For this month’s impression we are returning to the sweltering jungles of Malaya in the early 1950s. The British soldier in Malaya benefitted from the extensive research and development undertaken into jungle webbing, uniform and equipment during the Second World War. Although these developments came too late for that conflict, they would form the basis of the British Army’s modern jungle warfare equipment in the post war period and this Royal Engineers Lieutenant is equipped with many of the items developed during World War II.

It is early evening and the temperatures have dropped slightly, forcing our officer to don his jumper to keep out the chill. This jumper has slots for the epaulettes and rank slides to be passed through so they are still visible. Under the jumper he wears the 1950 pattern jungle uniform consisting of trousers and shirt. His webbing is the 1944 pattern set for officers which has holster, ammunition pouch, compass pouch and binoculars pouch, mirroring the 1937 Pattern officer’s set. Completing the set is the water bottle in its carrier and the haversack on his back which has a groundsheet cape rolled up and secured beneath it. A jungle map case is slung across his body and he wears high jungle ‘Bata’ boots on his feet.

1. 1950 Pattern trousers
2. 1950 Pattern shirt
3. Jungle sweater
4. Webley .380 revolver
5. Jungle hat
6. Bata boots
7. Haversack
8. 1944 pattern pistol equipment
9. Small jungle map case