New Zealand

A member of the British Commonwealth and an active participant in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War, New Zealand did produce a camouflaged jungle uniform for issue to members of its 3rd Division during the war. The uniforms were hand-produced in limited numbers, and few have survived to the present era, but their fabrication marked the first use of camouflage by New Zealand military forces.

In the 1960s, members of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in support of the government and her allies in SEATO. Although olive green was the standard work and combat uniform of the New Zealand Army at the time, the SAS rapidly came to appreciate the effectiveness of the American and South Vietnamese combat uniforms, many of which were printed in camouflage designs. Thus the New Zealanders were appreciative of whatever numbers they could lay their hands of of the American ERDL jungle uniforms as well as the South Vietnamese tiger stripe pattern fatigues.

Beginning in the 1980s, and following the British example, New Zealand adopted DPM camouflage for its combat clothing. Initial production runs of the clothing were made using imported British fabric, but subsequently New Zealand sourced its own fabric from a variety of sources and would, for the next sixteen years or so, issue a several types of DPM camouflage uniform, each with a different coloration from the previous. Around 1996 the NZ DPM camouflage pattern became essentially standardized, and this remains the standard combat pattern of the New Zealand Armed Forces.

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

• As the standard combat uniform of the New Zealand Army was khaki drill during the Second World War, largely ineffective as camouflage in a jungle environment, the need for a better suited uniform was addressed in 1942. The standard khaki uniform was modified by applying a camouflage pattern using spray equipment to apply dark green, dark brown and light green paint. The resulting pattern was a mottled scheme with little recognizable design, but functioned more effectively than the plain khaki drill. Several thousand of these uniforms were produced before the war ended, but very few uniforms survived and they were never issued again to New Zealand forces.

• In the 1980s, a waterproofed nylon shelter half or basha was issued to New Zealand Defence Force personnel, painted in a unique blotch/brushstroke combination pattern. Having large blots of dark green and olive green plus russet brushstrokes on a lime green background, the pattern may have appeared on other items as well such as a poncho and wet weather gloves. These gradually fell into disuse and were replaced by DPM versions.

• The first DPM camouflage uniforms were issued to New Zealand military personnel from 1980 to 1983. Often called the 1st Winterweight pattern, the uniform was made from medium weight cotton modal fabric imported from the UK. This was the same fabric used to produce the 1968 Pattern British Army Combat Uniform.