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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.]

1959 Denison smock camouflage
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Introduced in 1942, the camouflaged Denison Smock is most strongly associated with the the British paratroopers. It was, however, originally issued to operatives of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) — a British organisation that was responsible for training and coordinating the operations of partisan and resistance groups in occupied countries — and the Special Air Service (SAS).

Cut to resemble the garments worn by French workers, the three-colour camouflage pattern of the earliest Denison smocks was hand-painted. The green and brown dyes used were impermanent and could easily be washed out, so that British personnel behind enemy lines could merge with the local population, while they made their escapes.

A Second Pattern Denison smock was issued to British paratroopers late in the war, to replace an earlier jumpsuit that had been copied from the German Knochensack ('bone bag'). The dyes used in the production of this version were permanent, and silk screens were used to apply the camouflage pattern.

The Denison smock continued in service with British Forces until early 1980. It is still worn by some members of the Royal Marines Commandos and British Paratrooper units.

The Denison smock continued in service with British Forces until early 1980. It is still worn by some members of the Royal Marines Commandos and British Paratrooper units.

If anyone has any additional information that is specific to the 1959 Denison smock, please contact me.

kamouflage.net is grateful to Chris Palfrey and Michael & Lauren Pursley (of Western European Products), for their invaluable contributions to this article.

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