British Great coat

Hi forum

I'm new here and this looks like a great forum. I have recently watched the film Dunkirk and if anyone hasn't seen it yet I would recommend to go and see it in an IMAX you actually feel like you are experiencing it.

During the film I really started to like the idea of the Greatcoats that the British Military used to wear - as part of my winter clothing this year. On most of the military surplus website's I have gone on, I can only find officer Greatcoats which are obviously more tailored.

Perhaps you could give me some more information on what type of the material was used for British Greatcoats during ww2 or info on where I could find someone that could make me one or a place that sells them.

I have attached a picture of the kind of style I'm interested in

Hope to hear reply soon,

All the best Mike

Welcome to the forum, Mike. Although I haven't taken a great deal of personal interest in British army Great Coats my understanding is that they were made from a "fleece type" material. I wouldn't have thought that you would need to go to the expense of having one made especially for you. There must have been millions made and you may be lucky in finding an original that suits your needs. There are firms such as Soldier of Fortune and Epic Militaria who cater for re-inactors who you could try. I have purchased items from both firms, although not a re-inactor myself, and they are both reliable companies. There are other similar firms who also cater for the re-inactor market that you could also try.

The British Army Great coat may well have been a popular coat for civilians to wear, casually/for manual out-door work post WW2, because my father often mentioned them and I believe that he may have worn one himself in the late 1940s while employed on a farm. I don't think that I still have it but I may have one or two photos of him wearing one while doing farm work. They were designed to keep you warm, I believe.

What Price Glory makes a reproduction greatcoat.

There is a genuine one here but post WW2, https://www.silvermans.co.uk/collect...ant=4197679363

They were made from a material called 'double serge' It was like the battledress material but of a much heavier weight/weave

Downside with "double serge" as Peter states, is, and also in the scenario of Dunkirk 1940 WW2, many were in reality disgarded, because they become deadly when waterlogged.
Plus the weight of traditional ammo boots, you went straight to the bottom, and the reason why so many got rid of them on the beaches prior to embarking, and why you see real WW2 footage of men wearing nothing on their feet.

When doing that sort of training, the first thing we were taught was to get rid of the outer wear and footwear. There's no way I'd be going into the water with anything, and I'd be stripping once in if dumped in. Anyone that had a greatcoat once they got back to England either didn't have to swim or was given it on board the shipping...

As the younger generation get more education, and are genuinely interested in the sacrifice their fathers and grandfathers made in conflicts such as WW2 in films like this, (where celebrities play lead roles), what these films do start, is start a mad rush on dress codes, and I can therefore see a mad rush on buying these "great coats" up ready for the winter!:thup:

Used to be everywhere in the 60's along with Busby's, Guardsmans jackets etc good old Carnaby Street, Soho, London, W1

I've heard of men stripping down to their underwear at Dunkirk, although many were saved by the Mole, the concrete structure that acted as a makeshift "jetty" and didn't need to enter the water provided that their ship wasn't sunk by the Luftwaffe or by a mine on the way home.

My mother well remembers, to this day, seeing many British soldiers, at the time of the Dunkirk evacuation, on trains and at stations in Yorkshire. She was a child at the time but was shocked to see the state of them; they were covered in mud and dirt and many hadn't been able to shave for days. They obviously hadn't had a chance to clean up after returning from France. She felt very sorry for them as did most other members of the British public.

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Originally Posted by Gil Boyd

therefore see a mad rush on buying these "great coats" up ready for the winter!

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Hang on a minute, Gil, don't forget the Duffel coat. ;) I've got a vintage one in my attic, somewhere, and will have to check if it's genuine, ex Royal Navy.

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

I've heard of men stripping down to their underwear at Dunkirk, although many were saved by the Mole, the concrete structure that acted as a makeshift "jetty" and didn't need to enter the water provided that their ship wasn't sunk by the Luftwaffe or by a mine on the way home.

My mother well remembers, to this day, seeing many British soldiers, at the time of the Dunkirk evacuation, on trains and at stations in Yorkshire. She was a child at the time but was shocked to see the state of them; they were covered in mud and dirt and many hadn't been able to shave for days. They obviously hadn't had a chance to clean up after returning from France. She felt very sorry for them as did most other members of the British public.

---------- Post added at 06:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 PM ----------


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We had a neighbour in the late 1950s who was a Dunkirk veteran. He told my dad that it was quite literally off the docks and straight on to trains and away from the channel ports as soon as they landed in England.