So far I have:
- Denison Smock (Pattern 2, late war)
- Pattern 37 Belt, braces (suspenders) and utility straps
- (2) Bren mag pouches
- Pattern 37 Water Bottle and web carrier
- Large Pack and L-straps
- Scrim scarf (not actual repro but close)
Wish the pics were better but my camera is a bit wonky tonight.
I've always loved Denison smocks from the old pics I've seen. This is repro from What Price Glory of the Second Pattern (post 1943) style. This would also be late war as the earlier ones were more of a tan base color for the operations in North Africa and the Italian campaign. As the focus shifted to northwestern Europe they switched to an olive base. My webbing is well used but the price was right, some stains here and there but I figure that gear looked pristine for about, oh, 15 minutes once boots were on the ground. I might dye it green to look as if it were blancoed (treated with preservative). The scrim scarf, now known as a sniper veil, was issued to almost all troops and it was a point of pride for Airborne to wear it smartly around the neck.
Note the 'Donkey Tail'. this flap went through your legs and snapped underneath the front to keep the smock from riding up during the jump. The glider troops typically cut this off and it was pretty common for the paratroopers to cut it off later on the ground because it could be annoying, so many surviving issue smocks are missing this.
The Large Pack was typically not worn into combat, they had a smaller haversack for that I don't have yet. Note the position of the water bottle... it is a royal pain in the a$$ to remove from the web carrier! This was the issue location for it, though. I guess they considered feeding the Bren LMG to be more important than a quick sip of water. The L-straps of the pack are designed so that the pack can be worn normally without the webbing or it clips to the braces just above the Bren mags so you can take it all off in one go. The utility straps anchor the L-straps and crisscross over the back of the pack. Soldiers used to carry the helmet or other gear while on the march.
Still needed is the maroon beret w/ badge, Battle Dress pants and shirt, new Pattern 37 gaiters (mine were too small
), ammo boots, some odds and ends and then... the replica. That's going to be the spendy part...
) Just a continent thing, I guess.
