Jungle greens

[handler 69]

When was the last time that the greens were worn and what did they look like? Boots etc.

Were they like the Aussie ones used in Vietnam?

Cheers

Troy;)

[Mk3iain]

Not sure when OG changed to DP but I still have some jungle DP from 70s 80s, I can take some pics?

[handler 69]

I know that DP pattern gear is very hard to get hold of in large sizes. The set I have are so bright that it is frightning :nut:

[earlymb]

Speaking of JG's, I am looking for a large size pair of trousers (BD model), dated 1944 up to 1947(ish) or even a repro. Anyone have a suggestion where to look for these? I know WPG has them, but only in small sizes.

 

Greetz

 

David

[wdbikemad]

The British Army changed over from jungle green clothing to DPM camouflage during the mid-1970's - roughly 1975 to 1976....the DPM clothing had been undergoing extensive trial and development since at least 1971 and took time to reach approval for introduction....

 

The standard jungle green suit used from the late-1960's through to the introduction of DPM comprised of cotton denim trousers featuring the cross-over belt waist fastening with buckles on either side of the waist, a button (or zip on later production) fly, a button patch pocket on the outside left leg, a pair of slash side pockets and a pair of rear flap-fastened pockets.......these were damn fine trousers, and favoured by para's for wear with the Denison smock. A similar version were available in khaki drill for middle east use, sometimes lacking the large left-leg pocket.....

 

These trousers are hard to find today, and generally are rather small in size if found....Silverman's offer a reasonable copy of these called "P-Coy" trousers up to a 38" waist for a reasonable £29 quid or so, but the green is rather too dark for the original olive green shade.......they also do the khaki drill variety.....

 

The jungle green shirt was made in "aertex" (shreddie) material with long sleeves and tails....it opened all the way down the front and all buttons were small plastic. A collar was fitted together with shoulder straps and a pair of box-pleated breast pockets with 3-pointed shaped flaps.....the shirt was a rather snug fit from memory....Sabre Sales in Southsea still have a few new-old-stock examples kicking around, but in very small sizes only (13" collar).......:-)

[wdbikemad]

Re - the earlier post - David, I think a guy trading under the name "Panzerfaust" based in Hong Kong does a copy of the wartime jungle trousers ? He's on Ebay........from the photos, the items look good.....

[earlymb]

Thanks for the replies! I found the one on eBay; it is too big but I'll contact him to see if he has them a bit smaller. I need one with a 36 waist, so I'll also look into the Silverman's option.

 

Thanks!

 

Greetz

 

David

[wdbikemad]

David - one point of note when ordering the late-pattern OG trousers with the crossover-belt waist fastening......they sit rather high, a bit like the older types of combat and battledress trousers - so you may need to measure your waist slightly higher than normal....

 

Also look at SOF Military in the UK.....I think they offer a repro pair of British OG wartime pattern trouser ? Website is good....look under Re-enactment - British WW2 - clothing - jungle, etc

[robin craig]

In the 1980s the jungle green or OD trousers and a Royal Marine Stone shirt and NI patrol boots were "Gucci kit" that some people wore in the field on exercise under the guise of "if it was issue you can wear it" rule for soldiers to be comfortable in the field. Some old sweats showed their age / time in by doing this. It was a way to be an individual in the mass of sameness.

 

Some units had very relaxed field dress standards set by the RSM of the time.

 

Before someone squeeks about Queens regs on dress protocols, RSMs had the last say at unit level.

 

I know some units allowed sewn in creases in combats and trousers lightweight and others considered that destruction of HM property.

 

A substance known as Morello (sp) was worn by night shift RMP patrols in place of bulling bots for the toe caps, dependant on the RSM at the time. The product was sourced from Germany and was painted on. Gave a real god high shine look with a brush.

 

R

[wdbikemad]

My boots were coated in "Johnsons Klear" floor polish...great unless it rained or some bod stepped on your toe-caps....:-(

 

I managed to solve the problem by getting my toecaps sprayed with bullet-proof aircraft-quality high-gloss black paint in the base spray-bay.......great for the old DMS ankle boots but not really practicable on the combat high's !!

[handler 69]

Does anyone have pics of the shirt...I have seen something on WPG but they say it is WW2. I have a set of the waist belt pants dating from the 1960's. Were the putees worn as well? In regards to webbing would 56 pattern serve....way too expensive to import webbing from the UK to here LOL. The postage is a real gob stopper! :wow:

[wdbikemad]

Puttees were fairly common alongside the old webbing anklets during the 1960's, though the former were nearly always preferred in the tropics if jungle boots weren't worn......para's and marines pretty much always wore puttees......by the mid-1970's puttees were commonplace across the British Army and an issue item alongside the DMS ankle boots......

 

'44 webbing was the norm for tropical use through to the 1980's, although some '58 pattern kit was also worn. Para's invariably wore '44 pattern everywhere or intermixed with '58 pattern kit, although by the early 1980's '58 pattern was normal for everyone, including para's, both for European and tropical wear......

 

New '58 pattern kit is still easily available in the UK (all items) with the exception of waistbelts that are becoming increasingly hard to find unissued......'44 pattern kit is also still available new (it was made right up to the 1970's) but you will struggle finding new waterbottles, mugs and covers, large-size waistbelts and pre-65 small-packs (smaller than the larger version issued from '65 onwards - there was no '44 pattern small and large pack in the fashion of '37 pattern web equipment.......