Quite possibly the most iconic and enduring piece of British military clothing ever made. The Denison smock's history lies in the early part of WW2. Having seen the success of the German airborne forces in Norway, Churchill ordered Britain's parachute regiment to be formed and expanded quickly. Initially the British copied the German parachute oversmock, called a knockensack, but soon developed their own large overfitting garment known as a Denison smock. The first iteration was introduced in 1942, and whilst there would be small changes, remained largely unchanged into the late 50s.
This is a 1945 dated example of the second iteration, first introduced in 1944. Notably on these, the knitted cuffs that wore out so quickly on the first pattern, were replaced by a tab and button closure. This pattern can be seen frequently in pictures from late 1944 through to the end of the war. This includes soldier's serial number that would put it as still being in service in 1956.
Condition
This is a well used example. The Dot zipper is present and works like a charm. Whilst the material is solid, there are plenty of repairs and scars from years of use. A couple of the press studs are missing, notably on the front of the tail closure, the front right pocket, and the top left pocket. Expect bags of character, but loads of life left!
Size
- These are unusual garments and don't conform to normal sizing.
- Tagged a size 2
- Pit to pit 27"
- Shoulder to shoulder 22"
- Shoulder to cuff 21"
- Collar to hem 31"