British kit ID - help needed

[mattmayhem]

I just picked up a rare find (for me...) at the surplus shop. Its a green anorak/pull over smock marked "smock, windproof, green, cadet forces", inside I found mars and chocolate wrappers from the UK dated '89.

I assume this is cadet issue from the 80ies, but I decided to grab it because its green so I can use it for civi stuff without getting too many weird looks and I can treat it like my SAS smock with a water-repellent chemical...also it was cheaper than newer hiking/expedition clothing from the high end names.

I wish i had a camera but can anyone give me some info about this smock? Any good? anyone use it?
I plan to use it for wilderness/hiking related stuff.

[bluffcove]

Does it have an NSN number?

I dont think the army ever issued things specifically for cadets - but congatulations on buying something green even if it isnt military! Hurrah!

[mattmayhem]

full tag reads:

smock, windproof, green, cadet forces (AD)
CH 8405-99-136-0991
SIZE 4
J. Compton son & webb Ltd.
A/78/CLO/38863/DC69(2)

Instructions:
Do not wash
Dry clean only
and re-proof

[mattmayhem]

Looks similar to this:

http://www.snowsled.com/images/clothing/classicsmock.jpg

however has two lower pockets with button closure, drawstring at the waist but not bottom and has a "tail" like on para smocks to go under the crotch and button to the front. the wrists are elastic but have material that cover the elastic. Almost an older militarized version of the above...
Ill see about getting pics but dont hold your breath...

[Jar-mez]

Well, well, well..... I wondered what happened to stuff like that....
I was in the cadets in the eighties, and we had those smocks. They were very unpopular because they weren't DPM, and the canvas was quite stiff. But having said that, they were reasonably weather proof. But as soon as we could, we got hold of proper, issue combat jackets. ( In thoses days, the fully lined version).
The green anorak was replaced sometime in the eighties by a DPM affair - it was unlined, had a zip (but I seem to remember it didn't have buttons up the front of the zip, just velcro, and may have had different pockets from a proper combat jacket, but my memory is a bit vague on that...)
However, the green anorak was still used for adventure training etc, when you couldn't wear DPM.
Hope this helps :)

[DeltaWhisky58]

I dont think the army ever issued things specifically for cadets.

They most certainly did!

These went back further than the eighties - we had them in the mid-70s, and there were beige versions of the same smock which went back into the sixties.

I think Jar-mez is spot on with his comments about these garments, they were unpopular as they were very non-military, but in the mid-70s DPM was pretty hard to obtain, so we had to put up and shut up. All said and done these were practical garments and we used them on a DofE Gold Award expedition in the Austrian Alps >10,000' and they were windproof and waterproof.

[martinexsquaddie]

they were out of favor by the 80s a cadet issue smock was around dpm and just two lower pockets and no chest pockets.

[oldsoak]

They were based on a civvy anorak which was orange in colour. Not very waterproof as it was actually based on a Scandinavian design which was really for use in dry cold conditions. I used one and it was sh*t even after using cans of waterproofing agent on it. However - in dry windy conditions it was far better than the alternative pvc waterproofs. Try the more modern nikwax or grangers stuff on it and it might be more waterproof.

ps - anyone seen the mythical mystolene we were supposed to waterproof our kit with ?

[Hydro]

Mysto-what?

[oldsoak]

"reproof with Mystolene" on every smock label...

[Hydro]

Just had a look at mine, never noticed it before. I thought the army's answer to "water repellency" was "goretex" ;)

[mattmayhem]

Thanks alot guys! I figured thats what it was for! The very reason why it became up-popular to cadets is why it suits my needs perfectly (no=dpm/camo), I will wash it and then try for a niki-wax suitable for cotton canvas materials. I think this will be perfect as an outer shell when not pouring rain since its green, has decent pockets and I wont have to worry about ripping something decent.

[welshmann]

Thanks alot guys! I figured thats what it was for! The very reason why it became up-popular to cadets is why it suits my needs perfectly (no=dpm/camo), I will wash it and then try for a niki-wax suitable for cotton canvas materials. I think this will be perfect as an outer shell when not pouring rain since its green, has decent pockets and I wont have to worry about ripping something decent.

intesting thread...people answering are showing their age...:P

[Steve Andrews]

We were issued an orange smock like that when we were adventure training in Wales in the early nineties.
Lovely soft old ?Gaberdine? cotton, it was a great windproof shell.

[marktigger]

I think some of them found they're way to the royal marines as I recall seeing a pic in a book of a bootie wearing one I think it was in S georgia.

[DeltaWhisky58]

intesting thread...people answering are showing their age...:P

Certainly is - I joined the CCF in 1973, left as a Cadet Under Officer in 78 - which proves I'm a card carrying old fart! ;-)

[Irish]

Certainly is - I joined the CCF in 1973, left as a Cadet Under Officer in 78 - which proves I'm a card carrying old fart! ;-)


Your only as old as the Women Your Feelinp-)

[DeltaWhisky58]

Your only as old as the Women Your Feelinp-)

True, very true - she won't tell me her age!

[FozzieBear]

oh god cadet underofficers are the worst... lol ;) i can see where the ban stick influence comes about from.

[DeltaWhisky58]

oh god cadet underofficers are the worst... lol ;) i can see where the ban stick influence comes about from.

Ah yes, but this was in a very good cadet unit you young whippersnapper, I'm not talking about your common or garden ACF type CUO.

When I was a CUO I was considerable older than your 16 years, so stand to attention there laddie! :bash:

[FozzieBear]

Ah yes, but this was in a very good cadet unit you young whippersnapper, I'm not talking about your common or garden ACF type CUO.

When I was a CUO I was considerable older than your 16 years, so stand to attention there laddie! :bash:
yeah our last one was the first one in the regiment in like 7 years he was 18 he was in my unit, first one in sector for years too, he was posh, and hes gone off to be a officer in the royal marines now or something, lol no one liked him really.

[kayaker]

We had a Lord Lt in the reg... some sort of honour. Never had come across it before or after the cRSM left...

DW58, after CCF you left for RAF?

[DeltaWhisky58]

We had a Lord Lt in the reg... some sort of honour. Never had come across it before or after the cRSM left...

DW58, after CCF you left for RAF?

No, spent a couple of years drifting through various jobs, I was 22 when I joined up.

[Scrim]

We were issued an orange smock like that when we were adventure training in Wales in the early nineties.
Lovely soft old ?Gaberdine? cotton, it was a great windproof shell.
Same here, in late 80s. Were only issued it for the trips to Wales, had to give them back after. Damn that brings back some memories!
We hated having to wear them ****ing orange things instead of lovely DPM!

[mattmayhem]

I gotta pickup an orange one for civi stuff! lol