Some Norwegian Kit in British Service

A quick look at some Norwegian kit that found its way into British service.
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[@einarbolstad8150]

The wool sweater is generally referred to as the "komagenser", the "coma sweater", in Norway. It's so warm it'll put you in a coma. It's not actually THAT warm of course, but it sure is warm and was a great piece of kit for its time (still is, I guess). The old field shirt thay you call a "Norgie" (and other things) is of course named after Norway - Norge is Norway in Norwegian (its proper name was just "feltskjorte M/71" - "field shirt M/71)". It was very comfortable, but it was made of 100% cotton, which certainly has its drawbacks when it was wet and cold. But again, great stuff for its time. My favorite type of old school winter equipment was the old winter hat (the Ushanka style hat). This is the only piece of winter gear that I wish was still in use where I serve, really god piece of kit. You can see it in use in some of the pictures. This type of winter hat was commonly referred to as a "BF" which is short for "bjørnefitte", which you all can go find out what it means on your own. ;-) I'll give you a hint: When you squeeze the hat together, the part where you put your head looks sort of like the private lady parts of an animal belonging to the Ursa family.

[@Dave-cw9ie]

Still got my Norwegian jumper and the velcro tab still works and that's after 25 + years absolute awesome bit of kit

[@jonathanpipe8249]

Bloody loved mine !

[@neilmaston5116]

As a former RM who deployed to Norway for Winter deployments 1979 - 1989, Norge shirts and Jumpers were available for us to buy, the shirts were far superior to our 'hairy shirts' in all areas, the jumpers were also widely purchased , the Norwegian gaiters were standard Mountain and Artic warfare issue and not purchased. The only modification we made to the gaiters was to heavily smother them in silicone wax, which was issued to use on our ski march boots, this stopped the gaiters from taking on water and freezing solid , like our boots these were stowed at night in our sleeping bags to stop them freezing, a frozen pair of boots are like cast iron and almost impossible to get on . Happy days!

[@RiflemanMoore]

Interesting information, thank you for sharing! Particularly treating the gaiters, which makes perfect sense of course, being made of canvas.

[@PATTERDALE78]

The jumpers were sold by HM surpluses and soldiers used to get them from there they were on sale right up to 2005 maybe later.

[@getthebrewsin6258]

We also adopted the insulated food containers, often filled with ‘Coftea’

[@johnshanahan8477]

We had them too on irish issue

[@4002corbe]

The Norwegian Jumper was an awesome bit of kit …

[@hantykje3005]

I recognize the wool jumer and hatt in the start of the video from my own national service in Norway 20 years ago.

[@ojh022]

If the shirt is original norweegian issue, the L means it is size small (Liten) and S means large S(Stor). ES is XL and EL is extra small. Obviously M is medium (Middels)

[@deeps2761]

There was a trial version of the Noggy top in the RN, there was a lightweight version which was gash and a heavier one which seemed on a par with the standard one, they were in Navy blue of course and came in with the new (now old) trousers with the side pockets. The trousers were kept but we went back to the old traditional 8's shirts for some reason. I might still have a couple somewhere, I'm a bit of a hoarder like that.

[@brucegraham4332]

These were popular with Canadians taking part in AMF L. I still have mine.

[@andrewweninger1059]

You can tell if you have an older version if it has a single button for the neck on the sweater. I also think you have a Silvermens or Survival Aids version.

[@herefordshireregimentalmus8771]

Norgi's were issued right up to the introduction of PCS MTP I believe, got issued mine in 2003. Still use them.

[@kurt9837]

Still issued mate

[@trooperwolfie]

The field cap looks very reminiscent of the afrika korps field cap (I've got a Panzer crew one with the pink Chevron that my grandad got from a German POW in north Africa) I loved my old norgie shirt, I was issued mine in 2001. They need to make a merino wool version for modern use.

[@davidbrennan660]

The Norwegian Army shirt is a stunning era piece of kit...comfortable and serviceable. Great video on this era kit.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Thanks David!

[@keithorbell8946]

I got a Norgie when I was 16 for DofE and Cadets. I still have it, and it still (rarely) gets worn. I’m now 50

[@473specop]

There are photos of Major General Moore also using a Norwegian patrol pack in the Falklands, Our Norwegian instructors for AMF{L] always had them on their backs [about 20 litres capacity] I think we nicknamed them 'Panic bergens' [Bugout bags today] . I managed to track them down years later, plus use the large bergen for bushcraft. The leather on all the Norwegian stuff I believe is Reindeer. We were also issued Norgie Tent sheets [copy of the German Zeltbahn]. A problem with buying Norwegian clothes back in the 70's /80's was that S stood for Stor and L for Lite [Large and Little].

[@RiflemanMoore]

I hope to cover the packs at some point in the future! Thanks for the information on the tent sheets too, that's one I hadn't come across. Regarding the sizing Thomachi kindly corrected me just after making the video, I'm lucky as I can get away with a small so the mixup is no problem.

[@watchdog8891]

I served with the FMPU element of the AMF(L) up in Norway, my Norwegian Jumper was amazing, along with the Norgy shirt and deputy dog hat.

[@5.7moy]

I had no idea the Brits had Norwegian kit

[@harry9392]

@Maxx’s Network we bought the Norwegian shirts from the NAFFI and in some surplus shops in the early 80's kept us warm in many an O.P.

[@andrewjohnston4127]

Yeah most people bought them until they were issued out in around 1993 I think (that's when I got mine issued and my Chinese fighting suit withdrawn)

[@harry9392]

@@andrewjohnston4127 still got my Chinese fightin kit am I sad or what

[@davidbrennan660]

How about the Green Goddess underwear?

[@andrewjohnston4127]

@@harry9392 nah I've still got my old parka with the chinese fighting suit liner 😁

[@GavTatu]

i had a norgy in 1984, when i was in cadets, before i joined the army ! loved it.

[@chrissheppard5068]

I did 6 rifle coy winters. The SOP was to buy a Norgy jumper shirt and norgy pack (a small day pack.) That was about it.

[@tseftz]

I picked up a Norwegian shirt back when I was in cadets, very warm and comfortable....even more so when they stopped issuing the wool jerseys to us. Saved me from some freezing nights and snowy days. I remember doing something with the local boys school's CCF where I saw navy blue ones (or a very similar garment with epaulettes) floating around. Were these RN issue?

[@davidbrennan660]

Great as part of your base layer when skiing.

[@mickm234]

As you say, great kit. Still got one somewhere...

[@Climpus]

I'm distressed by your not-keeping-books-by-the-same-author-together on your bookshelf.

[@arndmarx480]

Was the Norwegian Rucksack also in use by the Royal Marines?

[@RiflemanMoore]

Both large and small seem to have seen some use, I don't yet have examples in the collection so something to cover in the future perhaps.

[@militaryhistory3520]

Did i hear norwegian?🧐

[@sgtmajorparker4181]

both ways you pronounced wrongly..... and no one ever called it m71 shirt. its a norgie... you have this habit when you interview ex servicemen to correct them or even talk as though you have experienced these details and bits of history yourself. your interview style needs to be more questions than interjecting with your own limited knowledge. you have done it with me in your reply. its very patronising and you mislead people. before you make a video, prepare properly. preparation is key.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Cheers for the input.

[@flatmoon6359]

If anybody wanted your input they would have asked,but nobody ever would.Typical SSM, nothing but crap.

[@sgtmajorparker4181]

you have pronounced norgie all wrong....its not nor-gee nor nor- G....this are really important little bits of prep before you tell the world something intrinsically wrong. this is a very one of a kind bit of kit. not to be undervalued by your poor information.

[@RiflemanMoore]

I used the pronunciations 'norj' and 'norj-ee' in the video, I've heard both used by ex and serving squaddies to refer to the M71 Field Shirt privately purchased, or the later British issue copy; Shirt, Man's, Field, Extreme Cold Weather. As it's a made-up slang name for the shirt it's hardly surprising pronunciation varies, just as the spelling varies from Norge to Norgi or Norgie.

[@alancranford3398]

Reminds me of the Wooley Pully adopted as official optional United States Marine Corps uniform from British service marineshop.net/product/wooly-pully-sweater-501804/ There's a lot of international sharing of uniform items and your presentation on Norwegian kit in British service is a good one. Don't forget the Bergan rucksack www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Bergan

[@petesheppard1709]

I thought about those as well. Also, the Norgi looks like the source for the US' ECWCS thermal shirt with its neck zip and roll collar.