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Stripes


Ian Dunn

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Hi All

 

Does anyone know where i can get Corporal stripes from?

 

the ones i am after are the type that we wore in the 70's / 80's on combat jackets (small green patch with black stripes on ) sewn on sleeve not on tag on zip.

 

Ian

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Hi All

 

Does anyone know where i can get Corporal stripes from?

 

the ones i am after are the type that we wore in the 70's / 80's on combat jackets (small green patch with black stripes on ) sewn on sleeve not on tag on zip.

 

Ian

 

I was promoted to Lance Corporal in 1980 and IIRC the exclusive use of combat stripes on DPM was only just coming in. Certainly in 76 in NI, our NCOs wore normal stripes blacked out, and these tended only to be replaced either upon promotion or replacement of a worn-out jacket.

 

I was still wearing a normal stripe on a brassard with my overalls right up until I transferred out in 1982. ISTR that out of camp, what you wore on a brassard (which you bought yourself) was up to you.

 

If you can find "A Pictorial History of 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars" by my ex-Troop Leader Ralph Thompson, you'll find a picture of the back of me in overalls with brassard and normal stripe about 1982 being talked to by my Troop Sergeant.

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Seem to have vague memories (early seventies) of them being worn on shoulder epaulets???

 

It certainly wasn't unheard of that they were refashioned into sleeves slipped over the epaulettes: I saw it, but I query whether these items had actually become available in the early 70s.

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  • 1 year later...

the army badges had dark green chevrons on a lighter olive green background - mine were vynil and burned when ironed! IIRC the RM had black chevrons on olive green in cloth. The chevrons were squarer when looked at compared to the birds-wing army types

 

 

I just wandered over to my combat jacket hanging on a peg at the other end of the office. I'd have said my stripes were a medium brown colour on an olive background. Promoted Sergeant in 1985 - I guess that's the date. Of course they could have faded from just about any colour.

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It certainly wasn't unheard of that they were refashioned into sleeves slipped over the epaulettes: I saw it, but I query whether these items had actually become available in the early 70s.

 

 

Delayed response here - but memory just kicked in.. For certain in 21 it was the norm for rank up to S/Sgt to be worn on epaulettes. WO1 & WO2 were on wrist bands - all easily removable if the need arose.... This would have been from circa 1975 onwards.

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AlienFTM - those chevrons usually turned brown after a good few washes. Do you remember how odd nigs used to look in their new combats compared to the old sweats who had been wearing them for years?

 

We had a company photo taken in Germany and I refused to get one as we looked like a bunch of paintballers as not one of the uniforms matched. Even working dress was the same. The funniest thing was those who only ever ironed one side of their denims leaving a different shade of green either side of the crease! :roll:

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We had a company photo taken in Germany and I refused to get one as we looked like a bunch of paintballers as not one of the uniforms matched. Even working dress was the same. The funniest thing was those who only ever ironed one side of their denims leaving a different shade of green either side of the crease! :roll:

 

What grates on me is when e.g. Soldier Soldier show(ed) an entire unit in combats straight out of the stores. Nobody I know would wear combats until they had faded almost to destruction.

 

Of course in the cavalry style and panache have always rated far higher than practicality.

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I am a memnber of the Aldershot Militaria Society, and the annual exhibition is this Sunday 23rd Sept at the Maltings in Farnham. There are Sales stands there, so you should be able to find the stripes you need. Exhibition starts at 10:30.

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