British Army kit list 1982

[Paul Spellman]

With regard to the webbing your choice could be marching (cemo) or fighting (cefo) order, if marching I would go for a para bergen as Marc says.
What should also be remembered is that many soldiers would modify their webbing to their own personal taste and around the Falklands period a mix of 44 and 58 pattern would not be unusual.
Even after the introduction of later patterns modifications continued, Chest pouches being a favourite.
Gucci Kit (a term commonly used) did not end with just webbing, boots and other items to improve comfort would also be privately purchased for use on exercise or ops, this was generally tolerated but you would get the odd unit that didn't.
Paul

[wardog]

I was issued a parka and bought an arctic smock and scrounged arctic trousers -all of these to be worn over a quilted suit (mau suit?) Aircrew inner fleece flying suit also good and had these at the dog section at Lyneham. Arctic smock and trousers very prone to ripping on barbed wire. As a dog section in Germany we managed to buy new German para boots in the mid 1980s. Attached a kit image from the monthly magazine The Falklands War-Marshal Cavendish.
Falklands Kit.jpg

[wardog]

There was also reversible green/ white waterproofs worn I think in the Falklands. I had a surplus 'new' jacket at one time-seam tape soon pealed off- don't know if that was a common problem. Regards, Paul.

[Marcus H]

Originally Posted by wardog

I was issued a parka and bought an arctic smock and scrounged arctic trousers -all of these to be worn over a quilted suit (mau suit?) Aircrew inner fleece flying suit also good and had these at the dog section at Lyneham. Arctic smock and trousers very prone to ripping on barbed wire. As a dog section in Germany we managed to buy new German para boots in the mid 1980s. Attached a kit image from the monthly magazine The Falklands War-Marshal Cavendish.
Attachment 155685

Hi Paul,

There are in fact pictures with that ECW gear in use during the Falklands War - it's what I knew as the "Chinese fighting jacket/trousers."


Best,

Marcus

[wardog]

Thanks Marcus. Just found this interesting Argentinian site. Regards, Paul. http://www.militariarg.com/task-force.html

[NEMO]

Originally Posted by New Collector

This is the so-called 'SAS' smock I was issued with in the late seventies. No rank tab, no FFD pocket and no wired hood found on the later Smock, Windproof, Arctic. Four bellows pockets, one pen pocket, interior pocket and poachers pockets.

The ventile material was less bright than that used in the Arctic Smock; the buttons tended to fade to a grey green as can be seen in the photo of me wearing it back in the halcyon days of youth.

I do have a DPM Para Smock somewhere. Do PM if you're interested and I'll try and find it for you.

Best

David

Attachment 155674

Attachment 155673

Attachment 155672

Yep agreed , the buttons did fade and your picture shows exactly what i mean about the more ` yellow ochre` colour in the D.P.M

With respect , I dont think the sas smock was made from ventile , the ventile smock was a private produced item made by Survival Aids in Penrith , Cumbria ( remember them ?) they also reproduced the S.A.S escape / evasion pouch and twin mag drop pouch I believe a webbing expert can spot differences in survival aids manufactured items and webbing sourced at unit level .

A few other items :

The marines had there own issue bergan think its was called ` bergan - ski / marching ` designed with the sleeping bag to sit out side at the base carrying capacity was not great and they still had the old loop n thread buckles black plastic fastex had i think yet to be invented .....

Reversible GREEN / WHITE waterproof .


The early generation D.P.M water proofs made from nylon known as ` crisp packets` because they make a lot of noise , not the later P.V.C examples I think they were on issue for the conflict.

24 hour `arctic` rations were issued to sum units , these were different to the normal 24 hour pack as they were designed to be used in areas where there is loads of snow .ie water to re hydrate food they had no tins just packets and for sum reason a wooden lolipop stick ! im told this was a genuine decision by a member of the M.O.D to send arctic rations to the Conflict - only there was no snow ....

Some units individual Marines and a few officers wore wax cotton jackets like the Belstaff town and country , dalesman etc four pocket zip front , im told by collectors this is bollocks BUT if you study pictures from the time you can spot them been worn , they did not russle and were very water proof the habit started in the late 1970`s on patrol in Armagh.

The cotton head over had just come on issue and can be seen been worn .


Most of 5 BRIGADE were issued Karrimor ` jaguar` bergans you can see these clearly as the troops are going up the gang planks at the start of the operation - apparently several four tonner trucks drove down to Karrimors warehouse and cleared them out in a night .


WW.2 DENISON SMOCK WERE WORN !!!! I will argue this till the end of time - period pictures do not lie

The dark brown canvas twin bren pouch pouch from WW.2 was also worn my Marine L.M.G gunners as were the U.S aircrew survival vests were worn by special forces and the 1972 combat rig ( not the trial butyle nylon webbing combat set ) two large front pouches and a mesh back , these are near impossible to find now - if you want one and see one for sale make sure its not one of the re runs made by Silvermans years later , a nice item but not original

[NEMO]

As a follow up to Kens point regarding C.E.FO / or C.EM.O. equipment , after a couple or so nights been caught out in terrible weather separated from their bergens One of the Commando units revised this and introduced

` heavy fighting order`
webbing ,ammo,rations/water with sleeping bag and poncho attached , not sure if the whole brigade did this but it was quite wide spread