First/Early Pattern Denison Smock

The smock is made fromloose-fitting, yellowish-sand coloured, heavyweight twill material. The colours of the 1st pattern smock were thought to best suit the wearer to the North African and Italian theatres. It has a half length zip fastener made of steel, knitted woollen cuffs, four external pockets that secured with brass snaps (two on the chest and two below the waist), two internal pockets on the chest, and epaulettes that secured with iylet battle dress buttons. The inside of the collar is lined with khaki Angora wool. A fastened beneath the crotch from the back to the front of the smock - which kept it from riding up during a parachute descent. When not used, the tail would hang down behind the wearer's knees, hence the nickname "men with tails". The smock was styled as a very loose garment, since it would be worn over battledress. In the early smocks the colours were meant to be impermanent and wash out, leaving the garment looking like a typical French artisan or labourers and thus, hopefully, aiding the wearer's Escape and Evasion chances. As the newly formed Airborne Forces expanded, so the need for smocks grew, meaning that they were by now screen printed for easier production. The1st pattern(Early) smock is individually priced at UK POUND 55, US$ 105 delivered anywhere in the world.