The GREAT BRITISH DUFFEL COAT thread

[H.Johnson]

It's a second pattern Coat, Duffel Drab. The 2nd pattern was issued to RN and other (e.g. AA) at the end of WW2 and up to the early 1960s. The first pattern has Newey snaps to adjust the hood and a face latch.

There's a whole thread on this somewhere. This one is unusual in that they usually had white buttons on the wrist and hood adjusters (to see them in the dark, presumably). I'm not sure what this signifies.

They are usually Size 1 - which is huge!

 

[Nicehat]

I just picked one of these up in a size 1 and I have to ask, do they ever get more pliable with a little bit of wear? I don't know if the one I have had ever been issued or not but it is like wearing a coat made from heavy cardboard and lined with sand paper. That said, it has to be one of the best coats I've ever seen, it is bulletproof and HEAVY!

 

[Meyer]

More Duffel Coat

I have recently found a duffelcoat, that I belive must be a WWII model:

1. It has three twisted robes for the toggles
2. The toggles does not have holes in them, but a groove so a loop will lock them.
3. The hood size can be reduced by snap on fasterners.
4. No lining
5. No labels

Can anybody confirm this?

Kind regards

-Meyer

 

[Eyemo]

I had a 52 dated Duffle coat of this style issued to me when I worked for the MoD back in the 90s...Loved it!

 

[Meyer]

More Duffel Coat Dating

More Duffel Coat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have recently found a duffelcoat, that I belive must be a WWII model:

1. It has three twisted robes for the toggles
2. The toggles does not have holes in them, but a groove so a loop will lock them.
3. The hood size can be reduced by snap on fasterners.
4. No lining
5. No labels

Can anybody confirm / date this?

Regards

-Meyer

 

[havocpaul]

Without closer detail it is difficult to tell, from wartime issue coats I have seen and looking at my 'mint' 1943 dated example they usually had white buttons including button adjustments for the hood, toggles attached via rough string-like chord. Labels were attached to the bottom right inner so check if there is some sign of stitching. From your picture it certainly has the look and sizing of an original Duffel coat (rather large as they were meant to be worn over other jackets/coats/uniform). There were also shorter versions apparently issued to the Army and seen worn in the desert campaigns, also officers would probably have had theirs made privately if they chose to.

 

[Meyer]

On the inner right side bottom, is stitching showing that a label size 2 x 2,5" has been sitting there.

It has a face latch with two buttons.

Oh, and the toggles are non-symmetrical, meaning that the loop that holds them are not in centre, so once they are "fastened" they will turn slightly due to gravity, and thereby lock themselfs.
Kind regards

 

[H.Johnson]

The types of British WW2 and post-war military duffel coats was covered in a specific thread, if you use the search function.

This seems to be a 'first pattern' coat from the first part of the war. Many were made by Tibbetts. It's difficult to see from the photographs. Are there press-studs ('snaps') by Newey at the side of the hood? Do they have a patent number?

 

[Meyer]

Its difficult too see what is written/stamped inside the studs, it looks like N R J and then three small flowers at the buttom.

Kind regards

Meyer

 

[Schweitzer]

Where to find an original (army) duffle coat?

Unbelievable. I've been looking to buy an original size 1 (RN) duffle coat for some years(!) now, with no success. [huh] I live in Germany.

I thought i'd ask here, maybe some member knows a dealer or can help me in my quest to find one?
An unissued coat would be the ideal, but I'm a student and money is a little bit of an issue too.

Any help would be most welcome!

 

[havocpaul]

Was there an 'Army' Duffel coat, I always assumed there were the standard Royal Navy ones that were sometimes issued to Army units and the LRDG in the desert campaigns. As for size 1's, they do seem to be much scarcer than the other sizes, maybe because so many were bought post-war and used to ruin. I have an absolute mint size 2 from 1943 and it is certainly large but then again so many WW2 pics show sailors/troops almost 'drowning' in their coats they are so large on them!

 

[Schweitzer]

Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding, that's my bad english!
With 'army' I meant 'armed forces' (as opposed to civilian).
I'll edit it!

Regarding size:
I'm just 5'7'' anything larger than size 1 might be really too big for me!

havocpaul, do you have pictures of your mint coat? I'd love to see it!

 

[H.Johnson]

As Havocpaul points out, the 'second pattern' Coat, Duffel, Drab, Hood attached was on issue to a number of arms of service in WW2, not just the Royal Navy, so technically Schweitzer is correct. His English seems excellent to me, by the way.

I don't agree, however, about the shortage of Size 1 examples. They are the only size I've seen recently. My local surplus store has an unissued one on its racks at the moment.

You should be aware that a Size 1 is a huge coat. I'm just under six feet tall with a 36" chest and the sleeves of a Size 1 come down over my finger tips and the body is like wearing a tent.

There is a thread with detailed photographs and analysis of the features elsewhere on the forum.

 

[H.Johnson]

The 'army' duffle coat is a shorter version in a lighter wool without a hood. See Brayley and Ingram.

Was there an 'Army' Duffel coat, I always assumed there were the standard Royal Navy ones that were sometimes issued to Army units and the LRDG in the desert campaigns.

 

[Schweitzer]

My local surplus store has an unissued one on its racks at the moment.

Do they have a website?

Please say yes!

 

[havocpaul]

Firstly your English is perfect! I think by Brayley and Ingram he was referring to the authors who have written several books on uniforms. I have their colour reference to the WW2 Tommy, I recall there are a couple of shots of Duffel coats there, don't recall one without a hood (then is it actually called a 'Duffel'?) but will check again. It's good news if there are coats in size 1 in surplus stores, I guess where I am in the London area supplies are long gone, websites like Sabre still advertise them but in reality sold out ages ago (I wish traders who run websites would spend time updating them once in a while!). I will try and take some pics of mine.

 

[Schweitzer]

Here's a picture of a short army duffle coat I just found:

It was offered by a dealer in the US in used condition (and only in size 2) for 25$ (out of stock now)
From the item desciption:

[...] adopted by the British Army for cold weather operations. Some went to the Middle East for mountain warfare training and a few even ended up being used in the Western Desert.

 

[pipe23]

Wondering if someone could either explain or point out a link to explain the UK pre-nato sizing, too often on Ebay a military garment is just listed as size 9 for example and no measurements are given, it's vexing. I've asked guys in my pipe band who served in the UK and they don't even have a clue.

 

[BellyTank]

I think by Brayley and Ingram he was referring to the authors who have written several books on uniforms.

My local surplus store has an unissued one on its racks at the moment.

Do they have a website?
Please say yes!

And I think, by "them", Schweitzer was referring to H.Johnson's local surplus shop. And they probably don't.


B
T

 

[Dudleydoright]

Wondering if someone could either explain or point out a link to explain the UK pre-nato sizing, too often on Ebay a military garment is just listed as size 9 for example and no measurements are given, it's vexing. I've asked guys in my pipe band who served in the UK and they don't even have a clue.

Below is the equation to US military sizing:
Size 1 is short small
Size 2 is short medium
Size 3 is short large
Size 4 regular small
Size 5 regular medium
Size 6 regular large
Size 7 long small
Size 8 long medium
Size 9 long large
There are also 2 lots of 4 digit numbers. The above sizing also works for Canadian garments ore the height/chest or waist in inches that followed.
I have a whole load of these conversions including the WW2 battledress sizing which you need to understand differential calculus to otherwise work out. I'll have to dig it out and post it.
Cheers
Dave