Mod to Suedehead

Thinking of the old gas Mask 'school' bag has now brought back vivid memories of around the 12 / 13 years of age and going to the ex Army Surplus store at Woolwich to buy the fishtailed ex US Army Parka. These were not the modern quilt lined parkas of today.

They were 2nd hand with a green outer layer (that let rain through) and they had a white blanket liner held in with a few buttons that looked as if it had been cut and styled by a blind tailor. They had the US Army logo on the front. To us they were the height of fashion

We would wear these over our blue nylon zipper jackets with our only one pair of Levis and cherry red commando boots / monkey boots. we thought we were the dogs' Some older lads would sometimes give us a lift on the back of their Lambrettas SX 200 scooters and to lay back on the 'springy' back rests with your hands tucked in the breast pockets - you thought you were in heaven and only hoped that your mates or girls had seen you so you could impress!!

Oh to be a Mod - if only we could have been older at the time. But we became skinheads - no regrets

I cant even think if there are still any genuine ex army surplus stores about now - the likes of Millets did not count. If they were the clothes would be too small anyway!!



Bob the Badger said:

 We are probably straying from this sites' Skinhead theme and the clothes, but maybe not. I reckon many of the 15/16 year old skinheads in 68/69 were in small gangs when they were 10/11 years old. We used to fight with rival schools, rival streets and even the top and bottom ends of the same street. School football matches sometimes ended in fights. Most of this went on without the parents having a clue. At 12 years old I wanted an air rifle or pistol just like one of my mates. Dad said no, thank God. He did buy me a metal toy crossbow that came with wooden arrows and a rubber stopper end. Within a day the rubber was removed and I was sharpening the wooden arrows ready for the enemy. Looking back I can't believe the young me and I was no different to all my mates.We were wild.

Click to expand...

Brings back memories B the B, We made Bows and Arrows, Dutch Arrows, We had Gat Guns, Played on Bomb Sites we would be gone all day in the school holidays, Back then their was always someone with a broken Leg or Arm or a eye patch, Kids was always getting hurt or sick, Kids with snot hanging off their nose, A few of us got killed in accidents,
We was obsessed with the War, played war games..no one wanted to be a German, We was always making fires on Bomb Site one lad but a live round on the fire ..it went off and shot a lad in the leg lol.
Yes we had Gangs and would fight kids from around the corner or another School...it was a training ground for us future Skinheads, Happy days

Lasttye said:

Brings back memories B the B, We made Bows and Arrows, Dutch Arrows, We had Gat Guns, Played on Bomb Sites we would be gone all day in the school holidays, Back then their was always someone with a broken Leg or Arm or a eye patch, Kids was always getting hurt or sick, Kids with snot hanging off their nose, A few of us got killed in accidents,
We was obsessed with the War, played war games..no one wanted to be a German, We was always making fires on Bomb Site one lad but a live round on the fire ..it went off and shot a lad in the leg lol.
Yes we had Gangs and would fight kids from around the corner or another School...it was a training ground for us future Skinheads, Happy days

Click to expand...

Yes we made real bows and arrows from branches and string that works with sharpened arrows. you are quite right there was always some kid with plaster of Paris on his arm or leg.

We also experimented with fireworks and opening up 'bangers' to make our own fireworks - we were lucky no one got seriously injured. H&S would have a fit now. Also remember getting .22 shells in a vice and hitting with a center punch and hammer in your Dads shed and cheering at the bang and any one not taking part was branded a coward.

When we were youngsters it was only 20 odd years after WW11 and the war still played a part in our lives because it had had such an effect on our parents so these things are passed on down the line.

Great childhood though - much better our kids or grand kids with computer games etc as ours was real

Aces and Eights said:

Thinking of the old gas Mask 'school' bag has now brought back vivid memories of around the 12 / 13 years of age and going to the ex Army Surplus store at Woolwich to buy the fishtailed ex US Army Parka. These were not the modern quilt lined parkas of today.

They were 2nd hand with a green outer layer (that let rain through) and they had a white blanket liner held in with a few buttons that looked as if it had been cut and styled by a blind tailor. They had the US Army logo on the front. To us they were the height of fashion

Click to expand...

You guys seemed to have got the older M-51 Field Jacket but the more common one in the states is the later M-65 Field Jacket, the one you describe is the lighter version but they also had a heavier one more in line with the M-65 Field Jacket.

... and everyone's folks knew of a youngster who'd lost an eye to the catapults/air guns/bows and arrows - but I never saw too many one-eyed kids.

And who decided when bows and arrows were old hat and it was airgun/throwing knives season?

Sirryacus said:

You guys seemed to have got the older M-51 Field Jacket but the more common one in the states is the later M-65 Field Jacket, the one you describe is the lighter version but they also had a heavier one more in line with the M-65 Field Jacket.

Click to expand...

I am afraid your links are not the correct photos of what I am describing. They were long coats with hoods and blanket linings not a jacket. They were what the Mods wore over their suits / good clothing for protection and then rolled up and left on their scooters when they went in the pubs and clubs

Examples below

Ed Vaughan said:

... and everyone's folks knew of a youngster who'd lost an eye to the catapults/air guns/bows and arrows - but I never saw too many one-eyed kids.

Click to expand...

Usually the one eyed kid also had his arm and leg in plaster and was known by the name of 'Lucky'

Aces and Eights said:

I am afraid your links are not the correct photos of what I am describing. They were long coats with hoods and blanket linings not a jacket. They were what the Mods wore over their suits / good clothing for protection and then rolled up and left on their scooters when they went in the pubs and clubs

Click to expand...

I didn't post any photos so I don't know what the hell you are talking about, the fish tail parka is a M-51 Field Jacket I don't care if you don't call it a jacket it is still a M-51 Field Jacket and there are different versions the one you showed is one of them but there also many others.



Bob the Badger said:

Sirryacus, Kiwi polish has always been a standard shoe polish in the UK. Nothing too expensive and generally does the job.

Click to expand...

got this package of shoe polish as a present from a former skinhead who used to have his own shoe repair shop over here...
and especially the shoeboys polish is way better than kiwi or any other shoe polish i used before...



Ed Vaughan said:

... and everyone's folks knew of a youngster who'd lost an eye to the catapults/air guns/bows and arrows - but I never saw too many one-eyed kids.

And who decided when bows and arrows were old hat and it was airgun/throwing knives season?

Click to expand...

Ed my Brothers mate lost an eye due to a home made bow and arrow,, Also i remember launching a Dutch Arrow over the Park ..it landed one inch next to a blokes head sunbathing, I watched the arrow come down in silence, thinking if i shouted it would hit him, Fcuking **** myself and run all the way home ,

Aces and Eights said:

I am afraid your links are not the correct photos of what I am describing. They were long coats with hoods and blanket linings not a jacket. They were what the Mods wore over their suits / good clothing for protection and then rolled up and left on their scooters when they went in the pubs and clubs

Examples below

Click to expand...

Thats like the Fishtail I saw at the surplus the other day.It's 28$ and the hood(which buttons on)is about 5 $ I never had one but am considering it for aesthitic reasons,I've got a modern Green Camo Nylon parka(130$ I got mine for 20$)It was discontinued when they converted to the Desert Camo.It is more utilitarian than the one above(wind proof,waterproof)But the Fishtail above is cheap enough to buy for its looks and style.Wouldn't paint the Who or the Jam on the back though.Almost took my younger brothers eye out with a homemade bow and arrow and was so upset I never played with them around other people again.

The much more common M-65 can be had for about 10 dollars where I live yankmod but obviously its not what the mod's used but I'm sure you are more than familiar with it being in the punk and indie scenes in the 80's.

Sirryacus said:

The much more common M-65 can be had for about 10 dollars where I live yankmod but obviously its not what the mod's used but I'm sure you are more than familiar with it being in the punk and indie scenes in the 80's.

Click to expand...

Indeed Sirryacus.We had them all.The jungle greens (thanks to Paul Simonon)The Army shirt and the M-65.Amazon is selling the M-65 for 70 to 80 bucks.For the Suckers.My ex-Wife didn't use a purse,she had the Army Bag(w/ the strap) and DM brogues.She was way cool.

In the 50s(when I was a Kid)you still had a lot of things left over from the War.The Bags I remember well.When I was young,Millets did a version of it as a Picnic Set-complete with Plastic Cups,Plates etc,ours got a lot of use out of it.The Bomb Sites ,being our Playground, were great fun,Nobody worried about grazing their Knee or anything.If you went home crying, you probably get a whack from your Mum"I told you to stay away from the Bomb Sites".You always went back though.I considered myself lucky because I still had Mum`s old Gas Mask(still remember puitting that on) and an old Steel Helmet to play with.Rationing was still on,on some Products(in the mid 50s)so not everything was easily bouight.

No bomb sites for us thankfully but,there is an interesting place in NYC.The western end of Rockaway peninsula (thats south Queens ,rockaway beach is the eastern end) Just before you get to the little beach neighborhood of Breezy Point is Riis Park and there is a camp created during WW2.They had two massive guns facing the open ocean,they was two stories high in Cement with a garage underneath for massive trucks.After 70 years they look like two large hills and have been turned into observation decks for tourists.It's got a great view of the city.There are loads of roads runnin thru with barracks and buildings to load up trucks.Bomb shelters.It's not visited by many tourists and is worth checking if your visiting as you wouldn't believe you was in NYC(plenty trees and seaside plants)The beach there has almost no people(good place to swim)but the undertow kills many every year and you must beware(don't be drinking)It's one of those great secrets in NYC even most of the locals don't know.Not easy to get to without a car though.Lots of trains and buses and then walkin a few miles.Much better than Times Square.That is my only experience with WW2 ruins.We weren't in the same boat as yooz guys.