Btitish Battle-Dress P-40 with zipper

[nachlader]

Hello

I got today here in germany the british battle-dress P40 with zipper .
Have you ever seen Battle-Dress with zipper ? who has used the Tanker , Paratrooper ? .
Zipper is stamped TALON MADE IN USA

thank you Michael

[nachlader]

and

[jimpy]

Thats a new one on me mate.
Any British soldier caught doing that sort of alteration to his BD would, at the very least, end up on a charge of wilful damage to Government property, and there would be NO argument.
One possible answer for it having a zipper is that the blouse was retained by a soldier on discharge from service and he had the zip added so that it could be worn as some sort of work jacket without messing around with half a dozen or so buttons!

Unless someone else knows better that is!
Regards etc

Ian D

AKA: Jimpy

PS: As usual, I am willing to stand corrected by others more knowledgeable than me.




ADDITION:
On looking at the photos again, I cannot see any sign of there ever having been any buttons/button holes down the front of it, therefor, I would, tentatively, suggest that this is a fake/made up blouse with an appropriate manufacturers label added.

[davejb]

HI , Ive seen something very similar and i think it was used by the Indian army, but whether it was issued like that, or done at unit level, or individual preference i couldnt say, but there is an example local to me which was donated to my local dramatic society by an old girl who was our wardrobe mistress, ill see if i can get it and see if theres any info or markings

[jimpy]

Cheers Dave,

Id be interested in seeing that if possible mate.
As far as I know, it was NEVER an official mod' in the army.
The RAF has had a zippered version of BD for donkeys years, but that is/has always been in RAF Blue-Grey and that was official, whether it was in use in WWII though, I dont know.

Regards etc

Ian D

AKA: Jimpy


As usual, I am willing to stand corrected as appropriate.

[davejb]

ill try but you never know with wardrobe mistresses i ought to know my missus is one they guard their clothes like the Leibstandarte

[jimpy]

ill try but you never know with wardrobe mistresses i ought to know my missus is one they guard their clothes like the Leibstandarte

I know what you mean mate.

I worked at the BBC for a few years and there was more chance of plaiting water than getting your hands on stuff in the wardobe department, even just to have a look.........and I was on the SECURITY STAFF at the time!!

[davejb]

right Ian, but theres something that i will get my hands on, its a large trunk but its what it was used for thats the clincher, on the lid there is a perspex plate and it says LANCASTER TROPICAL TOOL, with serial no/s and a list of tools that it should contain, inside there are side pockets that i presume were for some manuals, theyre using it for costumes at the moment but i will get my hands on it along with a Jordanian officers tunic with full insignia, watch this space!!

[jimpy]

right Ian, but theres something that i will get my hands on, its a large trunk but its what it was used for thats the clincher, on the lid there is a perspex plate and it says LANCASTER TROPICAL TOOL, with serial no/s and a list of tools that it should contain, inside there are side pockets that i presume were for some manuals, theyre using it for costumes at the moment but i will get my hands on it along with a Jordanian officers tunic with full insignia, watch this space!!

Let me know if you want a "get-away driver" when you go for it mate!

Ian D

[Adrian Stevenson]

Unofficial modification, possibly done as work wear or by a POW. But the blouse etc is original as is the zipper which is a known wartime maker.

Zips fitted to BD's by serving soldiers are very rare, by not entirely unknown.

Cheers, Ade.