Hi guys, irrelevant I know but does ANYONE have any idea what this is on Major Shape during Sharpes Justice, seems to be a form of DPM poncho or cloak?

I was under the impression the only form of camoflage riflemen used in that era they were famed for was their rifle green uniform (beg my history lesson from a green jacket)

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Its a civvy Coachmans coat, sometimes also called a drovers coat, used in 17th/18th/19th centuary by outdoor workers and is the forefather of the modern Barber and Australian stockmans coat, made out of waxed cotten, it.s not camo, it's just wellworn and dirty, ueualy worn with a low crowned wide brimed hat not unlike a Stetson

Last edited by tropper66 on Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:28 am; edited 1 time in total

How the fcuk did you know that???

Is it a 'coat'?

I think I've got one.






I'll get it now

Last edited by BoomShackerLacker on Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:31 am; edited 1 time in total

Cheers for that tropper, mind you Sharpe does look quite ally in it

I always thought it was dirty
Is that the episode where he comes back to Blighty to bash uppity peasants

Yes it is, not in my top 3 however

I own one , only it's Gortex, the waxed cotten one's weigh about half a ton when wet

Before the Railway, all cattle were driven to market by "Drovers" from all over the UK. But in Wales there still are a number of droving roads which are very wide lanes to allow the driving of large numbers of cattle, sheep, and even ducks and geese. The coats died out a bit as there was no need for them ,but the Trench coat of the First World War is very alike but much shorter. In Australia they still used them as they still did droving on foot and horse back untill modern times. You can still get them in any good country clothing shop

You're not wrong. I've got a waxed cotton Barbour Stockman coat complete with storm cape and so on. Once wet they do tend to gain a few pounds. Keep you bone dry though.

My advice, iff anyone should want one, is to go to your local county show there are some realy good deals to be had there

I look much better in a hauberk to be honest.

Hence their name down under: Drizabone

It was also known as an Ulster for some reason.

i used to wear a wax jacket on hill top sites. Kept it on a hook (made of welding rod) by the back of the 9x9/iso/corrimec. Kept me snug and warm when going for toilets and gene changes....

Obviously the "grown ups" didn't like it, but fcuk 'em they weren't on the top of some hill covered in snow.

The pockets could some mags and other useful stuff too.

Similar items worn in US by cowboys, called Duster coats.Ref.those worn by the bad guys in "Once upon a time in the West".

There are a lot of differant names, and they all have slight differences such as cloth, length, riding ties, length of cape,ect some were made of moleskin,leather, waxed cotten, canvas, corderoy, and wool, and type of buttoning, but I think Sharpe's is a "Coachmans coat"because of the ,triple layer cape

It's been "dressed down" by the Wardrobe department using aerosol sprays designed for just that purpose. However, because of the way they've done it it doesn't look like a natural pattern of dirt accumulation and so looks mottled rather like DPM.

These were also made of some sort of rubberised cotton ( a Glasgow manufacturer was one producer of the 1950's and earlier) for police forces around the UK - and probably for export. Some versions had arm holes rather than sleeves and came in long and short styles in a form of cape with crossbelts so that they could be worn "off the shoulder". The similarity was in the extra shoulder protection or "cape", designed to run the water away from the bottom and from running into the legs and feet.
The Glasgow manufacturer was McLennan (or something like this?). They were actually very practical. Does anyone know if they still make these?

My version. Ally as fuck (in my own head) but less dirty and weather-beaten: