Original 1945 Dated British Battledress Trousers - 9 Para Attributed

Code: 54471

An original pair of 1945 dated British Army 1940 Pattern (Austerity) Battledress Trousers which belonged to Harold Ronald Thorold who served with the 9th Parachute regiment during the Second World War.

14859388 Private Thorold enlisted in the East Surrey regiment in late 1944 before transfering into A company of the 9th Parachute regiment at the beginning of 1945. He stayed with the regiment in the immediate post-war years as did many soldiers waiting to be demobbed when the war was finished. He went to Palestine with the regiment in 1946 and was at Haifa where he was stationed until the middle of 1947. He was transferred to 30 Platoon S Company at some stage as these details are written inside one of his battledress jackets which were found with the trousers. Originally born in Lambeth in 1926, Harold joined the 9th Battalion (eastern counties) Parachute Regiment and stayed living near Ipswich after the war. Harold passed away at the beginning of 2022 and these trousers along with other uniform items were found on his property. 

The trousers are typical of those worn for 'walking out' or best towards the end of the Second World War. When on leave going out, many soldiers managed to get a second set of trousers and convert them into something smarter than standard issue trousers. Like many other examples, this pair has had the First Field Dress pocket and the map pocket removed from the front. They have also had a wedge shaped piece of material added to each leg to make the cuff larger which was another popular modification at the time. 

Inside the trousers the War Department acceptance stamp is still present and is surmounted by the letter 'Z' which denotes these as being issued in 1945. The original owner has also marked his name and the last four digits of his serial number. There are also signs of where the trousers have been tailored to make them a better fit. 

The trousers will suit around a 30" waist and when laid flat they measure - 

Waist - 15 1/4"
Inside leg - 31"

The trousers are in reasonable condition with some signs of wear and age etc. There is some damage to the rear including one large hole. This is illustrated clearly in the pictures so please take time to study them before purchasing. 

An original pair of attributed trousers which whilst not in the best condition still display well from the front.