Seems a long time since we have seen/heard from you Jerry, but it was well worth the wait. No more words are available to describe your art work
Iām pretty sure it was fastened by a couple of simple web straps and buckles; I havenāt tackled my reference books yet or Googled anything. The remainder of the many pouches were fastened by a type of toggle and loop fastener, more or less the type found on duffle coats - however, Iām sure you know that.
Interestingly enough, well, up to a point, an officer I worked with in HQ BAOR a million years or so ago, had used one of these in WW2 and didnāt like it. Heād been in the Staffordshire regiment then transferred to the SAS; it wasnāt clear in which capacity heād used the Battle Jerkin. I vaguely recall he didnāt like it as it made the wearer very hot (as I suppose it would over thick woollen battledress).
Excellent, excellent,ā¦good to see more progress. I can already imagine how you will work this one, given the previous examples. Ruck On, Brother!
Good to see some more interesting figure work from you Jerry!
Thereās a good front and back view of the Battle Jerkin in Jean Boucheryās āThe British Soldierā, Volume 1, P113. There 's also a schematic, showing the various pockets and sleeves and what they did or held. The idea was that it replaced the webbing set and had two quickly detachable straps, so it could be removed rapidly if the wearer fell into deep water. From the photograph on the same page, it looks as though it was issued mainly to Beach Parties. All the fastenings for the pouches and the built in backpack are simple toggles like on a duffelcoat.
Thanks buddy. Very generous praise indeed.
I can be pretty sure all the figs are at least modified a bit and many are almost completely re-done. I was kinda forced to do it because of the paucity of Commonwealth figs available. There has been more offered lately but I like to show a specific scene and so therefor am usually stuck with making a major conversionā¦ HTH
J
Thank you Sir! Very kind words for sure.
J
Thanks for the kind words matey!
I have much of what I need except for the front fasteners. They were cotton web and I believe had the metal slide fasteners but I have no clear view. All the rest I am good to go with. Yes, the other fasteners are wooden bars attached with white cotton duck rope that poke through holes in the flaps. The USA had a similar jerkin vey close as far as pouches,etc goes but the closures are all different and yes, the jerkin was binned a few days after DDay for most units for the very reason you mentioned, too too hot.
J
Thanks Ski, glad you liked it brother,
J
Thanks Karl, good to hear from you again,
J
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I have really good clear pics 'cept for the front closures. As you say I know there were 2 and they were cotton web with metal slide fasteners but I wanna be sure about the locations. I am always under a microscope as it were.
J
This might help Jerry - an original (as opposed to a copy) - straps/buckles shown:
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Thanks mate. Outstanding!! I think th ones I was using were indeed replicas. Pretty good ones but I see slight differences here.
Well done Sir!
J
I have learned from bitter mistakes it is better to go slowly when adding layers so this is my only advance today.
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Hiya JR , stellar work as always , Iām sure youāve done this but ā¦ googling leather battle jerkins brings up many different types .
Canadian
Random photo
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Thanks for the pics buddy. It may just be me but it looks like that last one was a modified version, with larger front pouches added and the different closure straps roughly sewn on.
I could be wrong and frequently am,
J
Middle one looks like itās for Bren gunner, judging by the shape of the two forward pouches
The middle one is the standard style of assault jerking. They all looked like that. Boots supplied a linky showing an actual vest. Apparently there are a lot of fakes running around.
J
There was of course also a Bren Gun magazine carrier made in the same brown material, but really just consisting of magazine pouches only, but Iām sure youāre aware of that Jerry.
I suspect that a lot of āfakesā are in fact really those made for the re-enactorsā market so whilst flawed on occasion from an accuracy point of view (probably as a result of modern manufacturing processes), are probably not intended to deceive as such. I just wonder, really as whimsy, whether or not re-enactors are experiencing the heat and discomfort whilst doing what they do wearing such a replica jerkin(!)
I knew a guy who was at his happiest strutting around events in his full WW2 UK woollen battle dress on the hottest of summer days! Strange lot, these re-enactorsā¦
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