Bringbacks from Kenya Deployment - 20th Para Bn

[bryang]

While not "Spoils of War" I'm posting photos of some items I brought home from deployments to Kenya in the late 1980's.

 

Soldiers often trade military items with the troops of the host nation they're in, so here are some interesting things I swapped for during joint exercises with the Kenyan Army's 20th Parachute Battalion.

 

 

During several deployments to Kenya I wound up with two of their Parachutist's Jump Smock Jackets. This first one was a nice one as it already had the Kenyan Jump Wings sewn onto the upper right arm (as the Kenyans & Brits do). I'd been awarded Kenyan wings and eventually I added the Zaire Army Jump Wings to the opposite upper arm sleeve (I'd been awarded these wings on a deployment to Zaire in '87).

 

The Kenyans wear British uniforms and gear, although many of their weapons are German and French.

 

 

Reverse:

 

 

 

Reverse with crotch flap down (to be snapped to the lower front of the jacket to cover the jumper's "area" during drops):

 

 

 

Jump wings sewn on the upper arm sleeves:

 

[bryang]

This second Jump Smock Jacket appears to be different in pattern and color. I believe that it's possibly an older version.

 

Unlike the previous jacket, this one has a maker's tag in it from a London company.

 

My grandson, Raymond, fell in love with it and insisted on wearing it around the house today.

 

 

Here Raymond is modeling the front:

 

 

 

 

The back:

 

 

 

Label:

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, a demonstration that you actually jump while wearing a Jump Smock!

 

[bryang]

OK ... So how many of you hard corps militaria collectors can claim that they own an actual Kenyan Army 20th Parachute Battalion PT track suit?

 

I didn't think so.

 

I was very likely getting hammered with the Kenyan troops at the end of the training exercise (like we always did) ... drinking "Tusker" lager beer. For some reason I ended up with this track suit:

 

 

 

 

 

Cool 20th Para logo (on both jacket and pants):

 

 

 

 

And the reverse:

 

 

 

 

Again, I was probably a little bit tipsy ... I ended up with a Kenyan Department of Defense pillow case. How many of you have one of these?

 

 

[History Man]

Really interesting bring backs....the patched jump smock and embroidered track suit are especially neat. You can definitely see the British influence on the jump smocks.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Philip

[irish]

Great items particularly with the provenance. Thanks for posting

[automatic]

Thanks for the pics, and as always, the great stories!

[CHASEUSA11B]

Awesome items, I would have to say the track suit is my favorite

[bryang]

Awesome items, I would have to say the track suit is my favorite

 

This was a case of waking the next morning and looking at it and wondering "what the hell did I want this for, and what did I give up for it?"

 

 

On a similar note, while deployed to Zaire (central Africa) in '87, at the end of the exercise we stayed out drinking with the Zairian Paratroopers we were with. By the end of the evening we were running out of money. The local national who was bar-tending kept looking down at the old running shoes I was wearing. I got another round of beer for the sneakers, and walked back to the barracks barefoot!

 

[mmerc20]

I have a good friend who was in the Kenyan army for some time and I was trying to get some Kenyan militaria or medals from him but he never managed to get anything for me. Those are pretty cool.

 

Mome