New Zealand camo WW II uniforms

[helmhunter]

Hi guys,
Thank you for your comments.
As said , any additional info very welcome. I will post the shirt and the hat soon.
Cheers
Phil

[helmhunter]

The shirt. Pic1

[helmhunter]

Shirt Pic2

[helmhunter]

Shirt marking

[helmhunter]

The hat.

[helmhunter]

Hat marking.
Comments welcome. Perhaps NZ advenced collectors could give us more info on this cam stuff.
Thank you.
Phil

[nbroadarrowz]

Dear All,
Everthing you need to know about this scale of jungle clothing will be in our next book 'New Zealand Army Uniforms and Clothing 1910-1945'.
The clothing is unique to the NZ 3rd Division and was issuied to a wide number of soliders in the forward areas for use as fighting Dress.
Up untill mid 1943 most of the clothing used by NZ soliders in the pacific was Americian made of American patterns. There were a number of incidients involving US verse NZ soliders and insults about who dresses them. A complete scale of Pacific clothing was designed in a rush to give NZ soliders a National identy. NZ soliders didn't want to look like Americians.
The NZ jungle suit was not worn by Comandos.
The complete suit consists of

Trousers, Camouflage, BD pattern.
Shirt, Camouflage. (later replaced by the 4 pocket Camouflage Bush shirt)
Hat, Jungle
Gaiters,
Rubber soled Jungle boots,
Gloves, mosiquito

The items were made from a khaki drill fabric then hand spray painted.
The NZ camouflge clothing is very scarce and because of the conditions it was used in (hot, wet environment)very little of it survives today.
The Jungle Uniform was also used in the orginal KD colour. There are plenty of KD shirts and KD bush shirts around but the KD BD trousers and KD mosiquito gloves are very scarce.

Any comments are welcome.
Barry

[helmhunter]

Hello Barry,
Thank you very much for these info. I already have your first book and will love to read the second one.
Best regards
Phil

[Aave Johns]

Was it sprayed with paint or was it a dye?

Regards;

Johnsy

[helmhunter]

Hi Johns,
It's a spray paint.
Phil

[Patrick Dempsey]

Superb!

Hello Phil,

quite remarkable items, utterly fascinating.

Quite possibly some of the most unique items i have seen posted on the forum since i have been viewing it.

Magnificent.


Patrick.

[helmhunter]

Hi Patrick,
Thank you very much for your kind words.
The way and where these uniforms were found is the most interesting. And we know the lady still have other things but she gave only those to my friend.
Phil.

[nbroadarrowz]

Phil,
Say Hi to all the collectors in Necal. for me. I believe that the camo shirt in our next book was from the same collection. For this I am very greatfull. This NZ camouflage will be missing from most camouflage collections but it played a large part in the 3 Div. 2NZEFIP. I am very keen to know what esle is in the collection of the 'Little old Lady'. I hope there is a pair of NZ made Jungle boots. I have never seen a pair and I don't know if any exist. Orginialy they were made in white canvas but were later made from a bottle green coloured canvas. And yes the white jungle boots were issuied and worn in the forward areas. I would appericate being kepted in the loop.
Barry

[helmhunter]

Hello Barry,
Yes, the shirt and tunics are from the same collector. But we don't know what the old lady still have in her "treasure cave".
Could you provide us more pics of these uniforms used in the field ?
Cheers
Phil

[nbroadarrowz]

Phil,
I don't have many good quality photos of the camo being worn. There will be some in the book though. I can't upload images on the forum.
Try this official history website.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Paci.html

Barry