Identification Guide To Gulf War One Militaria

This helmet cover has the single red bar of the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, assigned to PoW guard duties. I wonder how thrilled they were with that task.

Two shirts named to the same man bearing the "Blackadder" sign of the Force Maintenance Area Team, later the 101st Logistics Brigade. One is size 170/88, the other is 180/96. This isn't the first different-sized clothing I've seen in the same person's kit. Issue was a bit haphazard in the early stages and a veteran told me that the early issues were for some reason weighted toward smaller sizes.

This shirt was worn by a soldier in the REME 11th Armoured Workshop, ie AFV repairs. Someone on ebay has turned up an unused roll of these signs but this one is original to this shirt.

This sparse pattern desert shirt and trousers were worn by a Lance-Bombadier in the 127th Dragon Battery. It is with his name and details - he was assigned to the Battery Commander's observation vehicle. Note the RA colours below the 4th Armoured Brigade sign and the Warrior patch, worn because this was the first artillery battery to test the Warrior AFV. Note also the large buttons occasionally found on the early desert shirts.

This complete uniform, also named, all came together and belonged to an RE sergeant in 4 Field Squadron, 21 Engineer Regiment, 7 Armoured Division. There is not much information online about this unit beyond the fact that 21 Engr Regt is a specialised support unit, but the large Harrier Support Force patch is an obvious clue to 4 Field Squadron's duties during the campaign. (The shirt collar is turned up because I failed to notice it when I took the photos.) The trousers have an unusual pointed flap and strange flat buttons - an early contract by Bairdwear and the only ddpm I have seen by this company.

This tropical uniform belonged to a warrant officer in 421 Company RAOC, another unit whose history during this period is rather obscure but which seems to have gone out immediately following hostilities to carry out EOD disposal. The fighting might have been over but the task of the unsung EOD companies was every bit as dangerous if not more so than many of the combat units. The hat and shirt are 1970s production; the trousers label is faded but they are a close match for the shirt and all items are identically named. The 1979 dated aircrew coverall came with the rest of it and was reportedly worn by him over his outer clothing for extra protection. This lot came in the mineral water box shown, dated 1991 on an inner flap. As befits a WO, everything has been put away neatly pressed.

I appreciate all the info you have put up, it helps many collectors like myself who would not know where to begin to look for such information. And the pictures speak a thousand words. Thanks Jim.

Wow! Those are some fantastic sets. I don't think I've seen the large dish buttons on the early desert kit before. Interesting!

Since I just acquired this, I might as well post it here. This is the rare "sparse" desert DPM pattern, in this case taking the form of a windproof smock:



I have no idea how rare these things are, but this is the first one I've seen. And it didn't come cheap either.

Steve

There's a photo in Mike Moore's Desert War of Brigadier Christopher Hammerbeck wearing one of the shirts with large buttons.

Some smocks were made locally, which I think yours probably was, some were supplied from the UK. Yours is very rare. The only other one I know of is in Posts 11 and 13 here: https://iacmc.forumotion.com/t5413-british-windproof-arctic-desert-smock?highlight=windproof. Could you post a picture of the label?

Here's the only contemporary photo I know of - PM John Major with Brigadier Patrick Cordingley.

Since the militaryphotos website is long gone, and along with it the timeline of Arktis chestrigs, does anyone know if it was posted elsewhere too? Or has such a list themselves?

A great thread Edward, good to see such detail on op Granby and the kit used in it.

Time to reopen this thread. The PLCE equipment included a holster and harness, the example shown here being dated 1989.

Another holster, this one minus the harness. An apparently earlier version had the spare magazine pouch stitched to the front instead of behind the pistol, as here.

The 1985 trials PLCE also saw service in Op Granby. The Staffords had been issued with 100 sets a year or two previously, and some other units also wore it on a piecemeal basis - I was told by a veteran in the RAF Regiment that his unit was issued with the trials set. The trials set is visible in the occasional photo.

More TRFs. The helmet bears the patch of 1 Royal Scots; the desert shirt is badged as they would have worn it, though there is no way of telling which unit of 4 Brigade it originally belonged to.

This helmet cover and shirt bear the TRF of the Guards Brigade. It was worn by the Life Guards and the Grenadier Guards, a substantial contingent of whom served on Op Granby: the Queen's Company served with 1 Royal Scots, No. 2 Company 1 GG with 3 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the Signals Detachment with 1 Staffords, the Defence Platoon with 204 Signal Squadron as Brigadier Hammerbeck's defence, and 24 men as battlefield casualty replacements. 1 Scots Guards were deployed as battlefield casualty replacements but were not needed. I have not been able to determine whether they also wore this TRF.

Several photos show 16/5 Lancers with this badge sewn to their hats. This hat is named to Sharpe and R.A.P, which I presume is Regimental Aid Post. Supposedly the badge was worn only by officers, but I have my doubts about that as it appears too often in photos and at least one shows the RSM wearing it.

It might be useful to have a note of the composition of the British infantry battalions serving in 1 Armoured Division. This was as follows:

4 Bde

1 Royal Scots
- Queen's Company Grenadier Guards

3 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
- No. 2 Coy 1 Grenadier Guards
- Elements of 1 Queens Own Highlanders
- Milan section Royal Green Jackets

7 Bde

1 Staffords
- Signals Detachment, 1 Grenadier Guards
- Company from 1 Prince Of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire

POW Guard Force

1 KOSB
1 Coldstream Guards
1 Royal Highland Fusiliers

Battle Casualty Replacements

1 Scots Guards
- 24 men of 1 Grenadier Guards

Thanks for news additions on this great post Edward53 !
I really like patched covers helmets and jackets !

Usall

Usall wrote:Thanks for news additions on this great post Edward53 !
I really like patched covers helmets and jackets !

Usall

Here is a patched 7 Brigade shirt, from one of the very first SL32b ddpm contracts.

The PLCE equipment was often painted sand colour in theatre. This set belonged to a Scots Guardsman who was evidently issued it with the 2nd Battalion and either transferred to or served with the 1st Battalion in the Gulf. As battle casualty replacements the Scots Guards would not have been engaged, but this set is a very rare survivor and I was very happy to acquire it. Note the roughly slapped-on paint; also the printed markings behind the tongue of the belt, now illegible but only found on the earliest PLCE belts.