DPM "1960 Pattern" Hood.....The Hood That Never Was...!!! (Trial item )

[wdbikemad]

(For Jason !! )... The hood that never was ! Trial DPM hood, "SCRDE" marked and dated 1968, made from DPM sateen to the 1950s pattern............the lack of any NSN, SCRDE, and the "No4" mark all suggest a trial item.............in great condition too........

The green 1960 pattern combat suit was basically a modification of the original Korean-era garments, but the hood remained unaltered, 1960 pattern garments continuing to use the earlier hood.........

When DPM was finally approved for service around 1969, the first garments made were to the existing 1960 pattern, thought to be during early 1970, but production by James Smith and Cookson's of the DPM garments were of the smock and trousers only, the hood not being made in DPM nor listed in the NSN catalogue........

The reason ? The 1960 pattern DPM smock and trousers were very much a stop-gap only and made between 1970 and 1971, from March 1971 the DPM 1968 pattern garments entering service along with a redesigned hood and combat cap............it is probable that DPM was approved for service before the revised 1968 pattern had finished trials, hence the stop-gap 1960 DPM garments..........

The hood shown was probably made in-house by SCRDE to show/compliment the 60 pattern smock and trousers in DPM, but due to the anticipated arrival of the newer 1968 pattern was just simply not adopted for production......

Compare the 1950s design with the (larger) 1968 hood.......both of these are (large) Size 2's.........the later design being far simpler and much less complicated in construction........

Edited August 7, 2013 by wdbikemad

[Eaglehurst]

You know my thoughts Steve...superb! And you know my next question.......has he (your contact) gotten back to you yet?

[wdbikemad]

You know my thoughts Steve...superb! And you know my next question.......has he (your contact) gotten back to you yet?

 

Three found Jason, I've got one, the other two I'm waiting for.........one is yours........bear with me.........

[wdbikemad]

Looking at the comparison between the Korean-pattern and 68 pattern hood, the latter is clearly larger in cut.....

 

The instructions within the green Korean-era hoods mention that it was for wear over the balaclava helmet and combat cap.........was this the same for the 68 hood ? Or was it intended for wear over the MK4 tin hat too ? I doubt it, as that was one voluminous lid...........BUT, a 68 pattern hood was often cut and used as a cammo cover for the tin hat....so could in theory fit...?

[boots dms]

What an excellent and unusual item,I never even knew they existed.I have an og one,1960 pattern,and even that I found by chance.

[wdbikemad]

What an excellent and unusual item,I never even knew they existed.I have an og one,1960 pattern,and even that I found by chance.

 

Ah, that's the point though....they didn't exist ! At least not in production anyway, though it would seem a few were made for trials.......it could be argued that the trial DPM version is the only "1960 Pattern" hood made (it's written on the label) but all the green versions for wear with both the 1950s issue and green 1960 Pattern smock were all 50s pattern, not 60 pattern.......in fact, I've never seen any green hoods dated from the 1960s at all, or undated but with a late-60s NSN mark which would indicate this time frame........same with the green combat cap, all seem to be 1950s manufacture....