1953 Pattern Parka Middle & Hood - Size 9

[Eaglehurst]

Not terribly uncommon but you do not often see them in the largest size 9. I have a soft spot for these parkas developed to deal with the cold of Korean winters in 1952. The earlier 1952 pattern had a lighter weight outer material and an attached hood. The jacket is of a later manufacture than the hood, the former having an NSN and no date on the label.

 

Both parka and hood are in excellent, almost unissued, condition.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2011 by Eaglehurst

[chevpol]

nice, me want!!!!

 

Mark

[Willyslancs]

yep nice coat , dads had one for year s ..........

[wdbikemad]

I've also got an absolutely mint Size 9, but didn't realise that the hood was produced in a size "XL" for the 9.........not so for the combat smocks of all patterns up to the early 1980s that used only 2 sizes for the entire range of jackets (small and large, later size 1 and 2)...........

 

Seems the green parka was made right up to the early 1970s, some of the later examples (usually made by James Smith) having black-on-green labels plus NATO stock numbers, etc. The green parka wasn't replaced by the DPM version until 1976-77 and then stocks of the green model were to remain in use until worn out, according to the official side......

 

First issue parka ("Parka, Middle") from 1951 to 1952 had a permanently-attached hood, no outer top-pockets and made from cotton-gabardine........issues after 1952 (1952 pattern) had the detachable hood, top pockets and made from cotton-sateen.......:-D