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The Windak Denison smock


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Frederick Boy Browning is considered the father of the British Airborne forces.

Here is a Windak Denison custom smock that was given to a US 10th group officer in 1984 by his widow the author Daphne De Maurier.

Browning was known for his love of special uniforms and it’s my opinion he contracted these officers issue garments through an AM contact as special officer items.

Here’s the jacket

 

 

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And the rear showing pattern

The Windak cloth is a rayon blend.

The hand washed color is light giving the garment a very unique color way

 

 

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Here’s Browning wearing one of his Windak smocks during Market Garden

 

 

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And another

 

 

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Here’s the Big boss Monty in one

 

 

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You can see the knitted collar easily here.

 

 

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Here’s the collar of the Browning smock complete with makers labels.

 

 

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The Windak beside a regular issue smock

Easy to see the difference when shown like this

 

Enjoy

Owen

 

 

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Another officer wearing his Windak with flat cap probably post war.

Strafford.

 

 

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The Browning smock numbered 1- 154

Probably the first on in the series

 

 

 

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And the AM zipper

 

 

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Eric Queen

That's a beautiful smock O. A pleasure to see it. In your estimation what would the rarity factor be between the Windak and standard made smocks? 10 to 1? 100 to 1?

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E

Thanks it’s a cracker

It’s numbered 154-1

I believe they made 154 in the officer production run.

Compared to tens of thousands of normal production

It’s that rare

O

 

 

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Eric Queen

That is rare indeed. The history that comes with it sends it over the top. Thanks. Learned something.

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  • 3 weeks later...

E ,

No doub a 100% real smock.

It appears to have battle damage to the front.

Hopefully the story is beyond true as we have no reason to doubt it at all.

A D-Day Denison is a unique item indeed.

Priced high yes, its one that belongs in the Canadian war museum, I have been there and its a great visit.

owen

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A nice Smock, but the SB prefixed service number indicates that WOII Parker was serving in the post-SWW Army. Doubtful this Denison ever saw Normandy service as wartime smocks were issued after the war to the Mobile Strike Force and it is was standard practice to stencil the service number and name onto the inside of the garment. The fact that Sgt Parker was wounded in Normandy and invalided back to England should also be a good indicator that this is not his wartime Normandy Denison.

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