WW2 BRITISH PARATROOPERS 2ND PATTERN DENISON SMOCK DATE 1945
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 Para smock is maker marked to L. Silberton + Son and dated 1945. It has a couple of holes and rips that are expected and are shown in the images. The only other thing I would like to point out is the the neck zip is there but not working.
Please note that in Europe and the USA these smocks are highly collectable and when they come onto the market are priced around $3000 making this smock excellent value for the money and a good investment piece.