The China and Iceland Marine cold weather coat (Sheepskin and canvas Mackinaw style Jacket)

[warguy]

Well it is a blustery miserable Fall day, so I thought I would take the opportunity to post some information on the cold weather coats used by the Marine Corps in China in the 1930's and the First Marine Provisional Brigade in Iceland. Both coats are similar, but made by different makers with different color shearling utilized on the collars. 

 

Let's start with the coat used by the Marines in China. This article of clothing seems to be very rare in todays market, and in fact, I have not seen a photograph of this coat depicted in any of my reference books, nor on the internet. There is a lot of photograph evidence of this coats use. The coat used in China is recognizable by its tan canvas shell with very particular leather reinforcements around the two square flapped hip pockets. The coat is double breasted with a row of four large dark brown buttons up the front. These buttons can be fastened utilizing leather loops sewn to the front edge of the coat. The jacket is lined throughout the breast with cream colored shearling forming a large mackinaw style rolled collar. The sleeves are lined with a grey linen and there is a OD green wool cuff, much like that on flight jackets hidden within the canvas cuff. In photographs, the coat worn in China is most often seen buttoned to the neck, whereas for some reason, I see more photos in Iceland where the lower three buttons of the coat are fastened leaving the neck open. I suppose this has more to do with temperature outside at time the photo was taken than it does any specific orders. One thing I have noted is that the China coat always has the cream colored shearling collar. In the book, U.S. Marine Uniforms 1912-1940 by Jim Moran, page 136, he states the following on these coats:

 

"As an alternative to the overcoat and much in demand but lacking in number on Iceland was the canvas and sheepskin ,lined winter coat. There were two styles of civilian Mackinaw jackets used in Iceland:

1-Off white sheepskin collar from Sears Roebuck.

2-dark sheepskin collar from Montgomery Ward."

 

So I can only assume that the off white sheepskin collar coats worn by the China Marines were supplied by Sears and Roebuck. Here is a photo from my personal collection showing this coat worn by a horse Marine in China. There are lots of other photographs similar, and I refer the reader to the wonderful works Equipping the Corps, Volume 1" by Alec Tulkoff and China Horse Marine by E, Richard Bonham. 

[warguy]

I was able to acquire a fine example of the Iceland coat some years ago from Advanced Guard Militaria, (more on that in a minute). For nearly a decade, I have been on the hunt for the white collared China Marine Corps example. Once again, in that time period, I have never seen one come to market. There have been a few of the brown collared Iceland style coats offered for sale, usually on a popular online auction site. This statement is very unscientific, but this experience leads me to believe there are more of the brown collar varieties out there today than the white collar ones. A few weeks ago, I was extremely lucky to get a tip from a buddy leading me to a yard sale in a nearby community. When I stepped out of my truck, I nearly passed out when I saw an original white collared example of this jacket hanging for sale from a clothes line at the sale. It's a memory I wont soon forget. It ended up the seller was a thirty year militaria collector and had acquired a large amount of WWI and WWII clothing during that time. Many of his items were large sized and he wore some of them periodically. I took home a large pile of moth ball smelling wool that day, but it was the acquisition of this coat that started my heart pumping. 

 

The coat fits the description provided above. It is sized 44. There is a small white linen tag that is military looking, but I can find no mention of Sears and Roebuck nor the US military. The size 44 is stamped in a very military fashion on the interior lining. The construction also "feels" military. I noted an area inside the coat where three separate pieces of shearling were pieced and sewn together, very much unlike a coat that would be produced for the civilian market. Here are several photographs of the jacket, including a few of the jacket now on display, two depicting the China Marine fur cap. 

[warguy]

Once again, the Iceland Marines seem to have worn the brown collar variety, and if Moran's research is accurate, that model coat is made by Montgomery Ward. On page 136 of the book previously cited, Moran continues:

 

"Initially, (in Iceland), a squad had one "duty" coat, used by whoever "had the duty". As more arrived, squads got several. When Sears could not supply enough for all, orders went to Wards. Usually worn with the winter muskrat cap which was commonly seen sporting a service emblem affixed to the front...the steel helmet slung over the meat can pouch and secured by a spare boot lace. With collar turned up on the coat and the earflaps turned down on the cap, this made a vast improvement against Iceland's Artic conditions...."

 

Again, several years ago I acquired an example of the Wards manufactured coat from Advance Guard Militaria. This coat matches exactly in style and construction as the white collared example, except that the top part of the collar is made in dark brown shearling. Here is the example in my collection. The cap is named to a Captain who served in Iceland with the First Brigade and the cartridge belt is a 1940 Atlas USMC marked example. I suspect the stencil on the rear is reflective of the "duty coat" explanation provided by Moran. 

 

[warguy]

So that concludes my research and thoughts on this particular coat. I have seen some examples offered for sale (always it seems with the brown collar) that do not conform exactly in terms of style to these coats. Usually the leather trim is in a different configuration. All photos I have seen to date has once again the same leather trim that is depicted on these two examples. I suspect there may be very similar (but different) coats that were in fact made for the civilian market.  I extend the invitation to anyone to ad original photographs to this post. I have yet to see a white collared coat in wear in an original Iceland photograph. I also haven't seen an original photograph depicting stenciling (similar to the one above) to the rear of one of these coats. Finally, if any one else has their own examples of these coats (especially the white collared example) I would love to see these posted here. Kevin

[warguy]

I hope I am not geeking out too much here, but I was a bit embarrassed, when I went back through this thread I noticed a different pocket design on the period photograph I posted when compared with the China Marine Sears white collar coat I recently obtained. As previously described, the coat I acquired has a square pocket flap on the lower pockets. This pocket flap matches exactly the pocket flap and design on the Wards brown collar coat (Iceland) I obtained a few years ago. Compare this square pocket flap with the period photo of the horse Marine in China.

[warguy]

As you can see, the photograph depicts a jacket with no flaps on the lower pocket. I then looked through the above mentioned references and sure enough, all photos of China Marines wearing the cold weather coat are wearing coats with no pocket flaps. Here are a couple more photos. 

[warguy]

I took a close look at the coat I acquired and it was quickly apparent the simple flap could be easily tucked into the pocket. here is what happens when that is done.

[warguy]

As you can see, once this is done, the leather trim around the pocket matches those depicted in the photos. Additionally, it looks like the spacing to allow access to the pocket matches those seen in the photographs. So this begs the question, was the flap from these coats used by the China Marines removed, or were the coats made without flaps, or was there a directive to wear the coats with the flaps tucked into the pocket? I suspect there was a directive to tuck the flaps into the pockets and base this on the rather wide space at the pocket opening. For those who either have an example of this coat or those who possess additional photographs of this coat in wear, please post them in this thread. 

 

Once again, over the past few years I have seen some of the Montgomery Wards coats offered for sale. While these almost always include a description stating that they are China Marine or Iceland Marine jackets, I have seen a variety of different configurations, especially to the leather trim on some of these. In fact, in Moran's reference, he provides a photo of what he purports to be an Iceland Marine coat, but that coat has a diamond shaped leather piece behind each button. I don't not recall seeing this style of trim on these coats in original photographs, but maybe it is possible? Here is that photo. Thanks in again to anyone willing to jump in. Kevin

[warguy]

Found this photograph online of Marines in Iceland. They are clearly wearing the Montgomery Ward manufactured coat with brown collar, (I still haven't seen the Sears white collar one in a photo in Iceland, so if anyone sees one please post it). What is interesting about this photo is that the Marine fourth from the left seems to be wearing the coat with no flap on the pocket while the two Marines far right have coats with the flaps showing. The fact that these Iceland Montgomery Ward made coats had flaps strengthens the hypothesis that all coats (in China and in Iceland) probably had the flaps, and they were mainly just tucked away in China. If the Marines wanted them gone, why not instruct Montgomery Wards to eliminate them? The flap might still serve a purpose if the pocket was used to store something (like gloves). It would seem the flap would go a long way to prevent the object in the pocket from falling out. I would still love to find a photo of a China Marine wearing a white collared Sears coat with a flap on the pocket to prove this theory.

[12thengr]

 Similar mens coat ( notice the cuffs ) in the  1936-37 Sears catalog. A few differences but along the same lines. Nothing like it in my Spring 1942 Monkey Ward catalog though.😉

[warguy]

Thanks for sharing that! Definitely differences but some similarities also. Funny, at least one coat I saw for sale a few years ago, advertised as a China Marine jacket had vertical hand warmer pockets trimmed in leather, much like the one in your ad. I suspect, although I don't know for certain, that Montgomery Ward never had a civilian model. I think the Marines upon reaching Iceland likely reached out to them, supplied them with an example from Sears, and asked them to make some up. The two jackets, the Sears model and Montgomery Ward model are essentially identical, expect for the collar of the collar shearling. 

[warguy]

Well in one night, two listings popped up on ebay. One for a “Barnstormer” USMC jacket. This one has an all brown shearling lining, not the two tone seen on original USMC jackets in Iceland. I suspect it was made for the civilian market and not used by the Marine Corps. The other one is listed as a Sears Iceland jacket, and does have the all white or cream lining and is stenciled USMC on the back. First one of these I have ever seen for sale aside from the one I bought. I believe this one is in fact a Marine China jacket, not Iceland.  It is in rough shape but looks authentic. By the way, note the pocket flaps on the white collared China jacket.  Here are some quick pics of each. 

[warguy]

A fellow forum member posted some photographs just found in an antique store. Here is a wonderful photo of Iceland Marines wearing the very distinctive Iceland cap and insignia. Lo and behold, here is the white collared Sears coat in wear in Iceland. Thanks to Dennis at Berts Medals for allowing me to post this here! Pretty much all mysteries on these coats now solved with the exception of whether the white collared Sears made coat worn in China had pocket flaps or not. 

[kanemono]

Great collection. Here are some more China Marine coats.

[warguy]

Gorgeous photos and as always a wonderful contribution, thank you! I know I geek out on these jackets. There is still one remaining “mystery” for me on these I haven’t been able to get solid proof on. Both of the examples in my collection, (the Iceland version with brown collar and the white collar worn in China) have flaps on the lower pockets. In both cases, you can tuck the flap into the pocket itself leaving just the two strips of leather showing as you see in almost all of the original photos. I have been able to confirm through photographic evidence that the Iceland jacket did in fact have the flap pockets, as there is at least one very clear shot with the jackets worn flaps out, (post #9 above). I have had more difficulty proving that on the China worn jackets, although I suspect those had flaps as well. In the photo directly above with the crossed swords, the Marine on the far right wears a jacket that appears to maybe have flap out on his right side, but it is hard to tell with absolute certainty. I might be trying too hard. Any of you researchers out there heading to the back rooms of the Marine museum in Quantico would be too kind to check out a China Marine cold weather jacket there to see if a flap is tucked into these pockets. Or perhaps I could ask any of you with photographs of jackets worn in China to take a look and see if any show the jackets worn with flaps out on those lower pockets. Kevin