commando sniper wrote:
theres a semi-clear picture on the harrington museum website:
http://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/801st492nd.htm on the 14th pic down you can see the 2 agents in jump suits, the man appears to be wearing boots (look more like mountain climbing boots with the claws on the bottom). the female agents shoes are covered by shadow but look too big to be normal shoes.
Another interesting thing to note. on the 17th picture further down the page of an operational group members in a C47, one of them appears to be carrying an owen smg (right side, 2nd or 3rd back).
cut and finish to continental clothing was different to styles in the uk at the time, but also fabrics were on heavy ration aswell. so anything synthetic was very rare, and often clothing was recycled or made into something else.
yes, ive heard of agents being parachuted in wearing refugees clothing aswell, but not able to confirm it.
Paul
The dorris in the picture I think is wearing canvas and rubber oveboots, I think they were part of the anti-gas kit, they had a rubber sole then a canvas upper that came up to knee level with a closure strap and ankle and knee level, at least that's what I think they are (anyone know what I mean, at work and don't have my books handy)
Both wear the SOE jumpsuit, preusmably as intended over their appropriate civvy clothing. Saw a few seconds on footage the other day of what seemed to be an oversuit laid out on a table and one chap showing another the loading of all the internal pockets etc., might have been the same group, wasn't on long enough to see properly, really are quite Gucci bits of kit, had good fun working out what all the pockets are for.
Regarding resistance clothing, I'm sure I read something a while ago about the allies eventually dropping in uniform items when the resistance groups started to get more organised and undertake regular overt actions more like conventional military units, so they had some form of 'uniform' as well as getting paid a basic wage. Off-course from a practical point of view that many had been living in some forrest or other for however long without access to appropriate clothing and they couldn't always take the risk of popping off to the shops '150 pairs of action-slacks please, nothing too brightly coloured, big pockets though for carrying...um....nothing suspicious at all in'.
French style sanitary towels, I'm genuinely speechless at that one!
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