Tug Wilson notes:  1st Pattern hand dyed Denison 1942 A very sandy buff coloured smock to suit North African and Italian theatres.

The 'Lightning' zipper looks to be a replacement of the period and the zip flap has crude button holes sewn in similar to the Belgium conversions however I feel this would have been done by the soldier as a field repair/fix after the original zipper broke which often happened in the sandy environments.

The cuffs are not original but a more modern replacement. Although the label has faded this smock is clearly an early 1st pattern and would be dated 1942.

Many thanks to Preston Isaac owner of the Cobatton Combat Collection, Chittlehampton, N.Devon for the use of his museum for the photography.