32 Battalion

and is getting better

Some More.....

Another...

beautiful collection of gear and uniforms!

some pics of soldiers wearing it...

I would like to get hold of some of the green chest webbing....

One of my very favorite African patterns, ripcord

Ripcord-

Excellent collection of recce type A pattern items! If you ever want to get rid of any of it, please PM me .

My contrbution, a jacket in the 1970s "father" of 32 BN pattern camo:

Agreed. Nice collection of early Recce 1st pattern stuff there. That's the first example of a quilted-top SAP style bush hat that I've seen made from this camo. Nifty!

Thanks for your comments

Love the jacket. I need one to complete the set.

Although obviously not 32 Battallion, a similar SARP quilted top boonie.

rip...

Some nice items here.

Were 83 pattern webbing and chest rigs common with the 32nd or did they have their own load-bearing gear?

koalorka wrote:Some nice items here.

Were 83 pattern webbing and chest rigs common with the 32nd or did they have their own load-bearing gear?

One of my favorite areas of interest! I don't have a lot of time, but these are a few pictures I have been able to throw together. There are items I am leaving out, Mike or Roan will be along shortly to plug any holes. Militaryman has posted some great pictures already, so I won't go too into detail with items he has posted.

32 BN had their own, in a green nylon at first, later DPM, and finally (post 1990) in their summer pattern camo. Along the way they used several items of pattern 80 webbing, Special Forces issue items, test webbing of various descriptions, including P83 prototypes and some P83 webbing in the 1990s and after the move to South Africa.

A few examples:

Green nylon (first "uniform" type issued to the BN, early 1980s, with the rucksack being the first item issued in perhaps the late 1970s, the first examples were exactly the same as the ones used in the closing days of Rhodesia by the SAS and other units, later examples were slightly modified)

Rucksack:


The green chest webbing was also used by other units in SWA at the time, the Bushmen BNs, Koevoet, etc....
Standard R4 Chest webbing:


R1 chest webbing:


With holster:


DPM webbing: replaced the P80 items and the worn out green items in inventory. This is a group shot of the chest webbing, rucksack, and battle jacket. The chest webbing is an obvious version of the green webbing, the Ruck is also an evolution of the green ruck, but the battle jacket is an adaptation of the Pattern 80 and SWAPES webbing jackets that were popular in the BN. A sleeping bag was also made in this pattern.


Some trials P83 webbing/other items in use:

Unknown vest, test P83 pattern or version of the SWA P83 vest?



SWA P83 vest, this vest and the pack had some use in the BN. Note the similar pocket layout to the DPM battle jacket (and to the P80 and SWAPES black vests).



P83 prototype chest webbing, note the DPM fabric, it also has a DPM fabric map pouch on the back:


Last issue webbing items, these are widely believed to have been issued upon the movement of the BN to South Africa. The set consisted of several items, a poncho, a ground sheet, rucksack (using a copy of the US ALICE frame), and a set of webbing inspired by the Recce's Niemoller webbing vest. This webbing did not see much use before 32 BN was disbanded. Much went to the Recces, where my webbing vest acquired the number on the butt-pack:

webbing and rucksack:


Sleeping bag, I also have the tarp and poncho but not a good picture of either:

Thanks for the exhaustive explanation. That's a fine assortment of kit you've amassed there.

Thread revival!

Finally have a modest contribution (second pattern dry season uniform and P83 trial webbing):

We had a SAP 2 (South African Police Camo pattern2) Material used when the Unit was established in the late Seventies, before my time... and the Camo uniform was developed after that but the Beret was kept as it was, as it was never worn with Camos in public, but only with the Nutria (browns) when on leave or out of the Operational area.... I seem to not find a way to attach pics as I have plenty of my old Uniforms to share with you

This is my Original Beret I was issued in 1987 and you can clearly see the lighter more khaki dominating SAP 2 pattern than the 32Bn Kico swallow tail cap on the AK

2nd try

I do not seem to understand how to attach images... Do I use the Host an Image Icon

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/03/44/33/img_2021.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/03/44/33/img-2013.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/03/44/33/img-2015.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f39/19/03/44/33/img_2023.jpg

Thanks for sharing Bomskerf32, very nice pics you have there. Will you be willing to sell any items?

thanks

Kind Regards
Militaryman

Hi Buddy, most of the kit I have was actually what i used in the bush and obviously sentimental, although I have plenty of other stuff from the border that was taken from p.o.w s and of course from fallen soldiers... I have plenty of Unita uniforms and Russian Uniforms that was used in Angola etc. I would part with those as I am not as sentimental about them as my own uniforms.