WW2 Tank Suit

[Flying10uk]

I have this, what I believe to be an early version of the British WW2 tank suit for use by tank crews. It was purchased by my father, as surplus, not long after the war for using while riding motorbikes off road. The seller told my father that it was an ex army tank crew suit. However, the suit does seem fairly heavy, to me, and it is double skinned which does make me question if it is actually some type of "jump suit" for use during a parachute jump and is intended to be discarded after landing? There appears to be no labels attached to it but the zips do indicate U.K. manufacture. The whole garment looks very well made and as can be seen by the pictures there are multiple pockets including 2 "secret" pockets on the inside chest. I wondered if the open topped pocket, last picture, is intended to hold the Enfield .38 revolver? As can be seen, the suit can be completely removed from the body by use of the double zips without the need to "climb out of the suit". It even has provision for male users to "answer the call of nature", 7th picture, with a small zipped access flap; apologies to any potential female users.

Information

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[Aragorn243]

It looks like other examples on the net. I would think you would roast alive in one of those.

[Mk VII]

You are supposed to be able to put it on over everything else, (no heaters in tanks in those days) and the shoulder straps are (IIRC) reinforced so that an injured man can be pulled up out of the tank by them. These things are/were fairly common as there was no great demand for them on the surplus market.

[WarPig1976]

These things are/were fairly common as there was no great demand for them on the surplus market.

That's a surprise because they would make a good pair of cold weather work gear for just about any trade.

[Flying10uk]

I would think you would roast alive in one of those.

I thought this myself but I guess it depends on the climate in which you operate.

he shoulder straps are (IIRC) reinforced so that an injured man can be pulled up out of the tank by them.

This is interesting, I wondered what those straps were for.

The suit was ideal for off-road biking in cold weather at a time when there wasn't a great deal of bike clothing available, in the U.K., that was intended for off road use. The other ex-military clothing that my father used for biking was a WW2 U.S. Army Airforce leather jacket. It looks like a flying jacket but it could be a ground crew jacket and was also purchased shortly after WW2 as surplus. Fortunately I still have it but sadly it is not in great condition.

[browningautorifle]

and the shoulder straps are (IIRC) reinforced so that an injured man can be pulled up out of the tank by them.

Those are the same as the NBC suits and the straps are so you can strip to the waste by undoing the top and pull it down. The suspenders keep it from sliding down.

The little pocket looks more like pliers or such.

[RASelkirk]

North African tankermen wearing those would have suffered from spontaneous combustion!

Russ

[Flying10uk]

Possibly there was a lightweight version for use in hot climates?

Interestingly, I have heard of people using surplus ex-British army tank suits for motorcycle use some time after the Royal Tank Corps had started using black cover-suits.

Any ideas on what looks like a series of pen holders on the left breast pocket, 2nd picture on the bottom row, Jim? I assume that they aren't actually for a row of pens/pencils. Another suggestion, years ago, was holders for rifle/pistol ammunition which also doesn't seem likely.

[browningautorifle]

ideas on what looks like a series of pen holders on the left breast pocket

They also look like atropine injector loops. Those are used after a nerve gas exposure... I don't think this is an NBC suit though. Hard to say what they were originally designed for...

[Mk VII]

Possibly there was a lightweight version for use in hot climates?

There is a denim version, and a lightweight KD version for the Far East.