1960 Pattern DPM combat jacket & trousers - date?

Is there a way to tell the date of an item from the various codes on the clothing labels?

I had a mooch around a local junk shop yesterday & found a 1960 Pattern DPM combat jacket & matching trousers, & as the jacket actually fitted me (Size 6), I spent a bit of pocket money on it.

It's in very nice condition - it has been worn, but not much I think - & looks to have been owned by a major, but apart from a 1939 Swiss 5 cent/rappen coin, a magnet & a bolt in one pocket, there's not much else I can say about it

Very nice indeed, a matched suit in good condition and a good size like that is hard to come by and I am not surprised you had to spend a bit on it. I have a very similar suit in Size 8, which was not cheap.

These were only briefly in production as a stopgap while the Army was in transition from the OG 60 pattern to 68 pattern. I would put the date at 1971 or possibly 1972.

Seconded: very nice. I do like early DPM.

Made circa 1970-71 I believe. I have a James Smith made OG one with the same brown lining found in the DPM ones. One of the last OG ones made?

Thanks for the comments, chaps - much appreciated. I've given the smock & trousers a quick wash now to get rid of the dust & fust, & they've come up a treat. I was a little concerned when the trousers came out of the washer, though, as there were a number of small white lines across the fronts of the thighs which looked disturbingly like paint (which was very strange, as when the trousers were dry, there were no obvious marks visible). Now they've started to dry again, however, the marks have disappeared, so I don't know what caused it.

Very nice indeed, a matched suit in good condition and a good size like that is hard to come by and I am not surprised you had to spend a bit on it. I have a very similar suit in Size 8, which was not cheap.

You've thrown me a bit with this, I must admit - when I said 'pocket money', I did actually mean 'not very much at all'...

DPM (or anything much after 1950) isn't something I've really bothered with before (apart from using it for work...) - I suspect I might need a bit of schooling on the subject

Sorry - I'd read "spent some pocket money" as a slightly ironic term! A well-used Size 4 jacket recently made £45 on ebay, which is not unusual. You would have to pay considerably more for a much scarcer and more wearable Size 6 in excellent condition and with matching trousers, allowing of course for ebay unpredictability. I wouldn't be at all surprised at £100+, so that was a good score!

ETA: I say "wearable" but this set is much too nice for that.

Sorry - I'd read "spent some pocket money" as a slightly ironic term! A well-used Size 4 jacket recently made £45 on ebay, which is not unusual. You would have to pay considerably more for a much scarcer and more wearable Size 6 in excellent condition and with matching trousers, allowing of course for ebay unpredictability. I wouldn't be at all surprised at £100+, so that was a good score!

 

ETA: I say "wearable" but this set is much too nice for that.

Bloody hell! Happy Xmas to me...

Very nice.......only made in DPM 1970-71 when the 1968 Pattern took over.........last green combat clothing made in 1970...........

Only James Smith & Co and Cookson & Clegg made the DPM 1960 Pattern smock and trousers under no more than around 6 contracts...........seems that a fair few were made however on account of the number of survivors today..........no hood made for these though as too short-lived.........they continued to be issued throughout the 1970s whilst stocks remained...........here's a Cookson made example, new..........far less common than the Smith versions.........

Not made for them perhaps but the 68 pattern hood fits fine.

They did look at a trial 1960 DPM hood however, but never made it into production...........this SCRDE marked item is now in the capable hands of my mate Jason (Eaglehurst)........:-D

Very nice.......only made in DPM 1970-71 when the 1968 Pattern took over.........last green combat clothing made in 1970...........

 

Only James Smith & Co and Cookson & Clegg made the DPM 1960 Pattern smock and trousers under no more than around 6 contracts...........seems that a fair few were made however on account of the number of survivors today..........no hood made for these though as too short-lived.........they continued to be issued throughout the 1970s whilst stocks remained...........here's a Cookson made example, new..........far less common than the Smith versions.........

Excellent stuff - you live & learn, eh?

Not made for them perhaps but the 68 pattern hood fits fine.

I think I read somewhere that the green hood from the 1950 Pattern combat dress would also have been used with the DPM 1960 Pattern smocks pending the arrival of the 1968 Pattern DPM version - is this correct, do you know?

Only trouble with all this of course is that I'm starting to find it all TOO INTERESTING! I started out with a simple interest in 1937 Pattern Web Equipment, but that's already crept back as far as the 1902 Pattern Service Dress & 1903 Pattern Bandolier Equipment, with all points inbetween, & now I seem to be developing an unhealthy fascination with the bl**dy 1970s...!

Only trouble with all this of course is that I'm starting to find it all TOO INTERESTING! I started out with a simple interest in 1937 Pattern Web Equipment, but that's already crept back as far as the 1902 Pattern Service Dress & 1903 Pattern Bandolier Equipment, with all points inbetween, & now I seem to be developing an unhealthy fascination with the bl**dy 1970s...!

I honestly can't see why that should make things difficult for you. All you need to do now is get a suit of OG 60 pattern, ditto 68 pattern, hoods for both, suit of tropicals, a good dpm field cap, bush hat, puttees, boots DMS, nice MkV helmet with scrim, both patterns of SAS windproof, arctic windproof, foul weather clothing, a decent set of 58 pattern, SAS 58 pattern add-ons, a GS bergen, a para bergen, para helmet, early parka, liners for 68 smock parka and windproofs, early sniper smock, denison smock, dpm para smock, both types of 70s jersey, shirt KF, poncho, face veil, Mks 2 and 3 NBC suits, NBC gloves and boots, S6 respirator, 58 patt sleeping bag, entrenching tool, various berets and a deac SLR. Where's the problem?? :???

I honestly can't see why that should make things difficult for you. All you need to do now is get a suit of OG 60 pattern, ditto 68 pattern, hoods for both, suit of tropicals, a good dpm field cap, bush hat, puttees, boots DMS, nice MkV helmet with scrim, both patterns of SAS windproof, arctic windproof, foul weather clothing, a decent set of 58 pattern, SAS 58 pattern add-ons, a GS bergen, a para bergen, para helmet, early parka, liners for 68 smock parka and windproofs, early sniper smock, denison smock, dpm para smock, both types of 70s jersey, shirt KF, poncho, face veil, Mks 2 and 3 NBC suits, NBC gloves and boots, S6 respirator, 58 patt sleeping bag, entrenching tool, various berets and a deac SLR. Where's the problem?? :???

I knew I was worrying over nothing!

Incidentally, I believe there are several variations within '58 Pattern depending on which issue we're talking about, so I guess I'd better add them to the list...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281526250160?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Rising steadily in price.

I knew I was worrying over nothing!

 

Incidentally, I believe there are several variations within '58 Pattern depending on which issue we're talking about, so I guess I'd better add them to the list...

Indeed. There were three different types of ammo pouch and two different types of yoke, water bottle pouch, pack, kidney pouches and poncho carrier. (Plus early belts with green anodized hardware)

Then there's the late 70's trials '58 Pattern made in nylon for the truly hardcore...