United Kingdom - Revision history

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-29T22:49:50Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-29T22:49:03Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-29T22:48:51Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-29T22:46:35Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-29T22:46:10Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Desert Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-16T19:59:50Z

British Desert Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Experimental British Camouflage Patterns */

2026-01-16T19:59:26Z

Experimental British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1 at 23:10, 15 January 2021

2021-01-15T23:10:30Z

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2020-10-03T19:44:44Z

British Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* British Camouflage Patterns */

2020-10-03T18:47:46Z

British Camouflage Patterns

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 [[File:Uk47.jpg|200px]]
-* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS) operating in North Africa. This unsubstantiated rumor appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
+* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. In addition to the Cape, a Helmet Cover (with neck cape) was also produced in the same camouflage design. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS) operating in North Africa. This unsubstantiated rumor appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
 [[File:Uk50.png|200px]]

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 [[File:Uk47.jpg|200px]]
-* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS) operating in North Africa. This is unsubstantiated rumor appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
+* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS) operating in North Africa. This unsubstantiated rumor appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
 [[File:Uk50.png|200px]]

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 [[File:Uk47.jpg|200px]]
-* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and Special Air Service (SAS) in North Africa. This is a commonly encountered rumor that appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
+* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and the Special Air Service (SAS) operating in North Africa. This is unsubstantiated rumor appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
 [[File:Uk50.png|200px]]

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 * One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and Special Air Service (SAS) in North Africa. This is a commonly encountered rumor that appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.
-[[File:Uk58.png|200px]]
+[[File:Uk50.png|200px]]
 [[File:Uk38.jpg|200px]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:46, 29 January 2026
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	* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and Special Air Service (SAS) in North Africa. This is a commonly encountered rumor that appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.		* One of the earliest mass-produced British camouflage items was an oversized smock designed to provide the wearer some protection during a gas attack. Introduced around 1930 and known officially as the "Cape, Anti-Gas, No.1, Camouflaged," the knee length smock was printed with large brown blotches on a khaki or olive green background. The original fabric is lightweight cotton, but this was treated with linseed oil to make it water-repellent and as a result the treated capes have a fairly dark coloration. Many surviving examples have lost this original dark coloring resulting from boiling out the linseed oil, thus producing a "new" coloration of pinkish blotches on a sandy background. A common misconception about the surviving examples is that they were worn as desert camouflage by the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) and Special Air Service (SAS) in North Africa. This is a commonly encountered rumor that appears to have started with one or more militaria dealers looking to cash in on the appeal of items associated with these elite units.

		+	[[File:Uk58.png\|200px]]
	[[File:Uk38.jpg\|200px]]		[[File:Uk38.jpg\|200px]]

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-== Unofficial or Non-Standard Camouflage Used by British Forces
+== Unofficial or Non-Standard Camouflage Used by British Forces ==
 * The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) was formed in 1854, comprised of locally-raised, ethnic-Chinese volunteers with the aim of providing a military unit to defend British Hong Kong. The unit fell under the command of the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong, and eventually came under the order of battle of 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade. Although outfitted primarily in standard, British Army issue uniforms, during the 1980s and 1990s, personnel also came into possession of [[Malaysia|Malaysian Army issue]] M70 [[brushstroke]] camouflage camouflage nylon rucksacks. It appears the RHKR was the only unit stationed in Hong Kong to use the Malaysian pattern rucksack, although it has been hypothesized that some members of 22 SAS may also have acquired them while instructing or attending the British Army Jungle Warfare Training School while it was located in Malaya.

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 == Experimental British Camouflage Patterns ==
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 == Photographs of British Camouflage Uniforms and Military Personnel ==

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-* In 1992 a new type of Tropical Combat uniform was produced using breathable "airtex" type fabric (nicknamed "teabag"). Although the styling of the uniform remained consistent to previous tropical issue clothing, the old style buttons were replaced by those used on the temperate clothing. The uniforms reputedly did not wear well, and were replaced by the Soldier 95 series clothing.
+* In 1992 a new type of Tropical Combat uniform was produced using breathable "Aertex" type fabric (nicknamed "teabag"). Although the styling of the uniform remained consistent to previous tropical issue clothing, the old style buttons were replaced by those used on the temperate clothing. The uniforms reputedly did not wear well, and were replaced by the Soldier 95 series clothing.
 [[File:Uk37.jpg|200px]]
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-* The Soldier 95 clothing system was also produced in desert DPM pattern of a similar type to the 1st series. The components of the uniform were essentially the same as those of the standard Temperate ensemble, although at least two types of shirts are known to exist (Airtex or "teabag" weight, and a lightweight twill).
+* The Soldier 95 clothing system was also produced in desert DPM pattern of a similar type to the 1st series. The components of the uniform were essentially the same as those of the standard Temperate ensemble, although at least two types of shirts are known to exist (Aertex or "teabag" weight, and a lightweight twill).
 [[File:Uk29.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:Uk10.jpg|200px]]
-* All-white winter camouflage was introduced during the Second World War for issue in snowy conditions. These uniforms were not insulated but made from lightweight fabric and designed to be worn over the normal woolen combat clothing. ''(no photograph)''
+* All-white winter camouflage was introduced during the Second World War for issue in snowy conditions. These uniforms were not insulated but made from lightweight fabric and designed to be worn over the normal woolen combat clothing. Use of overwhites for mountain and arctic warfare has continued well into the present era.
 * From 1946 until the mid-1950s, Britain continued to produce the [[Denison smock]] for use by both Airborne Forces and elements of the Royal Marines. Although early postwar smocks are essentially indistinguishable from the war era versions (excepting the nomenclature on their labels), the [[brushstroke]] camouflage design on some later models of this period exhibit a higher degree of intricacy to the pattern itself, enough to often be easily distinguished from wartime models. <ref>Bruce Wilson, Denison: British Airborne Specialist Clothing from WW2 to the Present Day (Military Mode Pub, Hitchin UK, 2013), p 140</ref> Most of the smocks from this period are of similar construction to the wartime versions.

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 [[File:Uk12.jpg|200px]]
-* Beginning in 1959 the [[Denison smock]] was redesigned and the [[brushstroke]] pattern reconfigured. The 1959 pattern smock camouflage (and those produded thereafter) has a distinctively different look to it than the earlier Denisons, with a lighter and more prominent background, incorporating only two additional colours (usually brown and green) to create the basic brushstroke overprint. (WW2 era  Denisons were darker and often appeared to incorporate more than two colours due to the blending and mixing of dyes that occurred during the application process.) These smocks were produced into the 1970s, and despite the standardization in manufacturing and printing technique, they still show much variation in colour and hue depending on when they were produced. The 1959 pattern [[Denison smock]] was worn primarily by members of the Parachute Regiment in theatres such as the Suez and Ulster (Northern Ireland), although there is evidence to suggest it was also issued in limited quantities to the Royal Marines (RM). Illustrated below are examples of the early (1959-60) and late (1967-70) pattern camouflage.
+* Beginning in 1959 the parachutist smock was redesigned and re designated the "Smock Camouflage '59 Pattern." The [[brushstroke]] patterns utilized on these smocks were much more widely varied than observed in previous models. <ref>Bruce Wilson, Denison: British Airborne Specialist Clothing from WW2 to the Present Day (Military Mode Pub, Hitchin UK, 2013), p 148</ref> The 1959 pattern smock camouflage (and those produced thereafter) have a distinctively different look to them than the  patterns found on earlier Denisons, yet can also be distinguished from one another by characteristics such as density of application, dye color, base fabric color, and even the details of the "brush trails" which range from very fine, to thick and spotty. Many of the camouflage examples from this period exhibit a lighter and more prominent background, incorporating only two additional colours (usually brown and green) to create the basic brushstroke overprint. These smocks were produced into the 1970s, and despite the standardization in manufacturing and printing technique, they still show much variation in colour and hue depending on when they were produced. The 1959 pattern [[Denison smock]] was worn primarily by members of the Parachute Regiment in theatres such as the Suez and Ulster (Northern Ireland), although there is evidence to suggest it was also issued in limited quantities to the Royal Marines (RM).
 [[File:Uk13.jpg|200px]]
 [[File:Uk39.jpg|200px]]
 [[File:Uk2.jpg|200px]]