# Airborne Battle Dress



## beaverpass (30 Mar 2006)

A post on another forum requesting info about this battle dress blouse has not been answered, so thought I would try the picture here.

The original poster in the USA recently received the blouse from a relative in New Brunswick and wishes to establish its authenticity. He has not been able to find any reference to the "Airborne Canada' shoulder patch. Marked inside as 'Battle Dress Blouse Serge, Size No. 2, Tip Top Tailors Ltd', and is dated 1942.

Can anyone advise regards its authenticity, when it was in use, etc.?

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f133/beaverpass/post-201-1136128384.jpg


----------



## Gunplumber (30 Mar 2006)

Its from the 50s 60s, most likely 60s as it doesn't have any war medals. It looks real but its hard to tell from the photos. You you have any names associated to it?


----------



## Big Foot (30 Mar 2006)

Gunplumber said:
			
		

> Its from the 50s 60s, most likely 60s as it doesn't have any war medals. It looks real but its hard to tell from the photos. You you have any names associated to it?


Gunplumber, I'm going to have to call you on that. It does in fact have a war medal on it, the Canadian Voluntary Service medal with Overseas bar on it. What is strange to me, however, is the fact that there is no Defence Medal for service in Britain or no 1939-1945 War Medal or any campaign medals. Strange yes, impossible, I doubt it.


----------



## RangerRay (30 Mar 2006)

Isn't that private's hook upside down and in the wrong position on the sleeve?


----------



## army outfitters (30 Mar 2006)

The airborne Canada title was worn in Canada before the 1st can para titles were made and issued. Also all troops that were instructors etc or not posted yet overseas wore the airborne canada title. This does not mean that 1st can para titles were not worn in Canada just that in general the airborne canada title was only worn in country and when overseas you wore 1st can para


----------



## Michael Dorosh (30 Mar 2006)

Have you tried posting at the forum at www.canadiansoldiers.com  ?


----------



## army outfitters (30 Mar 2006)

It is called a good conduct stripe not a upside down pte hook


----------



## Michael Dorosh (30 Mar 2006)

Sgt Bilko Surplus said:
			
		

> It is called a good conduct stripe not a upside down pte hook



It is called a Good Conduct Badge to be technical.  Canadians don't wear 'stripes' they wear chevrons. Unless you mean a Wound Stripe.

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=Good_Conduct_Badges

Oh, and Privates didn't wear chevrons or insignia of any kind until Unification in 1968 and the restructuring of the rank system thereafter.

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/mediawiki-1.5.5/index.php?title=Private


----------



## army outfitters (30 Mar 2006)

I stand corrected and digress to someone who is more grammatically correct than I am in this case.


----------



## Michael Dorosh (30 Mar 2006)

Sgt Bilko Surplus said:
			
		

> I stand corrected and digress to someone who is more grammatically correct than I am in this case.



I also look better than you in a pair of shorts, Dave.  So they tell me, anyway.  You need to take your ebay auctions off line, though; you have so much good stuff on there at such great prices I fear I may be inspired to stop saving for a house and just go wild buying "army crap".


----------



## Trinity (30 Mar 2006)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I also look better than you in a pair of shorts, Dave.  So they tell me, anyway.  You need to take your ebay auctions off line, though; you have so much good stuff on there at such great prices I fear I may be inspired to stop saving for a house and just go wild buying "army crap".



Be thankful you don't live down the street from his store.

Its now a weekly excursion for me on Friday after work to pad
my already bursting collection of kit.


----------



## RangerRay (30 Mar 2006)

Thanks for the clarification on the "hook".

I should have said "_lance corporal_" though...  :-[


----------



## larry Strong (30 Mar 2006)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I also look better than you in a pair of shorts, Dave.  So they tell me, anyway.  You need to take your *ebay* *auctions* off line, though; you have so much good stuff on there at such great prices I fear I may be inspired to stop saving for a house and just go wild buying "army crap".



Can you help me here, what is he listed under, and does his store sell online also.

Thanks


----------



## Michael Dorosh (30 Mar 2006)

Larry Strong said:
			
		

> Can you help me here



I doubt it.  Do you know the old saying: you can lead a horse to a guy's profile but you can't make him click on it?


----------



## Trinity (30 Mar 2006)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I doubt it.  Do you know the old saying: you can lead a horse to a guy's profile but you can't make him click on it?



Michael.. you are an evil man...    but never change   


www.sgtbilkos.ca

his ebay store is under the name sgtbilko but can be accessed
from his webpage also..


----------



## army outfitters (30 Mar 2006)

The thought of you in shorts is enough thanks. I will be having nightmares tonight with that one. Hey I sell from the store to so it does not have to be via ebay/epay. When you are in TO next mike drop by. I think you will be very very surprised as to how much and what I actually have.


----------



## larry Strong (30 Mar 2006)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I doubt it.  Do you know the old saying: you can lead a horse to a guy's profile but you can't make him click on it?



Your right  :-[ never thought of that. Thanks for the *help* ;D


----------



## beaverpass (30 Mar 2006)

Thanks all for your always illuminating replies. One more question....Is the 1950's vintage para wing consistent with the 'Airborne Canada' shoulder patch on the same blouse?  Would this shoulder patch have been worn post WW2?


----------



## klambie (30 Mar 2006)

I'm not an expert, but does not the GS Badge also imply service in Canada only?  I also presume that it would have gone away at the end of the war.


----------



## Michael Dorosh (31 Mar 2006)

klambie said:
			
		

> I'm not an expert, but does not the GS Badge also imply service in Canada only?  I also presume that it would have gone away at the end of the war.



Yes.  It denoted a GS man, or General Service volunteer, someone who volunteered to serve outside of Canada. Once he left Canada, the GS badge was removed, since it was now irrelevant.  Once you had the CVSM with clasp, the clasp denoted overseas service so one probably didn't need to put the GS badge up again, even in the case of someone returning to Canada before the end of the war.


----------



## John F. (3 Apr 2006)

Hello,

I'm the guy with the the BD and I would really like to find out more about this uniform. The following picture was sent to me from another member on another forum.  He states that the picture comes from a book called "Dressed to Kill".  However, the picture is not referencing his BD but the combat boots he is wearing.


----------



## Michael Dorosh (4 Apr 2006)

John F. said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> I'm the guy with the the BD and I would really like to find out more about this uniform. The following picture was sent to me from another member on another forum.  He states that the picture comes from a book called "Dressed to Kill".  However, the picture is not referencing his BD but the combat boots he is wearing.



I'm the guy that wrote Dressed to Kill....what do you want to know?


----------



## Cloud Cover (4 Apr 2006)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I'm the guy that wrote Dressed to Kill....what do you want to know?



I knew you and Sailing Instructor were the same person.


----------



## Michael Dorosh (4 Apr 2006)

whiskey601 said:
			
		

> I knew you and Sailing Instructor were the same person.



No, he posts stuff about uniforms on a free forum, I get paid to write about them. Subtle difference, I'm sure you will agree.


----------

