Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: St Hubert QC
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Canadian DPM ( VERY LONG)
A recent discussion in the UK SF thread on DPM made me think of the Canadian gear that was made in DPM.
Back in 2001 or thereabouts I was in contact with a chap who seemed to have the lowdown on this uniform as well as the emerging CADPAT.
You have to remember that everything here is written from a 2001 perspective:
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My information regarding the Canadian “Experimental” Combat Uniform is actually derived from several sources. The first is a written history of the Canadian Airborne Regiment, which has an entire chapter devoted to development of the 1975 Pattern DPM Parachutist’s Smock. This is the same Para Smock that has been flooding eBay for the past year as a result of existing stocks being sold as government surplus when CADPAT was adopted. In any case, the actual Officer charged with designing and producing the Canadian P1975 Para Smock wrote about it in the Regimental history. He makes specific mention of the Canadian-manufactured DPM combat uniform while discussing development of the Para Smock, so here are the facts straight from “the horse’s mouth”.
In 1974, Lt Col G.R. Hirter was posted into the Canadian Airborne Regiment as the Deputy Commanding Officer. The Regiment had been “smockless” since its creation in 1968, despite efforts to have the Canadian Procurement System develop and issue an official Parachutist’s smock. The previous 1950’s-era OD Nylon smock had ceased production with the 1958 demise of the Airborne Regiment’s predecessor formation, the Mobile Striking Force (MSF). Stocks of the OD Smock had disappeared by the time the Airborne Regiment “stood up” in 1968, and efforts in the first 6 years of the Regiment’s existence to obtain a smock through official channels had proven fruitless.
The lack of a distinctive Para Smock for the Airborne Regiment had significant morale implications. The Commanding Officer of the Regiment (Col G. Lessard) therefore directed LCol Hirter to arrange production of a smock as a “private purchase” item in time for the unit’s Change of Command parade in the summer of 1975. He had less than year to make this happen, from design through to delivery. The Regiment would “foot the bill” for the initial procurement of 1000 smocks, with the costs recovered through their sale to unit members through the Regimental Kit Shop (along with the usual Airborne T-shirts, jump boots, PT gear, etc). The troops had unanimously agreed that they would each pay up to $50 for a smock. Based on that, LCol Hirter approached Peerless Garments of Winnipeg Manitoba - a major Canadian Army clothing contractor. This is where the story gets interesting, and directly connects to manufacture of the “Experimental” DPM Combat Uniform.
All Canadian Army field clothing at the time (1974) was OG 107. As a result, there was no “mil-spec” heavy-weight disruptive camouflage pattern material available through government suppliers. Peerless Garments graciously agreed to do a “private purchase” run of Para smocks based on the pattern of the 1950’s OD Nylon smock that LCol Hirter provided as a sample. However, to create a disruptive pattern it would have to be printed on clear stock material, not an over-print of existing OD material. Just when things were looking bleak, one of the Peerless Garments Sales Supervisors mentioned that the company had just signed a new contract to produce a disruptive pattern combat shirt and pants for the Tanzanian Armed Forces. The contract was so new that it was not yet general knowledge among the Peerless Garments management team. Celanese Chemicals of Montreal Quebec, had been sub-contracted to produce the camouflage material that Peerless would use to produce the Tanzanian combat uniforms
. The pattern that the Tanzanian Government had selected was the standard British DPM but in slightly different colour tones - the "Tan" base-colour was an "orange-brown" and the Green was a bright, "rich" tone.
The Airborne Regiment approved the "Tanzanian DPM” pattern for the new smocks, and LCol Hirter arranged for Celanese Chemicals to produce additional material (printed on a heavier “windproof” material) at the end of the Tanzanian contract. Peerless Garments agreed to produce the smocks as a “favour” to the Airborne Regiment for $40 per smock, and the order was placed. Word soon got out about the Airborne Regiment’s unofficial smock contract, creating a huge uproar (and considerable embarrassment) within the Canadian Army Clothing Procurement office. The Chief of Defence Staff heard that the Airborne Regiment’s Soldiers were prepared to pay for their smocks out of their own pockets, and immediately directed the Clothing Procurement office to assume responsibility for the contract using public funds. In a matter of days, an “end-run” by the Regiment through the Commander of the Canadian Forces had overcome 6 years of stone-walling by low-level clothing bureaucrats. The Peerless Garmen
ts order was quickly expand!
ed, and the original pattern cobbled together by LCol Hirter was adopted unchanged as the official Canadian Forces “Smock, Parachutist, Disruptive Pattern”. One final note worthy of mention is the fact that the Airborne Regiment soon discovered Peerless Garments (a family-run business in 1975) had given them a tremendous deal on their initial private-purchase arrangement. The company would have barely broken even, and probably would have lost money on the order. However when the Canadian Government officially took over the contract, Peerless Garments was paid a higher price per smock to ensure a reasonable profit. Better yet, the order was increased to 1200 smocks plus a scheduled follow-on maintenance procurement of hundreds more each year. As a result of their cooperation and generosity, Peerless received continual Canadian Army Clothing contracts, many of which continue to this day. One final point about the Canadian DPM Para Smock – you will note that on the recent-production smocks, the standard British D!
PM colours have been reversed. The Tan base-colour and the Green have been swapped to produce a pattern which is much more brown overall. Check it out. I cannot say when this occurred, nor can I say when Para smocks began to be produced with the light Tan base-colour and a lighter green, as opposed to the darker "Orange-Brown" base-colour and "Rich Green" of the original Tanzanian pattern. I have seen examples of recent-production smocks in both colour schemes. OK – enough about the Canadian Para Smock – just a bit of verified historical background for those who happen to own one.
Based on everything that my research has determined, I do not believe that the uniform in question can be accurately described as an “Experimental” Canadian uniform. We now know for a fact that the Canadian-manufactured DPM Combat Uniform was produced by Peerless Garments specifically for the Tanzanian Army. I would suggest that the uniform is most accurately described as the “Canadian-manufactured 1975 Tanzanian DPM Pattern” (or words to that effect). The bottom line is that any “experimentation” with the uniform by the Canadian Army was (at best) an afterthought. Describing it as being “experimental” does not reflect the uniform’s true reason for manufacture, nor its documented military use.
My final point is a bit of a warning to those lucky enough to have an example of the (now) rare Canadian-manufactured Tanzanian DPM uniform. Simply stated, they are notorious for premature fading. Given a few hot-water washings, the uniform will rapidly fade and the pattern will blend into an overall “washed-out brown” appearance. The textile technology employed by Celanese Chemicals in 1974/75 was clearly inferior to that which is currently used to print the new CADPAT (extremely fade-resistant). Not surprisingly, the P1975 DPM Canadian Para Smock suffers from the exact same problem despite the fact that it is manufactured using a thicker wind-proof material. So, a friendly word of warning for those who have purchased the Canadian Para Smocks as well – cold water wash and hang-dry only!!!
Sorry for the length of this message, but I thought that those with an interest in the Canadian DPM items might appreciate some detailed information regarding the developmental histories of those particular items. If nothing else, the story of the Para Smock is entertaining for it’s unconventional approach to uniform procurement! I trust that my research has helped clear up any uncertainty out there regarding the origins of the Canadian-manufactured DPM combat uniforms.
Oh, one final teaser – I’m pretty sure that at some point, the South Africans produced a “Recce Copy” of the Canadian-manufactured Tanzanian DPM uniform for their own covert operations. I seem to recall that “Lyleman” had an example of such a uniform. Based on his photo, it was a pretty good effort – nearly indistinguishable from the original Peerless Garments product. The visual give-aways were the slightly different colour tones (brighter) and overly-dark plastic buttons. An interesting related tidbit eh? Shifting my focus towards the “Experimental” Canadian DPM uniform, a number of things become apparent. First and foremost is the fact that this particular uniform was manufactured by Peerless Garments (DPM material by Celanese Chemicals) specifically for the Tanzanian Army contract. It was not merely an “Experimental” uniform as many folks mistakenly believe. In addition to LCol Hirter’s verification of this fact, I have personally seen close-up photos of the Tanzanian Army on parade wearing the uniform discussed by LCol Hirter. It is the exact same "Experimental" uniform depicted in this club’s “Canadian Combat Gear” album. This leads me to the inescapable conclusion that they are all one and the same.
A large number of these distinctive uniforms were sold in surplus stores across Canada during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. My educated guess is that the surplus “experimental” DPM uniforms were nothing more than excess production from Peerless Garments' Tanzanian contract, subsequently sold off by the company.
I have personally owned and or examined at least 10 of these uniforms over the years, and can verify that they all contained the same white collar-tag with black felt-pen size marking described by “Lyleman”. None contained the standard DND size and manufacturer’s tag (white cloth with black printing) that is stitched inside the lower right front of a Canadian Combat Shirt, nor the large “Instructions” tag stitched inside the lower right back. The configuration, stitching, features, and unique 50/50 NYCO material of the Tanzanian DPM uniform is identical in every regard to the standard Canadian OG 107 Combat uniform. Indeed, the only discernable differences between two uniforms are the tags and the colouration. This makes eminent sense once you realize that the Tanzanian uniform was manufactured by the primary Canadian Army combat uniform contractor.
To summarize, the Tanzanian contract uniforms discussed by LCol Hirter and depicted in photos of the Tanzanian Army, the uniforms once available in Canadian surplus stores, and the uniform photo described as "Experimental" in the “Canadian Combat Gear” album on this web-site, are all the exact same thing.
As for the Canadian-manufactured DPM Combat Uniform having ever been the subject of formal Canadian Army “Experiments” (field trials), this appears doubtful. I have asked several of the older NCOs in my unit (3 PPCLI) if any of them recall a trial with the Canadian-manufactured DPM uniform during the period 1975 to 1995. None can remember any such experiments. They do distinctly recall a number of other experimental camo patterns trialled by the Canadian Army between the mid-1980’s and mid-1990’s, however those were all new and unique experimental patterns based on the U.S. Tiger Stripe, Mitchell/Wine Leaf, and several other “bizarre” variants. The only DPM-related trial that the “old salts” know of, was a short-lived trial of wind-proof DPM “Para Over-Pants” conducted by the Canadian Airborne Regiment.
Most of the older NCOs do clearly remember seeing the Canadian-manufactured DPM Combat Uniforms for sale in surplus stores in late 1970’s and early ‘80’s. They remember the uniform because no one knew at the time who had manufactured them or why. The DPM uniforms therefore became a bit of a mystery. My educated guess is that most folks simply assumed the “mystery” uniforms were an experimental pattern produced for unsuccessful Canadian Army trials, and the assumption was eventually accepted as fact. Regardless, the verifiable truth is that the DPM Canadian uniforms were specifically produced by Peerless Garments solely for the Tanzanian Army contract. Any trials conducted by the Canadian Army would have been an “afterthought”.
Tubemall has plenty of company regarding his desire to obtain a CADPAT uniform for evaluation and/or addition to a collection. Unfortunately, everyone outside of soldiers serving in the Canadian Army is going to face a considerable wait. Heck - even many Canuck soldiers have a long wait ahead of them.
The transition from our OG 107 combat uniform to CADPAT is still very much in the early stages, with only 4 units operationally-tasked units having received the new uniform. My Light Infantry Battalion was the second unit in the Canadian Army to receive the CADPAT, based on our NATO “Immediate Reaction Force (Land)” high-readiness task for deployment to Aghanistan. We underwent conversion to the new uniform in early November. The conversion process to equip the entire Canadian Army with CADPAT will take another 18 months to 2 years, due primarily to contractor production rates.
The CADPAT transition process is being very strictly controlled, with each soldier entitled to a “one for one” exchange of only 3 uniforms. The members of my unit received a 4th set of CADPAT for our imminent deployment to Afghanistan, however this is the exception to the rule. As an aside, given the evident incompatibility of CADPAT with the terrain and climate of our operating area (Kandahar), we will now deploy with desert uniforms instead. These will likely be 3-colour U.S. uniforms due to the fact that the Desert CADPAT has not yet been produced.
Those interested in acquiring a set of genuine issue CADPAT should note that it will not be an easy nor inexpensive undertaking. This situation is a direct result of two factors. The first is that the Canadian Supply system does not permit cash sales of operational clothing. The only way for a civilian to “acquire” an issued CADPAT uniform would be for a serving soldier to first “lose” one in a convincing manner. That soldier would have to submit a written “lost stores report” (which requires investigation and approval by his or her superior), and then pay the replacement cost for a re-issue. As you can appreciate, our tightly controlled clothing system does not make it a simple matter for anyone to obtain extra CADPAT uniforms for sale or trade on the open market. The second factor is that spare stocks of CADPAT will be extremely limited (read non-existent) for the next 2 years or so, until everyone in the Canadian Army has received their initial issue. All of the above to say that any civilian interested in obtaining a set of CADPAT should be prepared to wait a while, and/or pay an exorbitant price.
To give you a better sense of the restrictions surrounding any “leak” of CADPAT to foreign or non-military personnel and the relative value of the uniform on the collector’s market, I will relate a short tale. Two non-ccountable “trials” uniforms (shirt and pants) recently appeared for sale in a local surplus shop where I am based. Both uniforms sold within a week for the equivalent of $250 USD apiece. This was just the shirt and pants – no matching “boonie hat”. There is now a Military Police investigation regarding the source of the uniforms and their current whereabouts.
As you can see from the above, it will be some time before sizeable quantities of CADPAT “leak” onto the collector market. First off, supplies are extremely limited – no soldier is going to give up one of the 3 issued sets that he needs to function at work. Second, soldiers who do manage to acquire extra CADPAT for themselves are going to be very reluctant to sell any if a Military Police investigation is likely to ensue.
I fully expect that all of the “hoopla” will eventually subside, once everyone in the Canadian Army has been issued the new uniform and available stocks reach a “steady state”. After all, once the general issue process reaches our Army Reserves (who are far less accountable than the Regular Army), CADPAT will inevitably start to appear in the surplus stores. However I strongly suspect that CADPAT will not be available to any civilian collector without a very good “in”, for at least 2 years.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the above at least provides those who are interested in acquiring a set of CADPAT with a bit more insight regarding the challenge they face. The bottom line is that CADPAT will remain one of the “holy grails” of the camo uniform collecting world for the foreseeable future.
Until CADPAT becomes more readily available on the open market, I'm afraid that you'll just have to trust me regarding the effectiveness of the pattern. Meanwhile, I will try to write again within the next couple of days to address the specifics of CADPAT development and its measured efficiency. I also have definitive information that will put to rest the "chicken and egg" question regarding CADPAT versus MARPAT development.
Shifting my focus towards the “Experimental” Canadian DPM uniform, a number of things become apparent. First and foremost is the fact that this particular uniform was manufactured by Peerless Garments (DPM material by Celanese Chemicals) specifically for the Tanzanian Army contract. It was not merely an “Experimental” uniform as many folks mistakenly believe. In addition to LCol Hirter’s verification of this fact, I have personally seen close-up photos of the Tanzanian Army on parade wearing the uniform discussed by LCol Hirter. It is the exact same "Experimental" uniform depicted in this club’s “Canadian Combat Gear” album. This leads me to the inescapable conclusion that they are all one and the same.
A large number of these distinctive uniforms were sold in surplus stores across Canada during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. My educated guess is that the surplus “experimental” DPM uniforms were nothing more than excess production from Peerless Garments' Tanzanian contract, subsequently sold off by the company.
I have personally owned and or examined at least 10 of these uniforms over the years, and can verify that they all contained the same white collar-tag with black felt-pen size marking described by “Lyleman”. None contained the standard DND size and manufacturer’s tag (white cloth with black printing) that is stitched inside the lower right front of a Canadian Combat Shirt, nor the large “Instructions” tag stitched inside the lower right back. The configuration, stitching, features, and unique 50/50 NYCO material of the Tanzanian DPM uniform is identical in every regard to the standard Canadian OG 107 Combat uniform. Indeed, the only discernable differences between two uniforms are the tags and the colouration. This makes eminent sense once you realize that the Tanzanian uniform was manufactured by the primary Canadian Army combat uniform contractor.
To summarize, the Tanzanian contract uniforms discussed by LCol Hirter and depicted in photos of the Tanzanian Army, the uniforms once available in Canadian surplus stores, and the uniform photo described as "Experimental" in the “Canadian Combat Gear” album on this web-site, are all the exact same thing.
As for the Canadian-manufactured DPM Combat Uniform having ever been the subject of formal Canadian Army “Experiments” (field trials), this appears doubtful. I have asked several of the older NCOs in my unit (3 PPCLI) if any of them recall a trial with the Canadian-manufactured DPM uniform during the period 1975 to 1995. None can remember any such experiments. They do distinctly recall a number of other experimental camo patterns trialled by the Canadian Army between the mid-1980’s and mid-1990’s, however those were all new and unique experimental patterns based on the U.S. Tiger Stripe, Mitchell/Wine Leaf, and several other “bizarre” variants. The only DPM-related trial that the “old salts” know of, was a short-lived trial of wind-proof DPM “Para Over-Pants” conducted by the Canadian Airborne Regiment.
Most of the older NCOs do clearly remember seeing the Canadian-manufactured DPM Combat Uniforms for sale in surplus stores in late 1970’s and early ‘80’s. They remember the uniform because no one knew at the time who had manufactured them or why. The DPM uniforms therefore became a bit of a mystery. My educated guess is that most folks simply assumed the “mystery” uniforms were an experimental pattern produced for unsuccessful Canadian Army trials, and the assumption was eventually accepted as fact. Regardless, the verifiable truth is that the DPM Canadian uniforms were specifically produced by Peerless Garments solely for the Tanzanian Army contract. Any trials conducted by the Canadian Army would have been an “afterthought”.
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Interesting bit of history, at least I thought so.
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Regards,
Porkchop
Cry "Haddock" and let slip the hounds of Beer
[-brought to you courtesy of Salamander Army -]
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January 17th, 2008, 00:13
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I did notice that this seems to have been published back in 2001 though due to the 'exotic' description of CADPAT 
