New Zealand Pacific War Camouflage uniform

[Anderson]

Almost could be South Vietnam 1968, but it's Pacific 1944.

Photo shows some nice shots of the developed New Zealand pacific battledress. Here NZ troops of the 30th Battalion, 3rd NZ Division prepare on a American warship for a raid into Japanese held Nissan Island (Green Island) on 30 January 1944. As many islands held by the Japanese were not totally defended, the attacking forces often would land on the other side of the island and attack the Japanese from out the jungle rather than from a sea assault.
The lessons being learnt in 1944 in jungle warfare tactics were reapplied in Malaya and Vietnam in the 1960's.

[Anderson]

Beachmaster Capt J Sykes (right) and Sergeant L C Barker (both from Auckland) confer at Tangalan Plantation, Nissan Island, PNG early 1944.

Note also the green painted hessian covers for the MkII helmets.

[Grimebox]

Have you seen this thread on WAF?

New Zealand camo WW II uniforms - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

[Anderson]

A few more pictures of the New Zealand Pacific Camouflage uniform, showing the 4 pocket jacket at bottom.

[Anderson]

Another close up of the camouflage pattern from another 4 pocket jacket, variation in colour and mottle effect evident.

[Phill Lockett]

The colours and splotches remind me of the Vietnam era period Leaf pattern camo.

Excellent thread, extremely informative and very little known about, much appreciated Anderson.

Phill

[Anderson]

I'll add another photo I discovered recently showing NZ officers who lead the Fijian Commandos in the Solomon Island campaign, June-August 1943. Two are wearing the NZ Camo uniform, and the guy on the right actually looks like the man depicted in the painting of New Georgia Island in post #2.



The Fijians were in mid 1943 being referred to as South Sea Island Scouts and did great work scouting out Japanese held Islands mapping defended positions and suitable landing beaches before an Allied Invasion.

[CBH]

Very interesting thread, they really do look like Vietnam era uniforms in the photos.
Just on a side note, where Boonie Hats first issued by New Zealand?
Or was this based on a British design?

[Jerry B]

Does anyone own any examples of this camo uniform other than the variant Rene showed?

[Anderson]

Yes there are examples owned by collectors in New Zealand, but most didn't survive and were left in the Pacific Islands. I'm hoping this Thread will flush out a few more examples. Rene's example is an Australian adaption. Not sure the origin of the boonie, but the one I've seen was made in NZ in 1943, and may have originally be a civilian design.