How did the Denison Smock Acquire its Name ???

[wdbikemad]

Anyone wonder how the airborne Denison smock acquired its name ? You search all the reference books and internet and there are a few commonly-held opinions, but I have found nothing conclusive to evidence such..........no official records, nothing.......

 

Popular rumour states that the smock acquired the title from the designer, a Major Denison working in a camouflage unit under the stage designer Oliver Messell..........and to be realistic, this may well be true as there's nothing to contradict this.......

 

But my own thoughts are that most purpose-designed airborne kit was developed and tested at the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE) at RAF Ringway (Manchester) from 1941 onwards, and this included everything from helmets, over-smocks, drop and leg-bags, etc..........most of the kit was generally designed by the mixed civvy and military experts working there..........

 

Cammo clothing (or the fabric itself), on the other hand, was more than likely developed by a separate team, and during WW2 a camouflage development unit was established at Farnham Castle (Surrey) whom equally employed a team of civvy and military experts looking at all forms of cammo for buildings, vehicles, clothing, etc..............in the case of cammo material, this included designs for the windproofs, SOE jump suits, tank suits, tents, gas capes, etc.......

 

So....the question remains....was "Denison" responsible for the design of the cammo material.........or the design of the smock itself.....? Was he military, or civvy...? The name "Denison" (in WW2 at least) was not all that uncommon.........

 

Thoughts anyone......?

 

And on a final note, "official" records (and garment labels) deleted the name "Denison" after 1968......the garment now simply termed "Smock, Camouflage", and remained this way until replaced by the DPM version from 1977 onwards...........still a "Denison" tho' !!!

Edited January 5, 2013 by wdbikemad