kamouflage.net camouflage data

Uncover your potential', indeed! Once you stop ogling the girl, though, you might notice that this Australian Special Air Service (SAS) recruiting poster shows Australian Disruptive Pattern Camouflage to very good effect. [Image courtesy Brad Turner collection.]

Belgian 'brushstroke' camouflage pattern
Kingdom of Belgium

Apparently introduced early in 1953, the Belgian 'brushstroke' camouflage pattern is a three-colour design, com­pris­ing large, curved dark green and red earth elements and coarse red earth 'brushstrokes' on a light green back­ground. The illusion of four colours is produced by overprinting. The brushstrokes suggest an affiliation with the hand-painted camouflage patterns seen on World War 2 British Denison smocks.

Jump smocks patterned in 'brushstroke' camouflage were normally issued to Belgian para-commandos and other specialised units. Some were also worn by members of the 'Volunteer Corps Korea' — better known as 'de bruine mutsen' ('the Brown Berets'), because of their distinctive brown berets — during the last months of the Korean War.

Although the first version of Belgium's famous 'jigsaw' camouflage pattern was introduced into service around 1958, 'brushstroke' pattern camouflage smocks continued to be manufactured well into the 1970s; the speciment shown on this page is dated 1975. The pattern was still being worn by some para-commandos and personnel of the Composante Maritime/Marinecomponent (Belgian navy), assigned to guard naval installations, as recently as 1990.

Rumour has it that other variations of Belgian 'brushstroke' camouflage feature dark green brushstrokes, instead of the red earth brushstrokes seen in this example, or even dark green and red earth brushstrokes together. However, I am yet to see any examples of these variations.

kamouflage.net is grateful to Walter Vandeput, ABL/aalmoezenier Van der Goten and 1ste Bataljon Parachutisten, for their invaluable contributions to this article.

camouflage data