Battledress

[northern-matelot]

I know about the army and it’s battledress thanks to the likes of dads army, but I’ve only recently found out about the navy’s version thanks to seeing Sir Roger Moore in it as James Bond

Now looking at him he’s wearing it in what I assume is winter order as opposed to summer order?

Two questions though- was this rig only for officers or did the rations get it too? And when did we move out of this rig? I as as I thought that we’d always kept our one’s as is and when the Rn moved from 8’s/4’s the reports kept saying this was the first uniform update in 50 years or so.


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[Chalk_bosun]

This was just for wartime, the RN initially wore the army/khaki BD but got its own navy blue version in 1943. I would guess that it became redundant in 1945 at the end of the war/with the introduction of AWD. No idea why Bond was still wearing it in the 70s, but then neither am I sure how much research his costume dept actually did.

I've not seen any photos of ww2 ratings (plenty of officers though) in BD. I did see this one of a Killick but looks like the khaki BD. Most phots of junior ratings from ww2 are in square rig.

Hoping someone else can shed more light on this.

 

[Branch-Hopper]

I recall the JGRM Duty Watch at BRNC wearing Battledress - 1985/6 ish?

 

[Seadog]

Divers and Coastal Forces ( officers and Ratings ) were still discovering secret stashes of this kit in the 1980s and swaggering about in it, regulations be damned. Add medal ribbons for extra cocky twattishness. The only smarter uniforms were those of the Waffen SS and the Carabinieri.

 

[huwshpis]

Mids at BRNC wore them with lanyards into the 70's IIRC, they were certainly shown in the recruiting bumf I got as a 16 year old.

 

[soleil]

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15337/lot/190/

 

[SARKING]

I seem to recall the U boat arm had them issued to crews with German insignia attached. They captured a load of them during the fall of France.I cant find it .but I did see a photo of Kretchmer in one.

 

[Waspie]

When I changed over to Rating Aircrew way back in the 70's. 3A's were our daily uniform. AKA - Battledress. Only us non officer types wore our blue 8's shirt mit black tie and of all things a bloody beret that was like a saucer on yer heed!!!!!!! They died a death in the latter end of the 70's for us. Reverting back to standard rig. Nos 1's, 2's and 8's etc.

 

[SARKING]

When I changed over to Rating Aircrew way back in the 70's. 3A's were our daily uniform. AKA - Battledress. Only us non officer types wore our blue 8's shirt mit black tie and of all things a bloody beret that was like a saucer on yer heed!!!!!!! They died a death in the latter end of the 70's for us. Reverting back to standard rig. Nos 1's, 2's and 8's etc.

That beret was Your own personal issue Heli pad Waspie...

 

[Seadog]

I seem to recall the U boat arm had them issued to crews with German insignia attached. They captured a load of them during the fall of France.I cant find it .but I did see a photo of Kretchmer in one.

That was pongo battledress that the Germans proffed. My avatar shows Erich Topp wearing one.

 

[slim]

Chefs were issued with them in the early to mid 60s.
I was at Lossiemouth at the time and we found a good government ex surplus store in Elgin which stocked them.
A blind eye was turned to the wearing of the battledress top providing you sewed on trade and rate badges.
Rating aircrew were also issued with them.

 

[WFT]

We were issued with it at BRNC in 1980, it was made from some synthetic material and definitely not serge, bloody nightmare to get creases in!

 

[Seadog]

We were issued with it at BRNC in 1980, it was made from some synthetic material and definitely not serge, bloody nightmare to get creases in!

“...some synthetic material and definitely not serge...”

so not the same thing?

 

[WFT]

The kit list called it a battledress top, it was referred to as battledress.... From distant memories we wore it for the initial beasting weeks before being permitted to wear woolie-pullies, thereafter it was just worn for Divisions before No.5s were ordered and purchased.

With regard to ‘proper’ battledress, I found some pictures of my father on his S/Lt courses in the late 1940s with the whole class wearing it.

 

[alfred_the_great]

We were issued with it at BRNC in 1980, it was made from some synthetic material and definitely not serge, bloody nightmare to get creases in!

Like divers and PTIs still wear?


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[panelpin]

I know about the army and it’s battledress thanks to the likes of dads army, but I’ve only recently found out about the navy’s version thanks to seeing Sir Roger Moore in it as James Bond

Now looking at him he’s wearing it in what I assume is winter order as opposed to summer order?

Two questions though- was this rig only for officers or did the rations get it too? And when did we move out of this rig? I as as I thought that we’d always kept our one’s as is and when the Rn moved from 8’s/4’s the reports kept saying this was the first uniform update in 50 years or so.


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[ratsroden]

It boiled down to money.
If you didn't receive these tiddly bits on enlistment you paid for them.
HO ratings in places like HMS's Nile or Lanka wishing to look tiddly could purchase them from the Brownjobs or Crabfat's Quartermaster's Stores. Admirals during WW2 had been trained under sail and could never have believed that myopic Jap airman could destroy Prince of wales and Repulse in minutes--But they did. The Royal Navy was in turmoil and disarray. Anything went if you had the money.

 

[BARNEYRNSM]

BRNC still had them late 1980s and I was given an RN battle dress in 1992 that had belonged to an MA who was issued it in 1968,I remember this as its the year I was born. I also have a WW2 officers BD with King's crowns that I bought off ebay for £20,l threatened to wear it to cadets one night, complete with wavy navy LT boards, but I cause enough problems for the non ex RN sea cadet adults as it is! I may manage submariner Jersey with Nos 1s before they end of March, by all accounts you can with Co's permission.

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[panelpin]

This was just for wartime, the RN initially wore the army/khaki BD but got its own navy blue version in 1943. I would guess that it became redundant in 1945 at the end of the war/with the introduction of AWD. No idea why Bond was still wearing it in the 70s, but then neither am I sure how much research his costume dept actually did.

I've not seen any photos of ww2 ratings (plenty of officers though) in BD. I did see this one of a Killick but looks like the khaki BD. Most phots of junior ratings from ww2 are in square rig.

Hoping someone else can shed more light on this.

See https://www.combinedops.com/Training CTC Middle East.htm
Photograph of both sirs and curs wearing such kit. Scroll down.

 

[Seaweed]

Battledress used to be standard rig for officers on course at Whale Island.


btw 2nd from the right middle row had been an OD in one of DoY's turrets when she sank the Scharnhorst.

3rd fm R back row is Frank Trickey.