Description
Physical description
Single-breasted combat smock of olive green featuring a stand & fall collar collar (with multi-stitched reinforcing), shoulder epaulettes with single button fastening, front closing consisting of a full-length exposed button fly concealing a half-length zipper, two angled breast pockets with button flaps, two pleated skirt pockets with button flaps, reinforced elbows and button cuffs. Internally, there is a drawstring around the waist, two chest pockets and a long, deep pocket running along the rear skirt with a single button fastening. All buttons are of forest green plastic.
Top left pocket button missing, lower left pocket partially detached, hole in left sleeve, damage on right sleeve and heavy soiling on the back. Heavily worn and soiled.
Label
Influenced by the US M-1943 field jacket used in the Second World War, Combat Dress in its British form also adopted the layer principle whereby matching jacket and trousers could be worn in summer, with additional layers added beneath to improve insulation in colder temperatures.
In the first winter of the Korean War of 1950/51 British contingents made do with US supplied winter clothing, and the later 29th Independent Infantry Brigade wore Second World War vintage camouflage windproof to supplement Battledress and woollen jerseys. Under trial during that period was a uniform that was later designated as 1950 pattern Combat Dress and was available in time for the winter of 1951/52. Although not universally issued this was standard clothing for those in theatre, equally granted to soldiers serving in Germany in the Rhine Army in the late 1950s, but for winter wear only. With the termination of National Service in the early 1960s the uniform was reclassified and issued universally to all troops, known as the 1960 pattern Combat Dress, not being replaced until camouflage DPM uniforms were adopted in 1968 (oddly known as '1960 pattern DPM Combat Dress').
Inscription
Too soiled to be discernible.