History

The Winter Jacket was introduced in 1942 as a result of the extremely cold conditions during the previous winter in Russia. It is a double breasted over-jacket that was worn over the field service uniform. One side is white, the other side is mouse-grey. All the features like pockets and buttons were on both sides so that both colours could be turned to the outside.

The jacket has double buttoned overlaps for the flaps in the front, a draw string at the bottom edge, adjustable cuff ends, and a draw string hood, all for additional warmth.
A hidden waist belt could be used on both sides. There were six metal buttons down the front, one button per pocket flap, and one per side of the jacket skirt. They were field-grey on the grey side and painted white on the white side.

Coloured armbands were worn with the white uniform, because the Allies also used white winter uniforms for camouflage purposes. The colour of the armband was changed every day like a code word. Each sleeve has two buttons to attach the armband.

This jacket also came in the green “splinter” camouflage pattern and the tropical tan-coloured camouflage pattern.

It was so popular in the winter that it was worn mostly every day, which led to it becoming too dirty to be effectively used as camouflage in the snow anymore, and it was so thick that it wouldn’t easily dry after washing. For this reason, several one-piece or two-piece white pieces of clothing had to be worn over it.