Anyone familiar with the British Army of the Second World War, particularly with the 8th Army in North Africa, will have a mental image of soldiers altogether indifferently dressed.
Britain’s soldiers have the propensity to dress for convenience rather than uniformity, and the picture portrayed by the cartoonist Jon’s famous “Two Types’ of Western Desert fame springs to mind.
The 7th Armoured Brigade deployed in October 1990 from Germany, dressed for the jungles of Asia, clothed on arrival for the heat of the desert, and subsequently suffering the cold and torrential rain of a Saudi winter, the soldiers of the 1st (UK) Armoured Division took on a distinctive appearance which left an Egyptian general remarking during a parade: ‘Are these soldiers all British?’
The above image shows a mixed bunch of Battlegroup staff officers from 7 Armd Bde.
Left to right:
- Maj Moss, 2iC, 1 STAFFORDS, in the US Desert Parka, and a Desert Hat cocked like a triby.
- Maj O’Reilly 2iC and Capt Hutton Ops Offr, QRIH, both wearing their Regiment’s special patter of officers Guernsey, and the QRIH officer’s tent hat, both have the 7 Armoured Brigade insignia on the right sleeve.
- Capt Oliver, SCOTS DG, in second issue Desert Combat trousers, a green fibre pile jacket, and his Regiment’s grey beret with black-backed cap-badge.
- Capt Cuthbert, Adjt QRIH, same as Maj O’Reilly, though on his 58 Pattern belt is a black leather compass case, 58 Pattern water bottle pouch, a knife or bayonet, and a PLE respirator case.
- Capt Cushner, SCOTS DG, in the sand-coloured issue woolly pulley.
- Capt Steel, 1 STAFFORDS, in an Arctic Smock in temperate DPM and a Desert Hat with cut-down brim.
