Smock, Combat, DPM

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History

In the late 1970s, the New Zealand army recognized the need for a camouflage uniform and began searching for one. They ultimately decided on the British 68-pattern uniform and initially purchased stocks of it from Britain, as well as rolls of DPM fabric to allow for replacements until New Zealand could produce its own version of the uniform.

At first, the New Zealand version was a clone of the 68-pattern uniform, with the only difference being a change of colors used in the DPM pattern to find a better colour match for the country’s terrain. The Smock was eventually phased out in favor of a Woolen DPM jacket in the early 1990s, but many soldiers still preferred to use the DPM smock in the field.

Throughout its lifespan, the Smock was produced in several different colorways of DPM, and the design was simplified towards the end of its life.

The Smock is made of Cotton cloth with a Temperate DPM camouflage pattern on the outside and Olive green Sateen cloth lining. Its double-ply collar can be folded down or worn pulled-up around the neck and buttons with a single button. The back of the collar has a button that the Smock’s hood attaches to, and the sides of the hood attach to the shoulder loop buttons.

Description

Made of cotton cloth with a temperature DPM camouflage pattern printed on the external side, the Smock is lined with olive green cotton Sateen cloth on the internal side. The collar can be turned up or down and closes around the neck with a single button. The back of the collar has a single button that allows a hood to be fitted to the Smock with the aid of the shoulder loop buttons. The Smock closes at the front with a full-length, heavy-duty plastic zip and a button-over storm cover. The left sleeve has a small pen and ruler pocket with a button-down lid, while the sleeves have bellowed cuffs that adjust around the wrists with button-down tabs.

The Smock has six pockets: four external ‘patch’ style pockets with button-down lids, the top two of which are angled towards the wearer; an upper-arm sleeve pocket; an internal open-top map pocket; and a large open-top back pocket, often called a ‘Poacher’s Pocket’. This pocket is split into two parts: a small open-top channel that held a woolen balaclava, and a larger pocket that closes with two top buttons that held a thermal vest or a woolen Jersey. Sewn to the Smock’s bottom hem, at the back, is a cloth tail that buttons to the top of the large pocket when not in use. When used, the tail is pulled down between the legs and buttoned to the internal front, helping to hold the Smock down. The Smock also has two cotton draw-cords: one at the waist and one in the bottom hem.

Examples

 
Example One

Example One was produced circa 1980 by an unidentified manufacturer and is the first style to be produced in New Zealand. The DPM colorway has been modified with lighter tones compared to its British counterpart.

Example Two was produced in 1984 by Tracy Manufacturing Company Limited (Tracy MNFR Co LTD). This Smock iteration has not undergone any design changes, but it features a new DPM pattern that is better suited to the New Zealand landscape. This became the new camouflage pattern for the DPM Combat Uniform, which remained in use for the next four years or so.

This Smock is dated circa 1986 and represents the final iteration of the Smock, Combat, DPM. Manufactured by an unidentified company, the Smock design has undergone minor changes, with the external pocket lids now featuring a simpler rectangular style, replacing the previous large scalloped style.

Related Objects

Trousers, Combat, Cotton Drill, DPM (lined)

Trousers, Combat, DPM (Unlined)