is: Thread: 68 Pattern Sniper Smock

Hi Steve, I have a size 3 Para smock - old 68 pattern style - originally issued to a Sergeant on tour with 2Para in NI in 1979. Nice bit of kit in the older lighter colours and I do not see many of them... I also have a Size 5 sniper smock but I think it was an experimental version as the label is a prototype SCRDE version with no maker name or NSN. I have posted a picture of it on HMVF somewhere. Will try to find it so I can confirm the lining but from memory I think it has the green lining... Finally I have a couple of examples of the 63 windproof but in DPM not olive green... If interested I can post some pics of the above but will have to dig them out first!

As per previous post...

Interesting - I have several examples of the 68 pattern without the '68' designation but none of them have the 8415 prefix. What I do have is a couple of examples of 68 pattern with the last 4 digits 6079 (size 1) to 6087 (size 9). One of them, a size 8, has the designation 'G8 (Size 8) for size. I wondered if this was a specific model for Gurkhas..... Thoughts?

Brand new in size 9. That is rare condition wise nevermind the size. I have a couple in size 9 used and a couple of new hoods. Even in size 9 I find the arms maddeningly short! I would like to track down a size 9 1951 pattern 'Parka Middle'...

Yes I have. It was some time ago and I cannot remember exactly where I saw it but having not seen anything like it previously I doubted it's authenticity. IIRC it looked like a wool version of the 1951 US parka liner.... On a slightly different subject I have a couple of examples of the pre 1953 'Parka Middle Without Hood'. Labelled 'Parka Middle' and usually dated 1951 - it has no upper chest pockets, is made from a softer cotton material and has a permanently attached hood. Very interesting to see how this garment was then developed into the 1953 pattern...

Thanks Andy - would be interested to see a few photos of the other labels from this garment, as well as the smock labels from the other examples you picked up.

My area of interest in post war British battledress so you have a willing audience....! I doubt it but if there is anything I can help with...just ask.

Which I for one would like to hear about... the knowledge of folks on this forum is mind boggling so you will always find someone interested! (ie me)

That would be much appreciated - thanks!

Great - thanks. You are a mine of information! I always wondered if there was a 1960 DPM issue hood. Now I know. By the way if you know of any 1953 hoods I am looking for a few for my 1960 pattern smocks! If you have them I would love to see a few pictures of the Cookson and Clegg 1960 pattern DPM labels.... Thanks again

Perfect - exactly what I needed to know - thanks!

Thanks. I wonder, however, if the 1960 pattern that was introduced in 1970 was made by anyone other than James Smith. The 68 pattern was certainly made by a whole host of suppliers but I have not seen this for the 60 pattern DPM...

OK - thanks. I think they go from 1-6 only (rather than 1-9) but am not 100% sure...

Sounds good - thanks! And well done on the find...

Does anyone know what size the older pattern British Army pullover went up to? The biggest size I have seen is a size 6 but I wondered if they went up to size 9 like the 60 and 68 pattern smock and trousers....

Does anyone know if British 1960 Pattern DPM issue kit was made by anyone other than James Smith & Co (Derby)? I have several examples of the smocks and trousers but all by the same maker...