Rare BGS Splinter Camo Jacket and Cap

[Gordon Craig]

malborghetto,

Thanks for sharing these fotos of your extremely rare items. Really a treat to see!

Regards,

Gordon

[Guardian 5]

malborghetto - OUTSTANDING!

They both look in extrordinary condition, especially the first model suit.

Thanks for sharing!

TJ

[darkhunter]

bgs

I have a BGS Smock just like the one in the picture the marsh pattern and i have pants that go with them

[Gordon Craig]

darkhunter,

Good to have you with us. Pictures of your smock and pants would be very much apprciated. Especially any labels or markings in both pieces.

Regards,

Gordon

[darkhunter]

sure i will be adding them shortly.

[Collectinsteve]

Excellent photos of extremely rare stuff! The BGS Splinter uniform is #1 on my "must have before I die" list I have a lot of very rare BW and BGS uniforms, but this one has so far eluded me.

Hopefully I can get this discussion restarted as I am coming late to it.

I do not know when the Sumpftarn smocks were first used, however I have seen Zeltbahns dated as early as August 1952 (at least that's what my notes say!) and as late as 1963, though 1959 appears to be a common date. I have not seen a dated Splittertarn Zeltbahn, so I do not know what dates they were made. But obviously their use overlapped at least some if I'm correct about the 1952 Zelt.

I suspect the Sumpftarn uniforms came into being mid to late 1950s. The two models of smock (4 pocket and 2 pocket) I have ever seen do not have dates on them. The 1st Model Jacket and Trousers are dated 1958, the 2nd Model Jacket and Trousers are dated 1959 and 1960 that I've seen.

All of these items were made in the 1st Pattern of the camouflage. Only the Zeltbahns and post 1967 items were made in 2nd Pattern of the camouflage. The two types are pictured here:





There is a similar pattern made for and worn by Berlin Polizei in the early 1960s:



The cut of the Berlin Polizei set is nearly identical to the 2nd Model BGS jacket and trousers. IIRC I've only seen 1960 dates on these very rare uniforms.

Here's a mystery. The earliest 3rd Model Sumpftarn jacket I've seen is 1967, yet I've not seen any 2nd Model stuff dated beyond 1960 (or perhaps a year or two later, I'd have to check further). Between these dates a blue/gray uniform was made in the same cut as the 2nd Model Sumpftarn. I have uniform examples from 1963 and 1965, as well as a Zeltbahn dated 1967. Yet I've got a decent number of pictures showing 2nd Model Sumpftarn in use during the period 1960-1967. Maybe a large number were made and they were living off of stocks and reissued gear? This is possible since these uniforms were only worn during field maneuvers by the "combat" units of the BGS, so the number needed in any given year would not be huge.

Production of Sumpftarn ceased in 1975/76 as part of the "de-militarization" of the police forces. After that only GSG-9 continued to wear any Sumpftarn (helmet covers and maybe frag vests).

Sumpftarn caps are very hard to find. I've seen ones with and without cocade, with and without buttons. I also have a strange cut of cap in 1st Pattern Sumpftarn which I suspect is legitimate, though that is just a hunch.

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Excellent photos of extremely rare stuff! The BGS Splinter uniform is #1 on my "must have before I die" list I have a lot of very rare BW and BGS uniforms, but this one has so far eluded me.

Hopefully I can get this discussion restarted as I am coming late to it.

I do not know when the Sumpftarn smocks were first used, however I have seen Zeltbahns dated as early as August 1952 (at least that's what my notes say!) and as late as 1963, though 1959 appears to be a common date. I have not seen a dated Splittertarn Zeltbahn, so I do not know what dates they were made. But obviously their use overlapped at least some if I'm correct about the 1952 Zelt.

I suspect the Sumpftarn uniforms came into being mid to late 1950s. The two models of smock (4 pocket and 2 pocket) I have ever seen do not have dates on them. The 1st Model Jacket and Trousers are dated 1958, the 2nd Model Jacket and Trousers are dated 1959 and 1960 that I've seen.

All of these items were made in the 1st Pattern of the camouflage. Only the Zeltbahns and post 1967 items were made in 2nd Pattern of the camouflage. The two types are pictured here:





There is a similar pattern made for and worn by Berlin Polizei in the early 1960s:



The cut of the Berlin Polizei set is nearly identical to the 2nd Model BGS jacket and trousers. IIRC I've only seen 1960 dates on these very rare uniforms.

Here's a mystery. The earliest 3rd Model Sumpftarn jacket I've seen is 1967, yet I've not seen any 2nd Model stuff dated beyond 1960 (or perhaps a year or two later, I'd have to check further). Between these dates a blue/gray uniform was made in the same cut as the 2nd Model Sumpftarn. I have uniform examples from 1963 and 1965, as well as a Zeltbahn dated 1967. Yet I've got a decent number of pictures showing 2nd Model Sumpftarn in use during the period 1960-1967. Maybe a large number were made and they were living off of stocks and reissued gear? This is possible since these uniforms were only worn during field maneuvers by the "combat" units of the BGS, so the number needed in any given year would not be huge.

Production of Sumpftarn ceased in 1975/76 as part of the "de-militarization" of the police forces. After that only GSG-9 continued to wear any Sumpftarn (helmet covers and maybe frag vests).

Sumpftarn caps are very hard to find. I've seen ones with and without cocade, with and without buttons. I also have a strange cut of cap in 1st Pattern Sumpftarn which I suspect is legitimate, though that is just a hunch.

Steve

Steve,

I'd really beinterested in seeing some pictures of your Berlin Polizei uniform you mentioned above. Since it is not really a part of this thread perhaps you could start a new one on the Berlin BEPO? Be interesting to see if anyone else has some of these uniforms.

Regards,

Gordon

[Klaus1989]

Steve,
The sumpftarn smock and jacket were introduced in 1958. You can add that to your notes. Why exist two types of smock, I do not know, because the one you showed me in email awhile ago is first I have seen with only two pockets. The sumpftarn smock was not worn very long because it was less popular than jacket, so it is strange that there exists a variant!

regards
Klaus

[Collectinsteve]

Gordon,

I found some pics handy so I'll upload them for a new thread.

Klaus,

1958 sounds right to me, thanks. I've never seen any of the 1955 or earlier uniforms worn with Sumpftarn items at all, though I've seen Splittertarn and Sumpftarn items used together after 1958. I've also not seen anything dated prior to 1958, except for one Zelt. And I'm wondering if I might have misread the stamp. I'm trying to locate a picture of the stamp.

I have no idea what the idea was behind the 2 pocket smock, other than to save money. Like you, the one I have is the only one I've ever seen. I've seen the 4 pocket type many times.

Steve

[Asbjoern]

...somewhere in this forum I once found pictures of BGS splinter-camo hoods... does anybody have a direct link as I scanned a lot of threads without finding them... or can someone post pictures of early splinter hoods ? I managend to get one but I´m not shure if its really a BGS one. I only know that it is not BW... pictures will follow when it is at my home...

Jens

[Collectinsteve]

Hello Jens,

Ironically I just saw one sell for EUR 23 on eBay. They are not seen very often, that's for sure.

It is a simple hood made out of a lightweight fabric. It has the same exact camouflage print as the Zeltbahn and is, like the Zelt, reversible to white. It has a single snap at the neck. The snap is the same type used for the pocket on the Zelt and is bright silver. If I recall correctly, it also has a draw string.

There is no way to confuse this with Bundeswehr Splittertarn. The patterns are colored completely differently.

Steve

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

I gather from what you have said that you did not watch the auction so therefore can not post the url?

Regards,

Gordon

[Klaus1989]

...somewhere in this forum I once found pictures of BGS splinter-camo hoods... does anybody have a direct link as I scanned a lot of threads without finding them... or can someone post pictures of early splinter hoods ? I managend to get one but I´m not shure if its really a BGS one. I only know that it is not BW... pictures will follow when it is at my home...

Jens

Is this type hood you wanted to see? I know I posted it somewhere in BGS thread. It is for Zeltbahn, but can also as helmet covered have use. There is only one snap in front and there should be cord in it to loose or tighten, but unfortunatly misses in mine, but it was free with convolut of 1950s BGS equipment, so I do not complain. BGS splittertarn has white colour base, Bw has light blue colour base.



And as helmet cover:


regards
Klaus

[Collectinsteve]

Klaus,

Yup, that's the one! And a very interesting mix of color variations all in one place I'll have to dig mine up and see if it is also mixed and if it still has the adjustment string.

Steve

[Asbjoern]

@Klaus, this is exactely the picture I looked for ! Many thanks...

@Gordon, no need to moan about the lost link ... the auction Steve talked about is the source for my new hood... So pictures of the hood will follow soon. I just wanted some referrence if I did right in buying this item. And even better to hear that it belongs to the Zeltbahn - so no need to look for a splinter suit to have a complete display...

Jens