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Chin Strap

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Everything posted by Chin Strap

  1. I thought Survival Aids went years ago. Thanks for the link Quality stuff at the time, but like most, some mick mouse (civvy) stuff crept in. Handy RADIO BEACON, Strob and smoke. quite happy to be on the hills alone with their kit. Martin
  2. I am also inclined to think it german, a drill for sure. Intresting Bullet length and shape. I wonder if a live round would also be rounded? Case indentations to assist in identification at night or blind folded as part of a weapons lesson / test. use of crimping is also worthy a mention
  3. Hi Guys Realistic value for a 1917 Remington bayonet blade length 43cm. Leather (not green) scabbard and fob. good condition no rust no micky mouse sharpening. Looking to go to a good home. Thanks martin
  4. Hi Guys the gun tractor mentioned was a half track with three rows of bench seating for the gun crew across the wagon's width. Are there any photos although primary an anti aircraft gun used by the german air force, the gun was used to good effect in the North Africa campaign by the Africa Corps
  5. That LRDG wagon looks VERY MUCH like WWII German 88 gun tractor.
  6. Maybe the lack of activity is due to the move to the coast re the V1 threat. As just a point of intrest be intresting to see the bigger picture of london defences Barrage Ballon sights and search light locations, was there an interlocking plan to draw aircraft into a killing area or was it just put the stuff up and hope someone runs into it. Lots of accounts of RAF crew and flak, just how effective was our stuff. DAD & MUM (then courting) recounted times to me and my brother that during the BLITZ red hot metal would rain down on them during a raid. TIN HATS very much the dress code. Thanks for the promotion Guys See you in the Mess
  7. Thanks for that brother would be chuffed to find clapham site as he was once based at Balham. If I was to find DAD's army number might that help. Intresting to see that positions were that dedicated. As his mention of the desert war was it was very fluid. I did see somewhere that the guns should have been used as per the german 88 in the Anti tank role, but did not want to lose the asset. May be looking at the bigger picture of the move to italy.
  8. When was the wings added? Looks like a walt to me.
  9. Put it on another thread as gun / battery locations in UK 1940 are documented therefore some evidence on the ground I hope. However when my Fathers gun battery moved first to North Africa then onto Italy maybe not so easy to trace positions of the gun battery location.Thats Where you guys come in. Sorry for the "shot gun approach" but cast the net wide. Martin
  10. On the subject of Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery can anyone help please. My Father (deceased) was a gunner 1940 - 46 on the heavy AA GUNS. Don't know much about his war only the following. London Blizt Gun position on clapham common Prior to this I think he was at southampton. Went to north Africa and then onto the landings in italy. Only story from the war and that was told to my elder brother, was the time they got beaten up by a ME109 he returned fire on double mounted brens. No mention of battery nor Div Not much else really so be good to fill in some gaps 1940-46 Thanks
  11. Dave quite true about understanding RASMAN as I only got a three month warning order shortly after my return.
  12. Not a collector just a guy who wore the gear, with the change of camo style. The DPM came IS the thing of the past. At the start of GW1 desert camo was very thin on the ground as was any light weight kit. I gave my brother who went with 1RRF my tropical trousers although DPM good for the climate, For good measure I also gave him my Artic smock and trousers. Since then (GW1) all I have seen is Desert DPM gear. The Green DPM gear is a very retro bit like the american combat jacket of the 70'S, almost became an anti war statement to wear, but today the clothing reflects support for the lads.Its a pity the sums paid do not go towards help for heros. Thoughts?
  13. Bit like the NI patrol boot, ok for 6months but NI boot was over rated. Flying boots only good as GIZZETS but thats another story.
  14. May be we should start another thread... Practical kit:D
  15. Belt kits etc etc, windproof smocks and trousers not just the preserve of SF. Sometimes we though "abaptation" put together better fighting kit than SF. NI was a geat place to try out personal kit The comment made on another thread about Flying jackets being worn by SF made me smile as "we / I" had done that and found the common (then) combat jacket far better affair when combined with a Durham Barbour worn underneath.If you got a larger size combat jacket, room for the earlier american Flak jacket under there as well. Sorry if off thread
  16. Thanks Dave Having been in the AAC prior to recent middleeast history. always KEEN to hold onto the history we have prior to our recent exploits. The smock you display is of great intrest to me and ties up a number of loose ends as I have seen a smock Maybe its in our museum at Wallop Dont know. but BEING 1 HOODED 2 TWO SIDE 3Button crutch strap. As I said earlier the guys in the Regt (STILL DO) like to get their hands on kit which is fit for purpose, being first in the air then on the ground. As "aircrew" they fight in the air... as soldiers an intresting concept, (go back to balloons in WWI as arty spotters.) If you find your self on the ground rather than in survival mode you become soldiers on the ground and continue the battle.But the distinction has to be made between paratroopers who do not fight in the air but after deployment by air. Recent action in North africa an example Aircraft flown from HMS ocean FLOWN by suaddies yet HMG could claim that had no troops on the ground. HMG do not comment on SF Any way my point is to be a squaddie of the air the kit you wear has to serve two purposes use in the air and on the ground. Warm, pockets for maps AND KIT. Weight is a big issue. As more weight... less fuel which means less time on task. If you find your self "on the ground battle field" you fought with what you had on you. Hence the need TO IMPROVISE not like officers who liked to dress up and look special, but our kit was bourn out of requirement. Although I was not air crew the requirement was still there for adapted kit as in the main I was expecting to become stay behind hence my LRRP training. No way offical view, but when you consider the big picture....
  17. Pegasus Bridge was not taken by Paratroopers, but by D COY 2nd Ox&Bucks in gliders and as such a battle Honour of the present day Army Air Corps. If you know the AAC as well as I do then you will know that besides battle honours the AAC also keep a live the Regt TRADITION of obtaining kit which would only be wasted if issued to "less need of" folk.
  18. A wild stab in the dark Army glider pilot smock Sergeants being army pilots at the time.
  19. Intresting to see the position of the pocket for the Field dressing. When you compare the Quality to that of the gear the guys get now.
  20. Thanks again guys There is a photo of swim canoeist ashore with silenced SMG in a smock not sure if it is a large smock or one with a spray deck.
  21. Thanks once again for the insight and also into the mystery inside pocket. SF kit seems always to be work in progress.
  22. Thanks very much for that. When worn I was surprised as to how basic the DPM (WWII COPY) was. Pockets small and with no draw cord at the bottom. Only the waist and hood. And the cuffs whats that about? Although having said that would quite like to get my hands on one. The half zip makes sence I have seen a very heavy duty smock oiled that I can only assume was used by swim canoest.Map pocket on the chest under the zip. not sure how the map pocket fasterned. Looked every inch the part of being sea going. Which leads me to ask... Whilst in the role of swim canoest were life jackets worn? Some sort of compromise may have been made to facititate the use of the SF "waist coat" ammo carrier if at all worn by the SBS. Did they experiment with smocks having a splash deck together with the quarter length zip? The Artic Smock was (I thought) the better artical as it came down over your bum and with a few double seams created places to stow the button compass and escape map. Correct me if I am wrong but the Regt smock (1963 & 1975) did not have an inside chest pocket. Apart from the iconic look the regt smocks did not have much going for them. A good old First issue DPM combat jacket could take some stick plus it had the pockets in the rear for the odd bit of kit.
  23. Smock windproof 1963 pattern how much would they cost these days? Also when did the SBS stop using the WWII windproof?
  24. Surprised to here that crews would get rid of bone dome so soon after an event considering the protection it would give from the elements. Were crews told to sit tight or walk out.
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