The ROYAL NAVY WINDPROOF DECK SMOCK, 1st PATTERN is a “UNIFORMS OF QUALITY” Garment created as part of a two-piece collaboration with SAUNDERS ARCHIVE of Nova Scotia.

“Shortly after meeting with the The Real McCoy’s, I ended up finding what I believe to be the earliest known example of the classic British Royal Navy Windproof Deck Smock, dated to 1958. No one makes a better smock than the British, it is hard to beat some of the British designs in my eyes... the Brits, especially in the post-war years, were developing some truly wild space-aged clothing.” - Alexander Saunders

The Royal Navy first introduced this windproof smock pattern in the 1950s for personnel working on aircraft carrier deck and its success meant that variants of the design remained in use until the 1980s. The early model recreated here is exceptionally rare and remains remains largely unknown even to dedicated collectors

Its design evolved from the Smock, F-W (Foul Weather), a belted PVC pullover outer layer, and the Smock, Ventile, both issued in the early 1950s. While fully waterproof, the ‘Oilskin’ Smock, F-W was often considered too uncomfortable for regular wear. In response, the Windproof Smock was developed as a more wearable alternative. Though more comfortable, it retained much of the foul-weather smock's resistance to the elements thanks to its use of Ventile® fabric.

Many similar smocks were developed at the time, building on the success of Army smocks such as the ‘Smock, Windproof’ including those for specialized naval units and the Royal Marines. This example carries the AQUAROCK label, a Manchester-based factory that was famous for providing weatherproof clothing to the British Forces and were considered rivals, particularly in gabardine garments, to Burberry and Aquascutum.

The smock is made from a high-density, weather resistant cotton fabric, with a construction that references materials developed in the late 1930s by scientists at the Shirley Institute in Manchester, the Cottonopolis responsible for many textile innovations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Using extra-long-staple cotton fibers, they created a dense, weather-resistant fabrics at the request of Winston Churchill, who sought a breathable yet waterproof material to increase survival times for RAF pilots forced to ditch at sea.

The "bare-chested" version of this smock was issued only briefly and in very limited numbers. Later testing led to an updated design that added two tabs on the front of the jacket in the early 1960s. These tabs held communication cables in place using snap-button flaps, preventing tangling and accommodating routing of radio wiring from the front pocket up to the hood. The hoods were also modified to accommodate large radio headsets. However, this original 1st Pattern, with its contract khaki lining and stripped-back body, remains remains almost entirely unknown with very few surviving examples in existence today.

High Density Windproof Fabric

Hard-Twist Contrast Cotton Twill Lining

Black Oxide Treated Buckles

Oil-Coated Wooden Toggles

Cotton Thread Construction

Made in Japan