Uniform ID Special Forces?

Discussion in 'Special Forces' started by nemesis, Jun 10, 2009.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I suspect the abbreviation will be (something) of Signals. Has he got a OBE or anything like that after his name?

    I can only think of Yeoman of Sigmals, Foreman of Sigs (Normally a WOII rank) and Master of Signals normally a General.....I'm still thinking :unsure:
     
  2. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

  3. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    I suspect the abbreviation will be (something) of Signals. Has he got a OBE or anything like that after his name?

    I can only think of Yeoman of Sigmals, Foreman of Sigs (Normally a WOII rank) and Master of Signals normally a General.....I'm still thinking :unsure:
    see attached drew
     
  4. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    If they are Denisons (someone who actually knows what they're talking about on uniforms will hopefully offer better suggestions) didn't they get used until pretty late C.20th?
    If so then I suppose they're not much use as an indicator of date



    What? :huh:
    Did people look different suddenly after 1945?

    Denison smocks were used right up to the late 1970s so are not terribly useful for dating purposes. However, the later patterns of Denison smocks had woven, woollen cuffs which I don't think these two have. IMHO, there is definately a few years between the two photos (?8-10) or a very nasty war....

    Edit: useful history of Denison smocks etc here:
    Royal Volunteer Regt: 22/03/2009

    H
     
  5. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    the colonels name might be Jackson
     
  6. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I maybe an idea to try and date the type of poles, ski's and bindings too. I wonder if that style was used during the war?

    I suspect looking at the difference in facial features the skiing one maybe post war.

    The Artic Warfare Sqn I was thinking off was 249 and they weren't formed until the 70's regarding the Artic Role.

    I found this Finnish photo of Ski Troops and the ski stick is a similar pattern and so perhaps the photo is a wartime one.

    [​IMG]

    Regards
    Tom
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Can anyone ID the uniforms worn here and era? The man on the right was a Royal Signals Soldier[​IMG]

    I love the internet !

    With a bit of help from Nemesis I've found the location to be Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy.

    Here's the Tower in the town below:
    [​IMG]
    Looking at both pictures I's say he was of to the left of the modern picture


    It is however 150 miles from Trieste so I'm still unsure if it was taken when he was with 6 Div in Italy.
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I wonder if it was a sort of R+R Ski Resort for squaddies?

    What I do recall is that it was from here that I had the opportunity to visit Venice and, most memorably, to have my first lessons in skiing during a weeks leave at Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites. This was a wonderful experience and it is a matter of lasting regret that I didn’t follow it up by further winter holidays after the War.


    BBC - WW2 People's War - What Did You Do In The War Daddy -Part 12 (Chapter 12)
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  10. DannyM

    DannyM Member

    Hi,
    The uniform are "Windproofs". Issued to a variety of troops, not just Special Forces type units, from Europe to the Mediterranean during the war. Carried on being worn right up until the 1970's by some troops.

    Also known as "SAS Windproofs" as they were used by the SAS over a long period of time.

    A lot of these uniforms were also supplied to the French in Indochina after the war. They used the standard uniform and a variety of altered smocks.

    Your EBay link has some good photos of it.

    Regards

    Danny
     
  11. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    I love the internet !

    With a bit of help from Nemesis I've found the location to be Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy.

    Here's the Tower in the town below:
    [​IMG]
    Looking at both pictures I's say he was of to the left of the modern picture


    It is however 150 miles from Trieste so I'm still unsure if it was taken when he was with 6 Div in Italy.
    Outstanding Andy , it just shows that anythings possible on the net. I wonder if he was Special Forces
    regards
    max
     
  12. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I wonder if it was a sort of R+R Ski Resort for squaddies?


    The Dolomites were indeed used for R & R after the war , as my wife's Grandad was based in Mestre near Venice (with Royal Signals) & had a whole load of photos taken up there.
    Though they are of a hiking trip as opposed to ski-ing.
     
  13. MyOldDad

    MyOldDad Senior Member

    Denison smocks were used right up to the late 1970s so are not terribly useful for dating purposes. However, the later patterns of Denison smocks had woven, woollen cuffs which I don't think these two have. IMHO, there is definately a few years between the two photos (?8-10) or a very nasty war....

    Edit: useful history of Denison smocks etc here:
    Royal Volunteer Regt: 22/03/2009

    H

    For some they never went away!

    [​IMG]

    Tom.
     
  14. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Outstanding Andy , it just shows that anythings possible on the net. I wonder if he was Special Forces
    regards
    max

    No Probs mate, was glad to help.

    I suspect from a few of the previous posts that the clothing is a job lot at that location for squaddies to use whilst having a bit of rest and recuperation on the slopes.

    I suspect the next bit to look at is Malaya-Got any info on that or WW2 for that matter ?

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  15. Capt.Sensible

    Capt.Sensible Well-Known Member

    For some they never went away!

    [​IMG]

    Tom.

    That smock is probably worth a few quid. The bloke wearing it - do you think he passed P Company?;)
     
  16. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    Thanks for the 'heads up' Adam.

    Not a Denison in my opinion, and I have certainly never seen similar pattered trousers. There was a camouflaged one piece tank suit issued during WW2.

    [​IMG]
    from 'Tommy Vol.1, uniforms, weapons and equipment of the airborne forces' by David Gordon

    However it is obviously not that.

    Ian Sadler of IPMS has the best description of the Windproof Smock that I have seen.. Now for the last Figure the one wearing the Smock, this has over time built up more myths than any other uniform item ever worn by British troops since it introduction in 1941. It has erroneously been called The SAS Smock. Let me state here and now at no time has it ever had a label with the words SAS in the title. In cronical order of manufacture, it is titled "Smock Windproof Drab", "Smock Windproof Snow Suit Green Denim", "Smock Windproof Snow Suit White light or heavy", "Smock Windproof Camouflage" and lastly the rarest one "Smock Windproof Jungle Camouflage".

    It was first used by the LRDG first and then by the SAS in the desert, this was the drab version, a light buff colour of which there are two variations in colour. One has a very tiny brown fleck in the pattern so tiny it would be impossible to paint it in.
    Next is the Green Denim Snow suit version, this was used by the British Mountain troops, Army Commandoes, Airborne, Glider Pilots for summer training in the highlands of Scotland, when there was no snow on the ground.
    Next is the Snow Suit this was made in two weights of material a light cotton and heavy cotton, for use in Snowy conditions and in general issue from Oct 1944 if supplies arrived in time. Also supplied to the Americans and used by them, in many photographs it is wrongly captioned at US Stocks.

    Next we come to the Smock Camouflage; this was issued to SAS, Marines mainly the SBS. Here comes the shock also Female troopsユ manning the AA defences in the UK. Also ATS drivers and some female dispatch riders obtained them.
    I have also seen them being used by Regular Officers in the field in Normandy in August / September 1944.

    Post war use of the smock it was on general issue in the days of UK National Service.
    It was issued to British troops in Kenya in the mid 1960's
    Again the French used it in Indo China; they inserted a full length zip in it.
    It was and is still used by the SBS and to a lesser degree the SAS in the Buff and Camouflage versions. Recent photos on TV have shown it still in use, whether these are old stock or private purchases of recent copies I have no way of knowing.
    The above named smocks are identical in cut and style and are made to the same pattern. It is only the colour or camouflage or weights of cloth that makes them different and of course the labels.
    Any faults or omissions are mine and mine alone. This is intend only as a starting point for further research for others to carry out for the individual figure the may wish to convert.

    Taken from this figure review.
     
    von Poop likes this.
  17. nemesis

    nemesis Senior Member

    No Probs mate, was glad to help.

    I suspect from a few of the previous posts that the clothing is a job lot at that location for squaddies to use whilst having a bit of rest and recuperation on the slopes.

    I suspect the next bit to look at is Malaya-Got any info on that or WW2 for that matter ?

    Cheers
    Andy

    Nil on Palestine or Malaya just now
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Found an article on the smock in British Army Uniforms & Insignia of WW2

    [​IMG]
     

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