Post 1945 cams

[Jerry B]

I am really glad you managed to secure the Dennison Jerry..fantastic news!!, and many thanks also for the reference pictures and the provenance of it's usage, fascinating reading.

Thanks. The one I showed in the Falklands is not the one I bought, that was just to show that they were still in use then, though most went out of use in the 70's. I did try to make that clear when I showed them, so sorry if it was not.

I have a couple of items of flecktarn that I shall add at some stage, though nothing not already seen here.

[Jerry B]

A pair of the Belgian brushstroke pattern over trousers have just appeared on the bay and I will be bidding on them unless someone here already is?

BELGEUM FORCES PARA TROUSERS 36" WAIST 316 | eBay

I won these and I will add some pics when they arrive.

[Jerry B]

My Belgian brush stroke smock arrived today, a well worn example with a number of repairs and replaced snap poppers, but it still has its tail in place. ABL marked for Belgian Airborne/airforce, 1956 size 4.

[Thanatos]

Hi Gent's
Great to see some interest in this the thread again fella's.
It was started to give those interested in modern cam's a place to post their wares as well as a learning tool (A bit like the WW2 Australian Insignia thread). I feel it's certainly succeeded in that respect. Well done to all that have contributed.

I have not been chasing modern gear for a little while now but picked up this 1980's Brit. "PVC" wet weather set and cold weather cap from a fellow Aussie collector who had no requirement for them. I have a decent 80's-2000 Brit DPM gear collection but didn't have a set of pre gortex wet's, so thanks to Ash for these.
No tags on the jacket only the pants.



Ash picked them up during his service back in the 80's from a British Army serviceman. At the time (pre Auscam day's) decent wet's were almost non existent in the Australian army. I remember the old smock tropical or as it was better known "smock physiological" was our issued wet weather kit from my Reserve days back in the mid 1980's.This garment was a left over from the Vietnam era and was never used on op's. My old unit (12 IRC) was a Tasmanian based Independent Rifle Company that exercised mainly over the Southern Hemisphere winter months. It's bloody cold and wet in Tassie over winter let me say and the issued kit was totally inadequate in every way known, thank god for the good old "Howard Green" woollie baa baa. The "bold" purchased their own wet's as it was really the only way to stay dry and warm. Those who were in only for the cash were soon weeded out over winter. Decent wet weather kit was issued from the late 80's early 90's with the Auscam Japara jacket and pants.

The sad Smock Physiological. A thin inadequate piece of cr-p.


The much better pre Gortex "Japara" PVC garment.


A similar build to the British pre Gortex PVC wets.

Thanks again to all for keeping the thread alive and kicking

All the best Gent's

Dave

[lithgow]

The smock wasn't even general issue-I was in 11 IRC initially and then transferred to 109 Sigs-they weren't issued it despite being a field force unit-the men would wear the OD raincoat and the women the even more impractically coloured dark green one, neither of which were ever intended for field use- Added to the lack of decent bedding and cold weather gear, it's a wonder anybody made it through the winter months!

[James C]

well done on finding this british denny smock Jerry it sure is a nice example the prince of wales has a fondness for this camo too

[Jerry B]

well done on finding this british denny smock Jerry it sure is a nice example the prince of wales has a fondness for this camo too

Thats the one mate and indeed the POW likes his last version smocks. It arrived today so I'll take som pics of it and add them. It has a pair of para wings on it, which were just about visible in the sellers pics. It is a good fit which makes a change from most of the older kit I buy. The Belgian over trousers also arrived today, in very clean condition and same as all you see a massive size, though marked as a 4 same as the smock they match, which is a bit wide but not too bad. The trousers are huge, very long in the leg and wide across the waist. Still good to get them as they are very pleasing to the eye. Again I'll add pics when I get some light to take them, tomorrow hopefully.

[Thanatos]

The smock wasn't even general issue-I was in 11 IRC initially and then transferred to 109 Sigs-they weren't issued it despite being a field force unit-the men would wear the OD raincoat and the women the even more impractically coloured dark green one, neither of which were ever intended for field use- Added to the lack of decent bedding and cold weather gear, it's a wonder anybody made it through the winter months!

Hi Lithgow,
The boy's down here were issued a smock tropical when we first collected our kit. Maybe a Tassie issue only due to weather conditions over our winter Mine came complete with internal mould dots. I think it was the Army's form of a joke for sure.
Don't mention bedding, I dumped the blow up rubbish and used a green closed foam carry mat instead which was wrapped in my hootchie. The sleeping bags were ok. Cold weather gear, what was that ? that's right the Howard Green.

At least diggers these days are kitted out much much better than back then.

All the best

Dave

[lithgow]

The issue sweater in 1979 was the old khaki V-neck pullover-no sleeping bag, just 2 thin woollen blanket things that clipped together and slipped inside a green nylon cover thing-utterly useless. Added to that, no gloves or balaclava. Everyone did get issued a mosquito net though-the standing joke being that you got issued it, took it home, threw it into the back of the wardrobe and then pulled it out to return it to stores however many years or decades later on discharge.

[Thanatos]

The issue sweater in 1979 was the old khaki V-neck pullover-no sleeping bag, just 2 thin woollen blanket things that clipped together and slipped inside a green nylon cover thing-utterly useless. Added to that, no gloves or balaclava. Everyone did get issued a mosquito net though-the standing joke being that you got issued it, took it home, threw it into the back of the wardrobe and then pulled it out to return it to stores however many years or decades later on discharge.

Hahaha yep half the rubbish kit lived in the shed until discharge.
The good old Howard Green cold weather survival baa,



I'm the handsome bugger front row extreme right.
I'd won student of merit for the coarse and they placed me in the front rank. Spec's and no 80's mo, I forgot what I used to look like as a young bloke. I think I'll file this photo.....forever
I still remember one of our mob took a home made Roo skin vest to Pucka one year for warmth. Looked a bit like a leather Jerkin. Silly Bugger. 12th Independent Redneck Company. I remember the OC stating no private purchase items of kit or cams get on the Herc. This guy's logic was the Roo skin vest not a private purchase and not cams so he took it. Got his bum kicked over there but. To Funny.
We were 12/40th Battalion by then and the South Aussie guy's could not believe what they were seeing.