British DPM COMBAT UNIFORM 1

DPM

From ARRSEpedia

The standard pattern of camouflage adopted by the British armed forces from the 1960s. Designed to hide the shape of clothing and equipment at close range, but also managed to hide any attempt to make the clothing look tidy by pressing it. Despite the random pattern of brown, tan, green and black an RSM could still spot an oil or dirt stain from 100m, something he never seemed to keep to himself. Disruptive Pattern Material is (notably) also used by the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal and Indonesian forces.

The Beginning

The first DPM used by the British Army was the hand-painted fabric used on the first Denison Smock issued to airborne troops in the early 1940s. A similar splinter pattern was also used on early lightweight windproof smocks, trousers and jump suits used by the special forces of the day, including SAS and SOE, and still in use as late as the 1970s.

(The combat clothing of the airborne forces of the WWII period is a complex subject. The following link (to a re-enactment group) is useful, and has both extensive narrative and illustrations :D Troop)

1960 Pattern field uniform - the last before DPM

The '60 pattern combat smock, separate hood and trousers, designed to replace the old Battle Dress, were made in a plain mid-olive green cotton fabric. This pattern of combat suit was similar to the 1953 Pattern British issue, and was modelled on a similar US design. It was of a high quality manufacture, featuring lining above the waist, waist-length zip and buttoned fly, two internal and four external double-stitched pockets, strengthened elbow pads and a stitched collar with button-fastening tab. In the early production smock (up to about 1963) the upper sleeve was strangely and uncomfortably tight. This was corrected in later production.

Soon after this was introduced, work began on a DPM design for British army field clothing.

1966 Pattern field uniform - DPM introduced

The first DPM design approved for general issue was the '66 pattern 'Smock, Combat' and 'Trousers, Men's, Combat'. This was the same design as the earlier, more comfortable, 1960 pattern garments, though made of a new DPM cotton fabric. Garments appear to be labelled '1960 Pattern' even though made from DPM fabric, and the title used here and generally, '1966 Pattern', may not be an official description.

The DPM fabric used in the 1966 pattern range is believed to have been designied in 1960, and had made an earlier, limited appearance in the 'Smock, Windproof, 1963 Pattern' for special forces use. These smocks are now very rare, and much sought-after by collectors.

The disruptive camouflage pattern - visually similar to that in current (2007) use - used the four basic Western European temperate colours of a sand base overlayed with leaf-green, dark brown and black. This is generally recognised as the first adoption by any army of a full DPM uniform for general issue. This suit was meant to be worn with the 'Cap, Combat, DPM' - also known as the DILAC Hat.

Would-be collectors of 1966 Pattern should take great care when offered either smock or trousers as 1966 Pattern. The 1966 range is now very rare and hard to find, and many sellers who should know better confuse the 1966 and 1968 Pattern ranges. The giveway is in the label - if it's DPM and labelled '1960 Pattern' it's a 1966 pattern item. Clear?

1968 Pattern - the first DPM kit on general issue

Jacket - Combat DPM

1968 pattern jacket.

The 1966 Pattern garments had not been issued universally when in 1968 new field clothing appeared. This was similar to the 1966 Pattern, though with detail changes to the design of both the combat smock and trousers. Both were heavy cotton, now fully lined and with a full-length metal zip and button fly. The smock had button cuffs, one internal and four buttoned external pockets (two on the chest, two below the waist and a pen/rule pocket on the upper left arm), and draw-strings at both waist and bottom hem.

There was also a separate and optional lined 'Hood, Cold Weather, Combat DPM', attached to the collar of the smock as required, using the two epaulette buttons and a third button below the middle of the smock's collar. The hood has a draw-cord. The smock could be worn over a sleeveless quilted 'body warmer' (Liner Jacket Combat) during cold weather.

The trousers were provided with both belt loops and braces buttons & tapes. They had a conventional slash pocket at each hip, a buttoned patch pocket right rear, a buttoned FFD patch pocket on the right front and a deep buttoned patch pocket on each thigh. There was also provision for a draw-cord at the bottom of each leg.

At the same time the DPM design was revised slightly, though some 1968 Pattern garments were certainly produced in the earlier design of DPM fabric.

Although the '68 pattern uniform was adopted as standard and gradually introduced generally, many units (including Royal Marines andThe Parachute Regiment) continued to issue the plain olive 1960 pattern trousers with the 1966 or 1968 pattern DPM combat smock. Although this was probably done initially to use up extant stocks, 1960 Pattern Trousers, combat, were still being made after 1968, and it seems likely that their use continued after that date because both Royal Marines and The Parachute Regiment wanted to dress a little differently from the common herd.

The Royal Marines stopped using Denison smocks in c1970, and The Parachute Regiment in the mid 1970s, on the introduction of the 'Para Smock' (below).

The DPM fabric was now universal for field uniform, with the 1968 Pattern range on general issue, and specialist garments began to appear, also in the DPM fabric.

DPM Para Smock

'Smock, Parachutist' to be more precise. This was introduced in the mid-1970s to replace the Denison Smock still in use until then by airborne forces and the Royal Marines, which had been introduced around 1940 and revised from time to time until the last version appeared, probably in 1959.

The new Smock, Parachutist, was basically a re-invention of the old Denison design, with many familiar attributes, notably knitted cuffs, a full length blackened brass zip and press-stud fastening on the pockets and crotch flap. The two bellows chest and two bellows lower front pockets have a fold-over flap, and close with blackened copper press-studs; like those on the Denison smocks the first Smock, Parachutist, had press-stude made by Newey. There is also a left sleeve pocket to hold a rule and pen, as is found on the 1968 Pattern Smock, combat. There was no hood.

These early Smocks were the same 100% cotton as the contemporaneous Smock, combat, and were made from the now general 1968 Pattern DPM cotton fabric. Half lined, the lower half showed white on the reverse side to the camouflage printing. There are also two green cotton chest pockets and two internal lower back poachers pockets, and green cord drawstrings at the waist (internally) and the bottom hem.

The early Smock, Parachutist was sized as the '59 pattern Denisons and '68 pattern Smock, combat, from 1 to 9. In the mid 1980sNATO sizing came in, and shortly after a small bellows FFD pocket was added to the tricep of the right arm. By this time the quality of material had gone down, and the fabric had a percentage of nylon in it. The pattern also became much darker with the browns and blacks making a higher percentage of the camouflage pattern.

Para Smock

From ARRSEpedia

Smock DPM Parachutist

The World-famous Para Smock

The blurb should read 'Smock DPM Cnut (Walty) Big-Timing', as the vast majority of individuals who wear this iconic garb have never seen a bloody aircraft never mind leaped out of one.

Introduced in the mid-1970s, the voluminous smock is a throwback to the earlyDenison Smocks, which were meant to be worn over Battle Dress. It has four bellows-style pockets and a small FFD pouch - all fastened with press studs; woollen cuffs and a curious (externally stowed) crotch flap that has little if any use.

The jacket rates very highly on the ally scale for obvious reasons and at one time they were very hard to come by unless one had passed P Company and done the jumps. Nowadays, they're easy to source and are affordable.

As a practical field jacket they're not very good. They don't dry out quickly and the woolly cuffs make one's wrists sweat like a chunkie in a maths test in hot weather. They are, however, hard-wearing and surprisingly load bearing - the pockets can be stuffed with staggering quantities of essentials.

If shelling out, one would be better off spending one's beer tokens on a decent windproof. That said, CS95 is perfectly adequate for field use.

The smock can be worn in two distinct styles:

• Bloused - Tucked up around the waist. Typically worn in this style with Lightweights. This is 'old school' and is rarely seen these days.

• Unbloused - Hanging below the knees. Worn with brightly-coloured tropical kecks, this style was started by the Pathfinders of 5 Airborne Brigade and has been emulated by many since.

WARNING. WEARING THIS SMOCK DOES NOT MAKE YOU AN AIRBORNE GOD.

The wearing of this item of clothing without any valid reason could result in the wearer being torn a fresh arsehole by The Badge.

DPM Sniper Smock

A variation on the Para smock also introduced in the mid-1970s, this Smock features a crotch flap, relocated hip pockets, reinforced elbow and shoulder pads, metal sling hooks on the reverse of the upper arms and a plethora of loops sewn onto the garment for the attachment of natural camouflage materials. There are also three buttons under the collar, for the attachment of the standard hood.

This garment is an oddity that only the most ally would recognise.

Sniper Smock

From ARRSEpedia

Smock - Sniper

It does exactly what it says on the tin

DPM smock very similar in appearance to to the Para Smock but with notable differences.

Like the para variety, this item also has woollen cuffs, a drawcord waist, a crotch flap and a full-length zip - albeit concealed by a press-studded flap.

It has four large pockets - the lower two of which are positioned further to the sides to facilitate access in the lying down position.

The snipers' smock also features padded elbows and chest, variously positioned loops for camouflage and foliage and hooks on the rear upper sleeves to facilitate the use of the rifle sling as a steady when firing in the upright position.

Image courtesy Militarykit

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Category:Clothing