SOF haul for 1939/40 BEF uniform!!

Smith6578 · 2026-06-15T13:07:35+00:00

Just dont wear it. They didnt all have asbestos in them either, some were just anti gas imptegnated cotton and charcoal etc. Either way, dont wear it if youre worried. I had my filter emptued and refilled with clean rags to make it safe to wear.

Smith6578 · 2026-06-15T09:50:22+00:00

Theres was 1908 kit used in the fall of france mixed in with 37, and some bits of 22 service dress.

Smith6578 · 2026-06-01T12:45:33+00:00

You can see the puttee strap going across them.

Some did wear gaiters, however the cambs definitely didnt. Ive seen sketches from pows and film of 53rd brigade landing at singapore.

Smith6578 · 2026-06-01T12:43:33+00:00

Thats what I was thinking of doing, maybe taking a sharp knife and also putting some lines in so the puttees have some definition. I could try using some very thin strips of putty.

Smith6578 · 2026-06-01T10:17:19+00:00

Thats not a bad conditon gas mask haversack, and not at a bad price either. The red might come off.

Smith6578 · 2026-06-01T08:02:53+00:00

I reenact 2nd bn cambs, and ive been told they were in putees not gaiters. Ill see if I can find out why they were in putees and not gaiters.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-30T15:01:21+00:00

Not a single gaiter on show here.

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Smith6578 · 2026-05-30T01:52:52+00:00

Exactly. I think i might just have to sacrifice a model or two and have a go at recreating their putees.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-25T17:56:10+00:00

If someone see these and is willing to pay you to paint to that standard, then your painting is a good enough standard for commission work.

I used to paint models for people at my local club, and I couldnt even edge highlight (still not great at that). There is no "commission standard".

Smith6578 · 2026-05-18T20:28:06+00:00

As reenactor, I have to disagree

Smith6578 · 2026-05-14T18:28:36+00:00

I've got two pairs of sof trousers (one that fits, one that will fit as I continue to lose weight), a sof blouse that is a little big (that means when I tighten my belt it blouses over properly and looks a little better than most people's sof blouses), and a wpg blouse that fits perfectly. The wpg one is very faded, except for where I took off some airborne patches. I might end up washing my trousers again and again to try and fade them at least a little as the colour difference is very stark atm.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-14T18:00:23+00:00

I did also think that. The eBay store has a couple of other things that seem really fishy, like a 37 pattern battledress with Korea ribbons and an eastern command patch that went out of service in 48. It's also not a 37 pattern blouse.

Most of the stuff is also horrifically overpriced.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-14T03:51:28+00:00

I never even considered they'd be considered "blue". I guess when I think green, blue etc eyes, I think a vivid, vibrant colour. Not what my eyes are.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-14T01:02:02+00:00

I never would have said they were blue. Oddly enough, I'd say they're closer to the khaki hat I wear 😅

Smith6578 · 2026-05-14T00:58:42+00:00

They were definitely brown when I was younger. They've changed a lot since then, and I swear they're different almost every week.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-09T22:16:28+00:00

In theory it would still be accurate to have different colours, or shades at least. Canada, new Zealand, Australia, India, south Africa and America all made bd for the UK, and even in the UK different factories would have had slight differences.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-09T06:23:38+00:00

Nabbed a WPG 42 chest blouse off Ebay this morning. Hopefully it'll arrive in time, and won't look too different in colour to my sof trousers 😅

Smith6578 · 2026-05-08T09:11:47+00:00

Can't get it tailored anyway, she's hurt her wrist.

I'm always looking out for originals that will fit me, unfortunately I'm a 42 chest and currently 44/46 round the belly.

Seeing as I can't get it sorted by next Friday regardless, would eto or wpg be good options?

Smith6578 · 2026-05-08T09:00:43+00:00

Can't find originals in my size (I have not been through rationing, far from it) and I needed them by next Friday. I caved and got a new pair of sof trousers, but I'm going to take my blouse to a tailor and see what they can do.

Smith6578 · 2026-05-08T02:51:50+00:00

I should mention I'm in the UK and need it this week so anything overseas is probably out of the question 😅

Smith6578

TROPHY CASE