Forces Uniforms

[Vagus]

What happens to all the various bits of all the various uniforms when forces personnel retire? Do they get to keep it, or any of it, or is it all handed back?

[mallyh]

when i left the wrens i had to hand in my greatcoat and gas mask,mr mally kept everything except gas mask as he was in reserve for a number of years x

[Vagus]

Thanks Mally, I didn’t know you’d been in the wrens.
It was the greatcoats I was particularly thinking of, watching the remembrance ceremony, plus all the other bits and pieces. Must cost quite a bit to kit everyone out with all the things they need.

[mallyh]

the coat was the one thing i really wanted to keep ,one of my hats was signed by all my wren mates and the other was stolen from a box of things i left for my friend to bring to me when she came up for my wedding x

[Peter Pedant]

My mother kept her great coat
Green, almost lawn green, it fitted my 13 y old niece
and had been tailored ! - looked like the service girl in Catch 22 for ABers late in the day

if anyone can tell me what aux service had lightish green uniforms, I wd be grateful

my papa as an ex 5 y POW had more to talk about than what he was wearing in just before demob. His demob civvy suit lasted 20y and er was passed down to me!

[Vagus]

Oh that’s a shame Mally. Any idea why some forces personnel today were wearing bowler hats?

[mallyh]

retired officers i think x

[theshedman]

I had to hand back all of my Royal Navy kit when I left. A lot of the time what can be reused is and some is given to the sea cadets. May have changed now as I left over 40 years ago.

[Vagus]

So Mally and Shedman, was any part of your uniform pre owned when you first joined up?

[mallyh]

no all new x

[Peter Pedant]

women's royal army medical corps - the assoc has just marched past in lawn green coats.

[Peter Pedant]

My late mama was doing a caesarian section under ether when Mile End Hospital was bombed - Pt died, inquest of course.

[Canary42]

AFAIK my Dad was buried in his (Rome Military Cemetery). Only a few personal effects returned to Mum, including service medals.

[theshedman]

No it was all new. Not sure how it is these days but we would get first uniforms free then we had to buy all replacement ones ourselves. We had a kit allowance in with the pay.