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First Type DPM Parka Liner and Face Piece


BumpCity

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As requested here are some photo's of the Size 2 Cookson and Clegg Ltd manufactured liner Size 2, dating to approximately 1972, that accompanied the first type DPM Parka. Also pictured is the separate face/throat piece that attached to the hood side by two press studs. Note that the receiving studs were only on one side of the hood so there was no left or right handed option! Obviously this design feature was dropped for the mass production model. Discussion of the parka itself already exists on here so I won't double up on that. But here is proof concrete that there was a dedicated liner produced, manufactured by the same company and with the same contract number.

 

The liner itself is very much as the metric sized ones. Velcro attachments in the same places including the cuffs, three velcro fasteners, mesh under arm vents, same cut, same materials. The face/throat piece has no label or markings. Note the brown trims, visible on earlier liners. The face/throat piece would have added a nice bit of wind cover on sentry duty but seems a strangely 'lluxurious' design idea, and it is no surprise that it did not go on to be adopted. I would be interested to know if anybody else owns one, or has seen them before, as I had not before I acquired this one. Thanks.

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Never seen those face covers before in Service. They certainly would have been welcome on Cold November & December

Field Exercises in B.A.O.R! :-X

 

I guess one of the reasons they were not adopted for production. Was because the green tubed 'Neck Warmer', which was a VERY versatile item of clothing. Was introduced, & made the face piece redundant?

 

Today, most Troops use a Green & Black Shemag as personal choice. I would still plump for a 'tube' in my kit over there in Germany. To supplement my own clothing circumstances in the Field! ;)

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Not sure about the introduction date for the 1st model DPM parka......but Soldier Magazine carried a news update on new kit in their April 1974 edition from SCRDE that mentioned a new parka being approved for service, replacing the older green version.....I would suspect that SCRDE development and trials of the new item would have commenced a few years earlier so around 1970-71 would be a good estimate along with a lot of other new kit........

 

There was a note however that existing stocks of the old green parka would continue to be issued and used until worn out rather than the new DPM garment......and with the older green parka being virtually indestructible it is not surprising that many garments remained in use well into the 1980s.......

 

I don't think that the early DPM parka was a trial issue only......none of the few surviving garments display any SCRDE trial markings or labels........no, I suspect that this early version of the parka was the first production pattern issued from the mid-1970s......when the pattern was revised to the second, more common version still seen today and used in the Falklands conflict, is uncertain.......but I reckon this was late-1970s.....seems that sufficient stocks of the green parka remained in use during the 1970s to render issue of the DPM garment limited, hence so few being around today.......:-D

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've attached some photographs of my early DPM parka, which I purchased as Army surplus in about 1980 in order to try and fend off the worst of the cold whilst a CVR (W) Fox crewman with the TA. The totally inadequate kit issue of the time prompted most serving TA crewmen (I believe regulars too) to make private purchases, and I recall that Bundeswehr parkas; Barbour jackets and cut down old greatcoats were all popular items.

Anyway, returning to the parka, it was a great piece of kit for AFV crewmen and was made of a windproof type material which, unusually, was printed with a very light coloured DPM reminiscent of the old tropical DPM kit. The attached photographs clearly show this print colouring.

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  • 4 weeks later...
I've attached some photographs of my early DPM parka, which I purchased as Army surplus in about 1980 in order to try and fend off the worst of the cold whilst a CVR (W) Fox crewman with the TA. The totally inadequate kit issue of the time prompted most serving TA crewmen (I believe regulars too) to make private purchases, and I recall that Bundeswehr parkas; Barbour jackets and cut down old greatcoats were all popular items.

Anyway, returning to the parka, it was a great piece of kit for AFV crewmen and was made of a windproof type material which, unusually, was printed with a very light coloured DPM reminiscent of the old tropical DPM kit. The attached photographs clearly show this print colouring.

 

Interesting to see again that the parka is the same maker and contract. So far I have never seen a different one and this furthers my suspicion that this was the only run of them (unless anyone has a variant?). Did it come with that early 80's liner? No sign of the original liner? This parka was definitely a superior build and design quality to the heavy cotton one that became issue. Apart from the noisy material.

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Interesting to see again that the parka is the same maker and contract. So far I have never seen a different one and this furthers my suspicion that this was the only run of them (unless anyone has a variant?). Did it come with that early 80's liner? No sign of the original liner? This parka was definitely a superior build and design quality to the heavy cotton one that became issue. Apart from the noisy material.

 

 

Yes, the liner shown came with the parka. The parka fabric was /is of the windproof type and was great for drying quickly after getting wet (with the exception of the quilted hood).

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  • 1 month later...

 

Either you posted it in the wrong thread/facebook post, also I wouldn't take a gamble on a supposed 35" waist as I have had a pair before and could not get them above my thighs and I'm a 34" waist

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