Officer's Greatcoats
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Wader2 - Thanks, just been on the dress regs pages and found the one, she looks better in mine............ , we have our own home imposed dress regs regarding undergarments, I will let you know if they need amending.
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Wrong on two counts.
Officers do not get issues of kit except for a new item like the wooly pulley.
You are allowed to wear out old kit before replacement. It is only when a particular uniform is ordered that you need the latest kit. Why else are RAF officers noted for their sartorial variance?
There used to be a barathea cloth battle dress. The powers that be decreed the battledress to be obsolete but allowed it to be worn. The military tailors were quite happy to continue making them for a couple of years after the stop date. The alternative, at that time, was a second number 1. Mind you lots of people did have a working No 1.
Later, as an economy measure I guess, they issued a zut suit battle dress, similar to the V-force suit but possibly better quality. In this case they issued a definite stop wearing date but then issued a wooly pulley to everyone.
Now why have we had at least 3 styles of wooly pulley? Round neck, V-neck (much admired by dark blue) and back to round? Nothing to do with the fact that each style was a free-issue?
So, wear your greatcoat with pride, just don't wear it with a green grow bag on a bike.
Red On, Green On
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Now why have we had at least 3 styles of wooly pulley? Round neck, V-neck (much admired by dark blue) and back to round? Nothing to do with the fact that each style was a free-issue?
We used to call it "Greatcoats on, Greatcoats off"
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Wrong!
Stable belts are not issued.
'Chip hats' are not issued.
Those natty leather flying jackets all the FJ types seem to like are not issued.
There are many items of 'optional dress' that can be worn that are not issued but as the name suggests can be worn as an option, paid for out of private funds rather than the public purse.
Although I don't have a copy of AP1358 to hand (unusual I know) I do believe that 'greatcoats' can still be worn with either No.1 or No.2 dress by officers and only with No.1 dress by OR's. I still have a greatcoat poked away somewhere, issued for a parade long since fallen out, but of course its an OR pattern one.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Thread Starter
Thanks for the help guys. I should have probably realised before I hit send that this would probably open me up to a bit of p1ss taking, but what the hell, I still want one - a great coat that is!
I do realise that they are rather impractical, but I have always wanted one so figured why not. If nothing else, as has been aluded to already, I would rather like to be met on the station platform by Mrs M wearing it!
So to all of those quoting dress regs and telling me I can't wear old kit, thank you, advice duly noted. However ......!
Time Flies - thanks for the offer, however, I am what is colloquially known in these parts as a 'short arse' and could probably us yours as a bivvi bag!
I may well try Cranditz and see if they have any in old stock that they are looking at getting rid of.
By the way, whilst I have heard of Torchwood, who the hell is this Capt Jack character?
I do realise that they are rather impractical, but I have always wanted one so figured why not. If nothing else, as has been aluded to already, I would rather like to be met on the station platform by Mrs M wearing it!
So to all of those quoting dress regs and telling me I can't wear old kit, thank you, advice duly noted. However ......!
Time Flies - thanks for the offer, however, I am what is colloquially known in these parts as a 'short arse' and could probably us yours as a bivvi bag!
I may well try Cranditz and see if they have any in old stock that they are looking at getting rid of.
By the way, whilst I have heard of Torchwood, who the hell is this Capt Jack character?
Join Date: Apr 2005
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I didn't realise the SHQ at Halton was that old.
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Question from the Dark Blue. Our Coats do not have belts, just a back strap. ("Mine" is in the ceremonial stores at Excellent, drawn when needed.) Captain (or should that be Grp Capt) Jack's has a belt. The Chaps in the photo do not have belts. Were there two styles or is Torchwood uniform different from the RAF.
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I believe ORs had belts and would remove and wear white for ceremonial. Officers have the back belt as you describe. Officers also had turned back cuffs too, very smart indeed.
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I must admit I was pretty dismayed, when researching costume for a film production recently, to find that the greatcoat was no longer current. This is probably all down to having been brought up on world war 2 movies and gaining the unassailable impression that all military people wear big impressive coats, but also because it helps avoid the whole leather jacket/Top Gun style impression I was trying so hard not to give.
So, it's rather nice to discover that my character could probably wear a greatcoat if she could get her hands on one.
Marvellous. I'll now go back to scouring the vintage clothing stores for a WW2 era German dispatch rider's coat, which has got to be one of the all time great pieces of outerwear. Unfortunately, very few WW2 era German dispatch riders were as tall as me...
- Phil
So, it's rather nice to discover that my character could probably wear a greatcoat if she could get her hands on one.
Marvellous. I'll now go back to scouring the vintage clothing stores for a WW2 era German dispatch rider's coat, which has got to be one of the all time great pieces of outerwear. Unfortunately, very few WW2 era German dispatch riders were as tall as me...
- Phil
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I've got and RAF Officers greatcoat that I no longer need now that I'm a civvie- I'll check the size etc. when I get a chance. It's big-ish as I'm 6ft tall and it was designed for someone of average/larger build (42-44 chest I seem to recall).
Make me an offer.
Make me an offer.
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Finally retrieved it.
No sizes on it but I am six feet tall and take a 44" chest in jackets etc.
It's in good nick, has Flt Lt insignia and Queens buttons.
The coat was made by "R. E. City, of London (8 branches)" using cloth by "Crombie of Aberdeen, to Air Ministry standard".
What's it worth then chaps?
No sizes on it but I am six feet tall and take a 44" chest in jackets etc.
It's in good nick, has Flt Lt insignia and Queens buttons.
The coat was made by "R. E. City, of London (8 branches)" using cloth by "Crombie of Aberdeen, to Air Ministry standard".
What's it worth then chaps?
Those greatcoats were excellent in cold weather (but as for those 'pregnant women' airman's raincoats when I was a hairy No 2 BD-wearer...) The only bit of kit I had to hand back in again when I left except for my webbing.
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here's a couple posted on ebay .....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Raf-Officer-Gr...em220067118567
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-Officers-C...em120069849917
I wonder if joan1833 is newt's old girlfriend? .....
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Raf-Officer-Gr...em220067118567
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-Officers-C...em120069849917
I wonder if joan1833 is newt's old girlfriend? .....
Last edited by hobie; 1st Jan 2007 at 15:22.