Battle dress trousers, Canadian pattern, Parachute Regiment, 1943

Battle Dress was a type of military uniform adopted by the British Army in 1939 for active service, as opposed to dress uniform which was worn at formal functions. Made of khaki serge wool, it was usually worn for service in temperate climates and consisted of a short jacket or blouse that buttoned to the outside of high-waisted trousers like the example pair shown here.