1st pattern BW moleskin tunic found in Spain !

[oradour]

Gentlemen, having just returned from a two week holiday in Spain, I show a first pattern "Moleskin" jacket I found in a second hand clothes shop in the city of Granada, Andalucia in Southern Spain.
Bought for 15 Euro, a bargain as these jackets are very rare to obtain now a days......
The moleskin uniform was used in the BW from its inception in 1963 through to its final pattern in the late 1990's...in this period four patterns were issued, this piece is the first, being identified by its reinforcement/support tapes extending up both sides of the jacket up and onto the pockets, all other patterns with such tapes (2nd & 3rd pattern) stopped short of the pocket....infact the 4th pattern had none of these tapes.......the tunic was designed to be worn normally as a jacket or could be tucked in to the trousers and worn shirt style, the tapes had three open areas where an internal belt inside the waist band of the trouser could be threaded through to keep the shirt/jacket from riding up. The 3 exposed buttons which later went down to 2 then 1, on the front of the jacket were for the attachment of a torch. The 1st pattern (and possibly the 2nd) had no top button and was fastened from under the collar by way of a separate strip of cloth (as on the Filzlouse tunic).
This example looks to be unissued and is in mint condition, the makers tag shows it to be made in July of 1963, one of the first batches.........the national flags on each shoulder did not originally come on the 1st pattern and like the early Parka/Anoraks were often added later.
The shop also had a number of mint BW Parkas with the removable linings at 35 Euros, but my baggage allowance was small, so I shall return in September and buy one........hope they have some left !
Prost ! Steve.

[Gunny Hartmann]

Great jacket, they are very tough and hard wearing, i used to wear one when when i worked in a timber yard in the early 80s!...

[bigmacglenn]

These were popular with young people in the 1980s...the pants were big sellers as well...I wore one in school and later at work as well...quite durable!
cheers, Glenn