Geriaviator (#10629),
...we go to the Indian tailor for another pair of khaki shorts, I'm engrossed as he sits cross-legged using his toes to sew as well as his hands...
What memories that resurrects ! In every bazaar in the subcontinent, there would be one or more
dherzis, tailors who would run you up a shirt or bush jacket (usually in absorbent khaki cellular material), or a uniform jacket, slacks or shorts (in non-absorbent khaki drill).
Delivery was always "next morning, Sahib" after measurement and order. The tailoring was dirt-cheap, never more than a rupee a garment (about 1/4 in old money, perhaps a jacket (which needs more tailoring) would be two rupees. To this would be added the cost of the cloth.
In wartime, in most larger towns, there would be a RIASC "Officers' Shop", where they would sell high quality khaki drill, 54 inches wide at Rs1 As8 (Rs1½) a yard. From 2½ yards, your
dherzi would make a uniform jacket and slacks. For a jacket (which would have brass buttons) the buttons would not be sewn on but a small hole would be embroidered through which the shank could pass. The button was then secured by a small brass split pin.
Reason: they had to be removed before the jacket went to the laundry
("Dhobi"). Likewise your (cloth) ribbon bar and wings were on little press studs. For the stuff that went to the daily "
dhobi" had to stand rough treatment. Essentially, they were taken down to the river and the dirt and sweat flogged out by the womenfolk on a flat stone under running water. Only the best quality drill ("Elgin Mills" of Ahmehabad was the acknowledged standard) ccould stand up to this for any length of time.
The tropical kit issued to us in UK was rubbish. The fit was lousy, the khaki faded to a dirty yellow after a dhobi or two, the stitching gave way and the hems shredded. The first thing the new arrival did was to chuck this lot away, and get some proper kit tailored by the nearest dherzi.
I digress: armed with your 2½ yards of drill, (Rs3) you took it to the
dherzi and his Victorian heirloom sewing machine, he expertly cut out all the panels and next morning your bearer would lay out a new uniform (total cost Rs4-5, say 7/6). This, of course, was "parade" gear, which you hardly ever wore. Normally you just had an "Aertex" type bush jacket or shirt by day, and drill shorts; after dark it would be long-sleeved shirt or bush jacket and khaki drill slacks (the mossie goes for wrist and ankle).
The airmen's issue kit out there was local Indian purchase, the quality not bad, but the fit "hit and miss". Most people went to the
dherzi.
It weren't 'arf 'ot, Mum !
Danny.
PS: 84 Sqdn had a F/O called "Hartnell". He was a sprig of the Norman Hartnell family, the then Queen's Dressmakers. When this became known, he was "
dherzi" Hartnell for ever after !