Private George Pope and Private Dennis Townsend point with rifle at road sign showing Arnhem.
It looks like they’re wearing rain gear.
The men in this picture are obviously not combat soldiers and are simply posing for the camera. They are probably supply clerks of some level of noncombatants. Note their boots still have a high level of polish on them, they still wear their puttees or gaiters. Notice the man in the background on the right. These men may have been fresh recruits heading up the line, if so good luck to them. The Canadian Army being principally a volunteer force was running short of men by this time. They were reduced to asking mail clerks, supply techs and truck drivers to take a combat role. Many of these combat volunteers lasted only a few days, many of them having not handled serious weapons since basic training in 1940, 41, 42. As for the odd rain-ware they are wearing…it looks dry in the photo so possibly they thought they looked more combat hardened with the hoods up…who knows…maybe they were just boys in the hood 60 years too early…lol