wdbikemad

Worth remembering that we weren't delivering to Dunkirk or the surrounding area by June 1940, rather "exporting"....lol........however, supplies were still being sent to ports further south, such as Cherbough, St.Nazire, etc........as late as July 1940.....but what actually went there, was unloaded, etc, and was lost, is another matter........

Wondering if this was for static positions (eg - sangars or VCPs, etc) ??

The attached label is US NSN....but the stuck-on paper label is British with a different (UK) NSN.........

Quite right !!!! The older police, fire, etc, shirts are a fair representation, but more suitable for 50s-60s era rather than wartime..........the OA wartime shirts were in a quite distinctive tight weave quite unlike anything thereafter, and the WPG garment has captured this pattern rather well............it's all down to the degree of accuracy and "look" that you are setting out to achieve ............

I bought a WPG RAF shirt recently.......ordered on a Friday afternoon and arrived from Dubai by Monday....better service than from within the UK.........post was about £12, and the shirt cost £32............... It IS a damn fine copy........correctly cut (baggy, with huge tails), pullover style and comes with two detachable collars as per originals.....(no studs to attach though but that's a minor point)......... Best of all, it is made in a heavy cotton of a really excellent grey-blue shade close to the originals that varied in shade anyway...........BUT, they have got the weave of the cotton dead right for the WW2 style, different to the post-war versions............it really is excellent........ I take a 17-17 & 1/2 collar so, allowing for shrinkage, ordered a "XL" (they don't come in collar sizes) and the fit is spot-on !!! Great value for such a decent reproduction..........

Probably, either the date of manufacture, supply or contract..........

RAF aircrew issue, 1950s - 60s..........."22c" (aircrew) stores ref number.........

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......).....)

Family BD....don't you just love it ? !! My grandfather's "best" BD.......original insignia to the 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, 51st Highland Division..........he was a Sgt by then....issued to him in Germany late-1945 (Canadian blouse).........

Yep, the formation patch is the "bow and arrow" of RA AA Command/Division..........the other, the "red hand" of Ulster.......

At the time this was probably made (late 70s/early 80s) the DPM cadet smock was in production and on issue..........so doubtful if cadet issue......... Also, around the same period it was incredibly difficult to buy issue DPM gear from surplus stores due to some sort of embargo on selling the stuff at the time, BUT, you could obtain various other commercial garments in the cammo largely intended for the fishing and shooting fraternity (that generally didn't resemble the cut and style of the issue garments)...........this could just be a copy made by a UK MoD manufacturer for said market, but in this instance actually made to an older obsolete MoD pattern (1960 pattern) when the rest of the Army at the time were being issued the 68 pattern.....? It could have been made for foreign armies, but not aware of any using this pattern in DPM (the Irish Army for example using the old green issue and some Middle Eastern forces using a "duck-hunter" cammo type that was dreadfully coloured and poorly made.......... There again, it just may be the kind of thing sold by either Survival Aids, Silverman's, etc, around the period although again I have never seen this pattern offered or reproduced by anyone before......... I do have a couple of 68 pattern copies, fairly good in most details, but made in tropical weight DPM cloth and fitted with 1950s/60s era metal zippers and with a greenish hylon lining.........they are marked "Bermans" (the famous film and theatrical suppliers).........

Spot-on Richard......for Rapier Operators according to my CG lists........ The NSN quoted is for the medium size...........the next NSN up is for "large".....only the two sizes listed........

Private purchase only..........never issued in desert DPM..............trial version of the para smock from the late 70s/early 80s in 4-colour desert DPM.......

Very early 90s.........DPM MVP smock and trousers introduced in heavy Goretex.........smock had baggy, big-buttoned chest pockets and large wired hood........rank tab on front..........trousers had reinforced knees and rear, zips up the outside of lower legs and velcro tabs......... Variant smock appeared shortly after this with velcro-fastened top pockets............. Both above replaced by the CS95 pocketless liner jacket and flimsy trousers........... Late 90s/early 00's saw a reversion to the pre-95 pattern but as per the variant version with velcro top pockets....... RAF version early 90s.........smock had lower velcro pockets rather than the buttoned chest pockets but otherwise the same as the Army version...........

It's a copy.....you can tell by the fabric print and colouring.........this first appeared during the late-1970s on UK combat clothing..........the original 60 pattern DPM smock was only made between 1970 and early 1971 and by James Smith & Cookson & Clegg only under half a dozen contracts or so........all were made in the early heavy cotton drill DPM cloth........ However, it's a damn good copy, and I would assume British made on account of the detail and probably by one of the original contractors........if the spec's were available then it would be no problem having a batch knocked up, albeit in later fabric (I have the 60 pattern manufacturing specs myself, but NOT the cutting patterns, sadly !!!)............both F Fryer and James Smith made Denisons in the original fabric and other details after UK MoD manufacture had ceased for foreign contracts, and Survival aids had copies of the OG drill cross-over belt jungle trousers produced that were undoubtebly also made by one of the original UK contractors......... Seen copies of the 68 pattern garment before, but not the 60 pattern in DPM.........

It's the early issue of the 60 pattern smock......lined only down to the waist and with the earlier 50s style sleeve design with the underarm vents and rectangular elbow reinforcement.........these were made 61 - 64 when the sleeve design was vastly improved........ Early issues of this type between 61 - 63 had the lining in windproof gabardine, later issues 63-64 (and thereafter with the revised model) in cotton poplin..........so you can date reasonably accurately........

In my humble experience, arguments about wings - v - medals aside, medals and ribbons are a thorny subject.......... It is difficult to start differentiating between British gallantry awards and "service" (campaign) awards........for example, thousands of soldiers qualified for service awards (eg: Africa, Italy, Burma, etc) and many went through the thickest of action or equally traumatic circumstances without ever seeing any Gallantry award, very few achieving such notice..........and the same awards frequently went to those in rear areas who saw no conflict at all............to those who have served and qualified for medals, they represent far more than a simple flash of coloured ribbon....it's what lies behind each and every award, which includes in many cases vivid and dramatic pasts, memories, emotions, suffering and experiences....the ribbon is just the sign to that gateway that's often firmly closed by veterans of all ages...... I guess the "safest" option is represent the uniform and unit but leave out any thought of wearing ribbons that haven't been awarded or personally earned through either being somewhere or time served.........as mentioned, it's a sensitive subject that will never be resolved to suit all opinions........... I wear wartime uniform to compliment my wartime motorbikes at various events and I'm entitled to wear both my former rank and medal ribbons for service and time-earned................but rarely do........the actual uniform is of far more interest than any feature of ribbons.........:-D (and besides that, I'd have to find 'em buried somewhere deep in me sock drawer......)

Ah Harry ! Saw that one - went for about £159 ??? With a blackened webbing belt........madness........:undecided:

Our W/NG.......April 1942...............

Just replied to your PM !

Now that's a nice selection ! My own one shown is dated 1969 and made by "TWK" (T W Kempton I think ?)....... I also have a 1954 pattern (no shoulder patches/epaulettes) and a RAF version based on the original wartime patchless version in blue-grey wool........seemingly part of the wartime/early cold-war aircrew kit........

Geoff is "flyingdogboy" on Ebay........:-D

Shown is the "1955 Pattern" "Jersey, Heavy, Wool".........this was the last incarnation of this pattern of sweater that remained in use right up to the 1970s (popular with SAS) although manufacture ceased by 1970 when the green "1968 Pattern" pully commenced issue.......... This jersey first appeared during 1941 as part of the cold-weather mountain-troops clothing.........it was a plain brown/khaki sweater with no patches or trim and featured the draw-cord "boat-shape neck opening, the lace running in-and-out of the collar opening right around the circumference........... It was slightly modified resulting in the "1942 Pattern" that remained on issue for the Korean War........... It was further modified during 1954 by re-enforcement patches being added to the sleeves and matching trim on the cuff ends........the "1954 Pattern".......... Only a year later it was modified again, adding shoulder patches and epaulettes (buttoned), plus the inner-collar drawcord tunnel was changed from cotton-drill to knitted stockinette to provide greater flexibility....the "1955 Pattern".........this lasted until the garment went out in favour of the green pullys from around 1970-71 onward.....(and thereafter follows another story !)...... These garments are incredibly rare today...made in sizes "0" to "4"..........one just sold on Ebay for £150-odd in nice condition too........... Replicas are available from WPG and are supposed to be fairly accurate.............they also do the original version bereft of any patches or trim.........a nice addition to any WW2 through to early 70s kit......:-D

Pre-war Ariel's and a Matchy ! Nice ! High-level sports exhausts too......

Ron is correct, but fit an equivalent 276 if for use....it will go far better and the same as used on civvy NG's.....:-D