Military Uniforms - UK from WW2 Onwards.

Yes, I remember the sandwich bar too, all the fillings were listed on a big board on the back wall.
I was there in '69, nothing changed much in the intervening years !

Shelldrake wrote:

Kieler sprotten believe or not when I was on Honest John they had electric blankets!

Bloody regiment went to the dogs after the Great Exodus of '64 !

Quote :

didn't want to labour the point too much but it was the BBCs coverage of the funeral, in Manchester, of the first of the two policewomen that were killed.
It may well have been the local programme, "North West Tonight" Gordon

Just caught a glimpse of what could be your man on on ITV news at 6...RAF flag,but could not see the badge.

[quote="Shelldrake"]

pete26 wrote:

And really have fancied wearing a bowler at remembrance sunday parades.

Shelldrake wrote:

How very dare you, Officers Only dontchaknow? sniff

Ah, but that's the point Shelldrake.

I'm not in the Army anymore, so not bound by 'their rules'.

Those hideous raincoats and those hideous shoes that we never ever wore.At least with the Jock regiments we had decent uniforms and brogues.Except those hairy kilts which were a bu**er to iron.

Battle Dress, boots and putties. I still have eczema caused by those darn things. All 100% wool uniforms, jacket over lapped the high trouser top, super warm dress in winter and not a bad looking one when properly turned out. 37 web belt with regimental buckle no strap buckles on the back. It went out of wear in 69. I was asked for my 37 web belt at the QM on retirement in 82. Not a chance, also my dog tags went with me to. Went to see an older English Doctor in 84 for eczema treatment, when I mentioned putties he went, " My God man your to young for putties!" He was Indian Army way back when. Had to explain to him that our putties were only ankle high and part of our dress instill 66 ( all though I think we kept wearing them for a bit longer in Germany). Fox putties, made in the UK 100% wool, officers/RSM only. But the odd guy would get away wearing them. Spiffies to hold the collar down. Bird cages (purchased at Maple Leaf Services) to shape our bush hats. Weights for hold down the trousers over the putties. Church Key (Bottle opener) on the end of your lanyard. Forms square to square off your large pack, small pack and ammo pouches. Lots of blanco for the last mentioned items. Button stick (still have one). Heavy duty starch for summer bush on CO's parade. Ahh the pleasant memories of it all. Glad it's done and over with. The pension cheque makes up for some of it.

Hey!!! When did I get promoted to Maj. Gen. ?

Drinks all around and put it on my aid-de-camp's bar bill.

Hardrations wrote:

Battle Dress, boots and putties. I still have eczema caused by those darn things. All 100% wool uniforms, jacket over lapped the high trouser top, super warm dress in winter and not a bad looking one when properly turned out. 37 web belt with regimental buckle no strap buckles on the back. It went out of wear in 69. I was asked for my 37 web belt at the QM on retirement in 82. Not a chance, also my dog tags went with me to. Went to see an older English Doctor in 84 for eczema treatment, when I mentioned putties he went, " My God man your to young for putties!" He was Indian Army way back when. Had to explain to him that our putties were only ankle high and part of our dress instill 66 ( all though I think we kept wearing them for a bit longer in Germany). Fox putties, made in the UK 100% wool, officers/RSM only. But the odd guy would get away wearing them. Spiffies to hold the collar down. Bird cages (purchased at Maple Leaf Services) to shape our bush hats. Weights for hold down the trousers over the putties. Church Key (Bottle opener) on the end of your lanyard. Forms square to square off your large pack, small pack and ammo pouches. Lots of blanco for the last mentioned items. Button stick (still have one). Heavy duty starch for summer bush on CO's parade. Ahh the pleasant memories of it all. Glad it's done and over with. The pension cheque makes up for some of it.

Jeeeze Hardrations !

Puttees,
eczema
Spiffies
Instill 66
Bird cages
Weights
Church key
Forms square

You had to PAY for all that shit ?

No longer will I feel that we Brits were hard done by. (Even if I have no idea what most of the aforementioned was !).

Yeah the very first lesson I had in military 101 was how to properly wrap the putties on and around. Every thing else fell into place from there on.

rucjock21 wrote:

Those hideous raincoats and those hideous shoes that we never ever wore.At least with the Jock regiments we had decent uniforms and brogues.Except those hairy kilts which were a bu**er to iron.

I remember being briefly based at Drip Bridge camp , Stirling, in about March/April 1973 IIRC.

A big convoy of your lads arrived back directly from an Ulster tour. Looked as though it had been a rough one too.

Always liked the Argyles uniform and head-dress.

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putties. I still have eczema caused by those darn things

I have a touch of that on my ankle...Must go and find an ambulance chasing lawer..Who knows the MOD might owe me a small fortune...

pete26 wrote:

rucjock21 wrote:

Those hideous raincoats and those hideous shoes that we never ever wore.At least with the Jock regiments we had decent uniforms and brogues.Except those hairy kilts which were a bu**er to iron.

I remember being briefly based at Drip Bridge camp , Stirling, in about March/April 1973 IIRC.

A big convoy of your lads arrived back directly from an Ulster tour. Looked as though it had been a rough one too.

Always liked the Argyles uniform and head-dress.

Sadly Pete the Argylls headdress no longer exists in the British Army.The Labour party decided to call the whole of the regiments in Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland and they changed the uniforms totally.They all wear the same uniforms and kilts obviously to save money.They took small bits of each regiments uniform and amalgamated it into one uniform.The only people that wear the Argyll's diced glengarry's are the veterans when they attend functions or funerals of former colleagues.As for Drip Rd Camp Pete,it no longer exists.They pulled it down and most probably will build on it.In the latest round of defence cuts, those sad gits at the Ministry of Disasters (MOD) decided to reduce the Argyll's to company strength in order to carry out stupid public duties at Edinburgh Castle and any other dirty jobs that the MOD can come up with.

rucjock21 wrote:

pete26 wrote:

rucjock21 wrote:

Those hideous raincoats and those hideous shoes that we never ever wore.At least with the Jock regiments we had decent uniforms and brogues.Except those hairy kilts which were a bu**er to iron.

I remember being briefly based at Drip Bridge camp , Stirling, in about March/April 1973 IIRC.

A big convoy of your lads arrived back directly from an Ulster tour. Looked as though it had been a rough one too.

Always liked the Argyles uniform and head-dress.

Sadly Pete the Argylls headdress no longer exists in the British Army.The Labour party decided to call the whole of the regiments in Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland and they changed the uniforms totally.They all wear the same uniforms and kilts obviously to save money.They took small bits of each regiments uniform and amalgamated it into one uniform.The only people that wear the Argyll's diced glengarry's are the veterans when they attend functions or funerals of former colleagues.As for Drip Rd Camp Pete,it no longer exists.They pulled it down and most probably will build on it.In the latest round of defence cuts, those sad gits at the Ministry of Disasters (MOD) decided to reduce the Argyll's to company strength in order to carry out stupid public duties at Edinburgh Castle and any other dirty jobs that the MOD can come up with.

Sounds about right, unfortunately.

One nightmare we had when based at Drip Bridge was, 'last orders' then in Stirling was 9.30pm !!!!!

And on Sundays we had to find an hotel for a drink, such as the Dunblane Hydro.

Hardrations wrote:

Battle Dress, boots and putties. I still have eczema caused by those darn things. All 100% wool uniforms, jacket over lapped the high trouser top, super warm dress in winter and not a bad looking one when properly turned out. 37 web belt with regimental buckle no strap buckles on the back. It went out of wear in 69. I was asked for my 37 web belt at the QM on retirement in 82. Not a chance, also my dog tags went with me to. Went to see an older English Doctor in 84 for eczema treatment, when I mentioned putties he went, " My God man your to young for putties!" He was Indian Army way back when. Had to explain to him that our putties were only ankle high and part of our dress instill 66 ( all though I think we kept wearing them for a bit longer in Germany). Fox putties, made in the UK 100% wool, officers/RSM only. But the odd guy would get away wearing them. Spiffies to hold the collar down. Bird cages (purchased at Maple Leaf Services) to shape our bush hats. Weights for hold down the trousers over the putties. Church Key (Bottle opener) on the end of your lanyard. Forms square to square off your large pack, small pack and ammo pouches. Lots of blanco for the last mentioned items. Button stick (still have one). Heavy duty starch for summer bush on CO's parade. Ahh the pleasant memories of it all. Glad it's done and over with. The pension cheque makes up for some of it.

I had puttees when I was still in BAOR in mid 1976. I wasn't the only one.

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And on Sundays we had to find an hotel for a drink, such as the Dunblane Hydro.

Giving your age away pete.

You had to be a bona fide traveller to get a drink on a Sunday.

Gordon. wrote:

Quote :

And on Sundays we had to find an hotel for a drink, such as the Dunblane Hydro.

Giving your age away pete.

You had to be a bona fide traveller to get a drink on a Sunday.

That is going back a bit. I remember the First Bell at 2150 and then the second at 2200 at which point you had 10 mins to drink up and fill your pockets with glasses if you were getting a Kerrie Oot!

pete26 wrote:

I had puttees when I was still in BAOR in mid 1976. I wasn't the only one.

We were still wearing them in '86 when I left, I think Boots High, Combat came out around 87/88.

pete26 wrote:

I had puttees when I was still in BAOR in mid 1976. I wasn't the only one.

Same here. We got them for our first NI tour in '72 and they were adopted as part of our working dress from then on.

I rather liked the Gloves NI that were introduced around 1976, proper black leather.

Shelldrake wrote:

I rather liked the Gloves NI that were introduced around 1976, proper black leather.

Those gloves were the one's that we had to buy ourselves for skiing in Germany, and took them over with us in 74.

I think the MOD then decided to issue them from about 76 onwards.

The gray worsted socks made.... ahem. ... grand w**k rags.........

Ref the time being called at 21.50 and the pubs closing at 22.00 in Scotland way back then.The reason the drinking laws were such was, the Church of Scotland had a great influence with the Scottish politicians hence the draconian measures to keep us all in check.The way things are going in Scotland at the moment and the issue of 'Independence' we seem to be going backwards into similar measures starting with the price on alcohol by the dictator Alex Salmond.I do not support the measures his government are trying to introduce and I sincerely hope that he is voted out at the next election.But I also fear that Labour will make a hell of a mess of things when I heard that wee wummin Johan Lamont speaking at their conference.God help us.

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that wee wummin Johan Lamont

Not to be confused with my wee wummin...With you 100% Rab

I say !

This Nesbitt avatar, bit wimpy isn't it ?

He's all clean and politically correct looking.

Did this happen when Glasgow was European city of culture ?

Nae he wis gaun oot furra drink wi his pals.