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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.
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[edit] 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)
[edit] 1960 Pattern
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 very 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 stithed collar with fastening tab. In the early production smock (up to 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.
[edit] 1966 Pattern
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 later, 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 official.
The DPM fabric used in the 1966 Pattern range had made an earlier, limited appearance, when it was sued to make a Smock, windproof, 1963 Pattern, for special forces use. These are now 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?
[edit] 1968 Pattern
| Jacket - Combat DPM | |
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The 1966 pattern suits 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 1966 design of DPM fabric.
Although the '68 pattern uniform was adopted as standard and gradually introduced generally, many units (including Royal Marines and The Parachute Regiment) continued to issue the plain olive 1960 pattern trousers with the 1966 or 1968 pattern DPM combat smock. This was probably done to use up extant stocks.
[edit] 1985 Pattern
| Jacket - Combat DPM | |
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A major faux pas on the kitting front. '85 pattern jackets and smocks were of an inferior design to their predecessors and were directly responsible for the decision to get the next choice of combat suit right.
Both the jacket and trousers featured ridiculous bellows pockets that the substandard manufacture ensured fell apart after minimal usage. '85 pattern is best forgotten.
[edit] 1990 Pattern
The jacket and trousers are recognisable by the use of large pocket buttons with extra zipped pockets on the jacket and no storm flap. These were not lined but still made from more improved material than their '85 pattern predecessors. Somewhat short-lived they did however lead to the current CS95 system.
[edit] DPM Tropical Suit
| Jacket - Combat Tropical | |
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The tropical/jungle DPM suit was also introduced, replacing the tropical OG uniform worn in Malaya and Borneo. This was unlined, and made of a lighter cotton fabric. The 'Trousers, Combat (Tropical)' had both zip and button fly (presumably to offer greater protection for all concerned), belt loops (though no braces buttons), a pyjama-style waist cord and a draw-tape at each ankle.
They had conventional slash pockets at each hip, a buttoned flap pocket at the right rear and another, deeper and gusseted, patch pocket on each thigh. The jacket had both zip and button closure, epaulettes, buttoned cuffs and two gusseted (bellows) patch pockets - basically a camouflaged shirt. This is still in use - although of significantly darker colouration to the bright pattern of the '70s and '80s.
Image courtesy M&G.
[edit] DPM Para Smock
'Smock, Parachutists' 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 in c.1940 and revised from time to time until the last revision in 1972.
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 Newey press stud fastening on the pockets and crotch flap. The 2 bellows chest and 2 bellows lower front pockets have a fold over flap, and close with blackened copper press studs. There is also a left sleeve pocket to hold a rule and pen, as is found on the 1968 Pattern combat jackets.
These early smocks were the same 100% cotton like the combat smock. 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, drawstrings at the waist (internally) and the bottom hem.
The early smocks were sized as the '59 pattern Denisons and '68 pattern combat jackets, from 1 to 9. In the mid 1980s NATO 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 smock had a percentage of nylon in them. The pattern also became much darker with the browns and blacks making a higher percentage of the camo.
[edit] Canadian Para Smock
The Canadian Para Smock is very different from the British DPM version. It is made of a nylon and is a much paler DPM with the sand and green elements reversed. It is closed by a bright brass two-way zipper. Cuffs close with 'lift the dot' fasteners as do the bellows mag-sized chest pockets and lower grenade pockets that also have elastic like the old '60 pattern jackets. The tail-piece has lift the dots and closes on three pairs of female closures at the front groin. There is also a poachers pocket closing by a small two-way zip accessible from the outside. Generally these smocks were only worn around barracks.
[edit] DPM Windproofs
| Smock – Windproof (Arctic) | |
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Introduced in the mid-1970s for Arctic operations, the windproof uniform consisted of a lightweight, unlined parka-type smock and over trousers, designed to be worn over quilted liners known as the 'Mao' or 'Chinese Fighting Suit'.
The early smock was manufactured from a lightweight gabardine material known as 'Ventile', and featured a two-way zip with Velcro storm flap. Wrist fastenings were also of the Velcro type, and the smock featured a wired hood and four bellows pockets with large buttons, for ease of fastening whilst wearing gloves.
The gabardine trousers had Velcro-fastened slashes on the lower leg to enable donning over boots, and also featured two large bellows pockets on each thigh. This clothing is used extensively by the Royal Marines and AMF(L) in Norway.
[edit] SAS Smock
Introduced in the mid-1970s, this replaced the wartime-style splinter pattern windproofs in use by the SAS and SBS and the 1963 Pattern smock (see above). This was an exact copy of the wartime ones, with a small hood and 4 patch pockets. The material was of the heavy 100% cotton pale DPM type. In the late 1970s a revised design was introduced of lightweight cotton gabardine. With four large bellows pockets on the front, a left sleeve pocket and internal rear poachers' pockets. the hood was a much better design and the cuffs closed with Velcro as did the windflap. The hood had no wire support, unlike the Arctic windproof.
Main front closure was a large two-way zip. Again drawcords at the hood, internally at the waist and on the bottom hem. The pockets close with large green buttons that are frequently covered with green cotton tape to reduce shine.
The Arctic smock is basically a variant of this SAS windproof design but with a differently sewn, wired hood. It also has rank tabs on front and rear. In the mid 1980s NATO sizing became the norm and an FFD pocket was added at right tricep.
[edit] DPM Parka
| Parka - Cold Weather | |
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Introduced in the mid-1970s, this replaced the old Korea-type olive green 1953 pattern parka with its artificial fur liner. The new parka was a knee-length design with a voluminous quilted hood with wired surround and front and nape adjuster draw-cords.
It featured a high neck double-ended zip with Velcro storm flap, Velcro wrist straps, four large pockets (the lower two of which were of bellows type) and a crotch flap. The parka had a removable quilted liner (Liner - Parka. Man's Cold Weather) not dissimilar to the 'Mao suit' or Chinese Fighting Jacket. This attached to the inside of the Parka by Velcro patches and was fastened at the front by Velcro strips. It had mesh armpit vents to prevent overheating.
The parka was designed to be worn over the combat suit as an extra layer in extreme cold weather. It was neither wind or waterproof but was nevertheless suitable for purpose and - when worn under a waterproof outer layer - was extremely warm and ideal for sentry duty. It was not designed for excessive movement, i.e. fighting, and the wearer would overheat relatively quickly with even moderate exertion.
As with other garments, the quality of the fabric used in these parkas also declined markedly in the late 1980s, with the inclusion of artificial fibres to the basic cotton weave. The parka - whilst still useful - is generally regarded as obsolete, though it is understood there are still some retained in stock.
NSN: 6405-99-132-2533
[edit] DPM Flying Jacket
'Jacket, Aircrew, Combat'. Introduced in the mid-1970s, this smock was designed to be worn in conjunction with braced DPM cold weather aircrew over-trousers - worn over the olive green flying suit. Of superior design and finish to any other smock since the '66 pattern jacket, this jacket featured a springed or padded pen pocket, Velcro cuff and neck fastenings, lower bellows pockets with taped buttons, zipped slash-type chest pockets and a integral hood stowed in a neck pocket. Earlier jackets were fully-lined, whereas the more recent issues are only half-lined. A very smart and desirable item of kit.
The trousers have a multitude of pockets, mostly in places readily accessible to people who spend their lives sitting down.
[edit] DPM Sniper Smock
A variation on the Para smock, this item features relocated hip pockets, reinforced elbow pads and metal sling hooks on the reverse of the upper arms. An oddity that only the most ally would recognise.
[edit] DPM Waterproofs
See Suit Crisp Packet.
[edit] DPM Headwear
A (thankfully) limited range of millinery, the use of DPM on everyday head wear never really took off. The 'Cap, Combat, DPM' - or Jap Hat, Crap Hat, DILAC Hat - is but only a distant memory, though THEY (and sprogs at ATR) still use it. The 'Cap, Cold Weather, DPM' (or Dangerous Brian Hat) is still in use, and the jungle hat is enjoying a renaissance - albeit in desert pattern.
[edit] The Way Ahead
The 1990s saw a wider application of DPM, mainly due to advances in manufacturing and production. The most noticeable development was that of the desert pattern material. Though desert pattern DPM was trialed in the early 1980s, it wasn't until the Gulf War of 1990 that its use became widespread. The Gulf pattern DPM was of slightly different design that its trial predecessor - expediency and economy dictating a simpler two-colour pattern than that previously trialed. The basic tropical suit, hat, helmet and body armour cover was thus manufactured in this material and mass produced in haste.
Since then, DPM has appeared on PLCE and bergens - something that would have been unimaginable for general issue just a few years previous due to the cost of production. The sheer variety of specialist clothing such as Gore-Tex coveralls is staggering compared to what was available twenty years ago - and in both desert and temperate guises.
What does the future hold? DPM is likely to be superseded by a digital pattern as part of the current PECOC Programme - a trend that is gaining momentum in several countries' armed forces, notably the US. Then it's only a matter of time before the 'original & best' camouflage pattern is consigned to the history bin.
