Original Vintage 1959 Pattern British Denison Smock issued to a Paratrooper of the 15th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion (TA).
Original drop zone flashes for the 15 (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion Insignia still applied on both sleeves. Traces of Jump Wings and rank chevron (Lance Corporal) present on the right sleeve where these insignias used to be. Traces of a Shoulder title where one used to be on the left sleeve. Right breast pocket has been repaired with two large pieces of camo Denison material. In one of the pockets came a matchbook and the original cloth zipper pull device. Cuffs have been repaired.
Tag present, but faded, “1959 Pattern Size 4” is still legible, while an extra 4 was hand written on it as well.
27” across chest (includes the extra width gap featured within the armpit area) and 32” in length.
The 15th (Scottish Volunteer) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, originally raised as 15th (King's) Parachute Battalion by the British Army in World War II. The 15th Parachute Battalion was formed in India during 1945 from the 1st Battalion the King's Regiment (Liverpool). Prior to this the 1st Battalion King's had been part of the Chindits special force and taken part in the second Chindit expedition, Operation Thursday, of 1944. It was assigned to the 77th Chindit Brigade, taking part in the Battle of Mogaung in June 1944. It then became part of the 44th Indian Airborne Division.
The war ended before the battalion was committed to any combat but a number of officers and sergeants parachuted into Japanese Prisoner of War Camps in Java, Sumatra, Bangkok and Singapore to provide aid to the prisoners. After the war, the battalion was reconverted to standard line infantry as the 1st King's Regiment (Liverpool).
During the Royal Indian Navy mutiny of February 1946, HMIS Hindustan was berthed at Karachi, and occupied by mutineers. When ordered to debark the mutineers refused, but finally surrendered after a brief firefight with the 15th (King's) Parachute Battalion, supported by four 75mm pack howitzers of C Troop, 159 Parachute Light Regiment, Royal Artillery.
The Denison Smock was significantly modified in the 1959 Pattern. This had a higher hem line, and was much less baggy. This was because wearing it over the personal carrying equipment (but under the parachute harness) while parachuting was no longer the practice. The '59 Pattern retained the full length zip and knitted wool cuffs, but the flannel lining of the collar was changed from khaki to light green. The most obvious difference to the eye, however, was the change in pattern and colours of the camouflage. The pattern became less random, more defined, with broad, vertical brush-strokes, and greater contrast between the base light khaki and the overprinted tones. The green was much darker than previous versions, and the brown was now chocolate, rather than brick. Where green and brown overlapped, they formed a fourth, darker, olive brown colour.
