RAF Greatcoat

[Coochycool]

Stumbled across this gem recently in a local charity shop. Sadly my photos of it are deemed to be oversize and I am not clever enough to figure out how to compress them. Anyway, just wondered what fellow Pruners would make of it's pedigree?

Made by James Smith & Co. (Derby) Ltd. Size 8.

The former owners ID penned on the name tag is Hart NR, Service No. 68100433. Any ideas?

Cooch

[Self loading bear]

When your photos are on an IPhone:
select from library
Choose show selection at the bottom.
touch true size at the bottom and choose.
Android phones might be similar, no idea.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/591x1280/2faa9692_5840_48aa_ad8b_7ae75e12fe2c_01c8233829a679352eb70c1 818d9422677958d0b.jpeg

[Coochycool]

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x2000/20230923_073257_241bfe2fdab33e51a6fd160771c5dab1b934474b.jpg
Here we go. Thank you SLB

[Quemerford]

Difficult to say: we were using the same version on route-linings into the 1980s but I wouldn't be surprised if ours were WW2 stock. Yours has a NATO Stock Number, so that at least gives a date it's not older than.

[DuncanDoenitz]

To be honest, they were ok,but "great" is a bit of a stretch.

[Krystal n chips]

Ostensibly impervious to water / snow etc, they were remarkably absorbent ....and occupied a lot of space in a bog standard locker.

When they were removed from being issued, rather than inconvenience SCAF with paperwork, and taking up space, I kindly disposed of mine to a student in a "somewhat dubious" pub in Bangor called the Glanrafon....they were a fashion item for a while

The £20 came in useful.

When asked some years later as to where it was when leaving the RAF, I merely said it had been disposed of appropriately and surely the lady asking me was aware SCAF was prone to errors at times.

I got the impression madam wasn't entirely convinced

[stevef]

Apparently the greatcoats were an item of 'public clothing' (or somesuch) and had to be returned on discharge (until the mid-70s at least). As an aside, the raincoats appeared to be designed for heavily-pregnant women.

[Asturias56]

"Ostensibly impervious to water / snow etc, they were remarkably absorbent ."

I can remember a few ex RAF types saying that after a prolonged spell in the rain they weighed a ton

[BEagle]

As a Flt Cdt at RAFC Cranwell, I had an Airman's Pattern greatcoat. Rarely worn, but it was horribly heavy and I loathed the wretched thing. Fortunately I handed it back to stores when I went to university as an APO; whilst there, Officers' greatcoats were removed from the scale of issue for officers.

As for the flasher's mac, someone stole mine at College Hall in 1974. But as aircrew I usually drove everywhere when it was raining, or wore a cold weather jacket, so didn't really miss it.

[Quemerford]

One thing I will say for the greatcoat: when doing parades/practice parades on the square at Halton, they stopped the wind DEAD! If you were out there in a woolly pully you'd get cold: with a greatcoat you felt you could stand there indefinitely.

[rolling20]

As a child back in the 70s I was reading a local newspaper somewhere in East London. I had relatives there and with no day time TV or iPad in those days, I read whatever I came across, as we were expected to be seen and not heard etc.
This would have been 74/75 and in this rag, there was a story about a chap attending a West Ham match and afterwards he nudged someone accidentally in a pub.
The person he nudged, then stabbed this chap in the back.
( a rare event back then)
Apparently the usual, 'sorry mate' and 'that's not good enough' , scenario.
Anyway, the article went on to say that the person stabbed wasn't that badly injured, as he had been wearing his brother's RAF great coat, the brother being home on leave.
It stuck in my mind that an RAF great coat must indeed be made of strong stuff.
I was somewhat disappointed a few years later to be only issued with a service raincoat as I was kitted out for UAS flying.

[Asturias56]

Were you ever stabbed in the back?

[Herod]

Were you ever stabbed in the back?

I think we all were, at some stage. :ouch:

[Asturias56]

:p

too true

[Krystal n chips]

One thing I will say for the greatcoat: when doing parades/practice parades on the square at Halton, they stopped the wind DEAD! If you were out there in a woolly pully you'd get cold: with a greatcoat you felt you could stand there indefinitely.

I always thought that was the sole purpose....with a few aerobics with a rifle and some synchronised walking (plus inane ranting) included to alleviate the boredom

[bobward]

Be honest, who else, when reading the title, rushed to their 'Action Stations' books to find out where RAF Great Coat was.....
After all, we did have North Coates, so it's an excusable mistake for an old person, surely?