Paratrooper

Our best selling recreation of the Extreme Cold Weather Pullover issued to Airborne Troops and S.O.E. operatives during WW2.

This classic Olive Drab Roll Neck Sweater is knitted in Scotland exclusively for Aero in heavy duty 6 ply Shetland Wool, especially selected to comply with the standards demanded by the "Warnorm" scheme, a government quality control, similar to the CC41 civilian scheme, introduced in 1941 to set specific and demanding standards for military issue knitwear.

The neck is designed for both comfort and warmth, the roll is knitted not to be restrictive and has extra length to allow to be worn fully raised, protecting the face against the worst of elements. To further replicate the original we've sewn a facsimile of an original War Department label onto the ribbing on the left hand side.

The use of external labels was experimented with on various items of issue knitwear for ease of size identification in Quartermaster's Stores. While many servicemen wore their sweaters with the label intact throughout their term of duty, others removed the label upon issue. This sweater was ideally suited for Special Operative Executive operatives on clandestine operations as it doubled for a civilian garment, with the label removed of course! The original 1944 photo depicts a real war hero, S.O.E. operative, Captain Desmond Ellis Hubble immediately proir to being parachuted into France on a clandestine mission ahead of the Normandy landings. He wears what appears to be this Airborne Troops sweater and trousers closely resembling Aero's CC41 Cords. Captain Hubble's exploits are the subject of a book by Mick Manise.