SAS Pants?

[cw2311]

Thanks again for the information. I'm a bit perplexed as to value, because pants I'm being told are around 100 GBP but the smock is up there in price just looking at Sterlings site. I tried to find others for comparison, but no such luck. I guess it's simply supply and demand.

Cheers

[fougasse1940]

Originally Posted by cw2311

Then why is this smock often referred to as an “SAS Smock”

Because it is more sexy and sells easier.

Originally Posted by cw2311

Who was this smock initially intended for during the war?

All infantry personnel.

Originally Posted by cw2311

Or is it simply using the letters SAS when selling something, people go cocoa bananas and willing to empty their wallet?

Exactly!

Rgds, Thomas.

[Danny]

Hi,
There are a couple of photos on the IWM site showing windproofs being worn in Italy.

Regards

Danny

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205196762

Men of 2 SAS attend an open-air mass in the Italian town of Cuneo, to celebrate the end of the war in Europe. The SAS troops had spent the previous month assisting partisans behind enemy lines


http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205194967

Three heavily armed members of No 2 SAS Regiment, draped with ammunition belts and each carrying components of a Vickers heavy machine gun, climb a mountain path as they go out on an operation to assist Italian partisans in the Castino area of northern Italy

NA 25407 edit2a.jpg NA 25417 edit.jpg

[fougasse1940]

Correct, but your group photo shows mostly Denison smocks.

Rgds, Thomas.

[wardog]

Link Regards use in Korea. http://theforgottenwar.proboards.com...dom-contingent
I think also shown in the film The Cockleshell Heroes? Regards, Paul.

[SAS1]

They were also issued in huge numbers to cadet forces In the 1950s...

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by SAS1

They were also issued in huge numbers to cadet forces In the 1950s...

And the Junior Tradesmen in the 1960s (but more usefully they were widely issued to all ranks of 52 (Lowland) Mountain Division c 1944 and can be seen worn in images of Operation Infatuate and the Battle of Walcheren in autumn 1944).

[cw2311]

Just came across these pants.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3519398302...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Cheers gents

[Postwarden]

An identical smock with a full length zip was issued as Smocks. Windproof, Nursing Sisters.

Jon

[Monty Cassino]

They did use them in Gulf 1.....quite a lot of old kit in fact.....

[wardog]

Yes, thats the ebay pair I mentioned in post 4. Seller has recently joined the forum I think. regards, Paul.

[HamandJam]

I understand one reason that there are quite a few of these camo trousers available is that they were highly impopular, not worn as they make a lot of noise while walking, not ideal for SF troops.

Cheers
JB

[Colin S]

This type of smock and matching trousers were issued during World War Two and came in different material weights and different materials but followed the same basic cut and pattern. They came in four colours: camouflage, desert sand, olive green and snow white. They were all intended to be worn over battledress and to provide extra camouflage and warmth to infantry operating in wet, cold or mountain conditions. As already pointed out, the SAS used the camouflage version in Italy during World War Two, but the biggest user was infantry units in NW Europe during the winter of 1944-45. They were not a Special Forces item but used because they were useful when the British Army had no other camouflage uniforms, (they may slightly predate the Denison smock). The sand coloured smock was used by the Special Boat Squadron (SAS) in the Mediterranean and Italy theatres in WWII. The winter white smocks (and trousers) were issued during the Ardennes campaign, including to the 6th Airborne Division.

After WWII the British Army continued to use them. There are many photos of the camouflage version being used by the infantry in the first year of the Korean War and in Kenya. 21SAS certainly issued both the smock and trousers when they formed in 1947. The camouflage smock and, to a lesser extent, the plain olive green version were issued to the SAS and RM SBS right up to when DPM was introduced in the late 1960s. These smocks had a unit fitted full length zip, which distinguishes them from the WWII factory product.

The camouflage smock (and wartime Denison smock) was also issued to infantry and artillery units during the 1970s to wear as extra layers under smocks in Northern Ireland or for dirty duties, and some formed the basis of ghillie suits.

The sand coloured smock made it's last appearance when it was issued again in 1990 to the SAS for the first Gulf War. Members of the ill fated Bravo Two Zero patrol wore them, which probably accounts for why they suffered from hypothermia.

The camouflage smock was a coveted item amongst the Airborne Forces in the 1970s and was often worn underneath the Denison smock in NI or in the field, as it implied the wearer had served with the SAS.

The smocks were always more popular than the trousers. The trousers were bulky, looked rubbish, and had no pockets or flies, (with the obvious complications that brings), and they tore easily. The smocks looked good, had pockets and dried quickly (unlike the Denison). This is why the unissued trousers are still turning up today and being touted as SAS items, when it is really the smocks that have some connection to the SAS.

Hope the above is helpful.

[gavin frankland]

The first Gulf war was a cock up. We was issued Dessert clothing a few weeks into it. We still had out greens on throughout most of the conflict. The ww2 smocks was issued but not the trousers.As for the cammo stuff flying around, again most was issued during the Oman war. Zips was put in by the regt tailor so they could be used better on exercises and hunter forces etc. Most of the small sizes you see would have been designed for the women's land army. However there are quite a few pictures knocking about with lads wearing the cammo smocks in France.