Military Uniforms - UK from WW2 Onwards.

rucjock21 wrote:

Nae he wis gaun oot furra drink wi his pals.

Shouldn't that word be (sounds like) "swelly) ?

I staun corretit we wis gaun oot furra a swally doon tae ra pub.

Hi there,
14/20H were never the smartest dressers, in the 80's particularily on 'sceme' we all looked different. Some had parka's - green or camo, some wore covvies others wore lightweights etc. We even wore doc martins. I joined in 1980 and on gaurd we wore combats DPM, no putties, no belt.
About 1985 we started to look more uniformal, although not much smarter.
About that time the British Army's scruffiest regt. took over from us in Hohne.......the QOH....they even made the Dutch look keen !! lol
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

pinky wrote:

Hi there,
14/20H were never the smartest dressers, in the 80's particularily on 'sceme' we all looked different. Some had parka's - green or camo, some wore covvies others wore lightweights etc. We even wore doc martins. I joined in 1980 and on gaurd we wore combats DPM, no putties, no belt.
About 1985 we started to look more uniformal, although not much smarter.
About that time the British Army's scruffiest regt. took over from us in Hohne.......the QOH....they even made the Dutch look keen !! lol
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

This must be a rare thing, someone who responds with authority ! None taken, Pinky, (Junior regiment !).
Having been demobbed from the Gunners in 1967, I rejoined the army in 1968 having seen a QOH recruiting drive in Birmingham.
QOH wore No2 Dress without belts, they wore shoes not boots, corporals and above wore chain mail on their epaullettes, they were smart !
The Queens Own Hussars suffered from the most inept and inefficient bunch of officers it I ever saw. This filtered down through the ranks.
Suffice it to say that as a corporal in Recce Trp I rebadged to the Gunners in '71.

At the time and place you are talking about Pinky, my son was a REME Nutstrangler with QOH.
Their RSM was a smashing bloke by the way.

pinky wrote:

.the QOH....they even made the Dutch look keen !! lol
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

WHAT !!!!!!!!!!

The cloggies were the scruffiest herberts I have ever clapped eyes on.

They had to stop them marching down to their tank park, which was adjacent to our block at Hohne, near to the main guardroom.

When they used to march past, our lads threw rubbish out the windows at them.

In the 70s they had hair down to their waists, I mean really down to their waist. They all looked like Jethro Tull !

A real scruffy bunch they were.





They also had, reputedly, a trade union.

......like I said even the Dutch would brag they were smarter than the QOH, having said that the QOH I found to be a good bunch and proficient tank soldiers, similar to my Regt in many ways !!
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

Driver, engage reverse.
Driver, advance !

Scruffiest I ever saw, were French army recruits. Dressed in cast offs and drilled behind the barracks so as not to be on show to the public. Talk about a depressed looking lot of drafties. There had been lots of student rioting in Paris. All of a sudden their student deferment was pulled. It was a lovely sight. I know the year was 72 or 73 it was in a German/French base in Southern Germany. Can't remember the name, we were there for a shooting competition against a German Mountain Btn of Signals.

......Bad Riechenhal ???
The German Mountain troops town.
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

pinky wrote:

......Bad Riechenhal ???
The German Mountain troops town.
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

I really don't remember Pinky. But I believe during the war it was the base, where the Russian Liberation Army", headed by the captured Russian General Andrei Vlasov was trained.

PS: The Gebirgsjäger we associated with (Patenschaft) were from Baveria and came up for this shooting competition from there. It was the 7th Coms Btn if I remember correctly. Were given edelvwises to wear on our berets when on parade with them. Still have mine.

There was a Gebirgsjaeger Bn stationed in Fussen in the 60s, they might still be there now. They were Pack Artillery and were equipped with ponies - excellent soldiers. The Bundeswehr also had long hair during the 70s, I recall that they were issued with hairnets. In the mid 80s we did an Exercise with the Danish Army, the majority of whom were Conscripts - for them the war was over at 1800hrs every evening! Suited us. (Bar open)

The Gebirgsjager were the finest mountain troops in the world and the Allies learned from their methods of selection and training which is evident in todays modern armies around the world.The Edelweiss they wear in their hats came from the tops of the mountains they climbed to show their superiors that they had climbed the highest peaks to achieve their climbing tasks given to them.So in effect,the Wehrmacht taught the allies how to be good mountain troops and influenced our own special forces.

Shelldrake wrote:

There was a Gebirgsjaeger Bn stationed in Fussen in the 60s, they might still be there now. They were Pack Artillery and were equipped with ponies - excellent soldiers. The Bundeswehr also had long hair during the 70s, I recall that they were issued with hairnets. In the mid 80s we did an Exercise with the Danish Army, the majority of whom were Conscripts - for them the war was over at 1800hrs every evening! Suited us. (Bar open)

Yes, I remember the Bundeswehr being allowed long hair and beards.
Apparently they had wear a hairnet when in uniform.

Speaking of the Danes. While in Cyprus any visit to HQ UNFICYP had us on the edge of our seats in anticipation. Each of the countries represented at HQ took a turn manning the main gate. I remember, at one end of the scale, the R Sigs, resplendent in stiffly starched shirts, and KD shorts, boots and hose tops. They even had those bits of ribbon hanging from the top of their socks (what WERE they called ?), in the corps colours. Poor buggers.
In direct contrast ,the Danes wore a US pattern, chrome plated, helmet, sunglasses, straggly beard, shirt with the sleeves half rolled up, crumpled shorts and flip flops.
Between the two extremes, other counties were in various forms of dress but the Danes took the prize !

They even had those bits of ribbon hanging from the top of their socks (what WERE they called ?), in the corps colours. Poor buggers.


[/quote]



They were called "Hosetops" my old Long Range sniper friend - the Gunners also wore them in warmer climes.

Shelldrake wrote:

They even had those bits of ribbon hanging from the top of their socks (what WERE they called ?), in the corps colours. Poor buggers.

They were called "Hosetops" my old Long Range sniper friend - the Gunners also wore them in warmer climes.[/quote]

Well thanks for that, in my ignorance I thought the sock bit was the hosetop.
(Never actually having worn them).

They were called garter flashes,and they were in the corps colours..footwear: grey wooly socks,navy hosetops mit flashes, boots, and putees.no wonder we had rotten feet

On top :heavily starched OG shirt and shorts.or trousers depending on time of day.
Shirt had brass titles, lanyard ,air formation shoulder flashes, trade badges and chevrons.

Walking Christmas trees,,,,,as the RAF called us.

Gunners called them Hosetops, we would NEVER wear garters! sniff.

Hi there,
My amalgamated regt. The Kings Royal Hussars had a bit of an affiliation with the mountain troops between 1993 - 2000......in 1993 we sent a small team to the annual mountain run competition and we did quite well for 'fat' tankies, they were so impressed that we were invited back for more than just the run.........BBQ's, piss ups and adventure training etc.
Great times.....hated the run though !!
atb
pinky
HUSSAR

ps. When do I get promoted ???

i remember in the scouts and cubs they wore those funny fings in their socks , ginger

Shelldrake wrote:

There was a Gebirgsjaeger Bn stationed in Fussen in the 60s, they might still be there now. They were Pack Artillery and were equipped with ponies - excellent soldiers. The Bundeswehr also had long hair during the 70s, I recall that they were issued with hairnets. In the mid 80s we did an Exercise with the Danish Army, the majority of whom were Conscripts - for them the war was over at 1800hrs every evening! Suited us. (Bar open)

Gebirgsjaeger troops based at Strub kaserne , Berchtesgaden, when I was there.

They bloody hammered us at footie !

I don't recall Bundeswehr having long hair though in the 70s. Cloggies certainly did, but not the Germans.

The German Hair Force!


www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-german-hair-force-a-failed-experiment-in-military-manes-a-744992.html

pinky wrote:

ps. When do I get promoted ???

Sorry Pinky, I can only assume that because your chosen domicile is Canada you haven't been keeping up to speed with events in the UK. Due to the amount of immigrants to our country it has been deemed financially necessary to reduce our armed forces by 20,000, although you have not been selected for compulsory redundancy this time you have not been selected for promotion either but your case will be reviewed, by the General Staff, from time to time and you will be informed, in writing by FM Gordon (Late R Scaleys), of any change in policy.

Shelldrake wrote:

The German Hair Force!


www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-german-hair-force-a-failed-experiment-in-military-manes-a-744992.html

Well discovered Sir !

While you're on a roll, can you come up with anything that covers another German experiment-porn on national TV , followed by a referendum ?
This would've been 70/71, just about the time we arrived in Hohne.
Nobody seems to remember it.

Should be when you reach 150 posts...Did you pass your WOSB??Perhaps you are using the wrong cutlery or scratching your arse while dining.
I will pass your complaint to Brum as this does not warrant the attention of one holding my rank.

Bloody cheek...