206thCEF Posted 6 July , 2009 Share Posted 6 July , 2009 A group of soldiers dressed in heavy coloured robes to camouflage them from airplanes. They are said to appear as tree stumps and lichens to the overhead observer. Taken from Popular Science Monthly,September 1918. And, you wonder,yes you can, why it did not catch on with the troops.... http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...I_camoflage.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshdoc Posted 7 July , 2009 Share Posted 7 July , 2009 Well possibly because while you may look like a log, the big metal pointy thing with wheels your standing by is a bit of a give away. Also Woodpeckers can be a bit nasty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
206thCEF Posted 7 July , 2009 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2009 Thanks welshdoc, also think about when the call of nature comes... Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 15 July , 2009 Share Posted 15 July , 2009 Look more like mushrooms to me Also tends to blow a tree's cover when it picks up the shell to load Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 15 July , 2009 Share Posted 15 July , 2009 Camouflage nets did the job properly - actually I wonder if the caption is correct those look like early gas hoods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarylW Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Here's another one.The caption says "successfully hid", yes, I suppose but.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wade Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Here's another one.The caption says "successfully hid", yes, I suppose but.... I love that picture, it's so very 'Cholmondley-Warner'. He went to all that trouble with the reeds and then put his cap on and stood to attention with his rifle to make himself blend in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 I think the original photo is of men in the anti gas suit issued to medical personnel and artillery who might have to work in conditions of persistent mustard or nerve gas (as sort of WW1 NBC suit) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 That makes more sense than camouflage centurion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(nzef) Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 I love that picture, it's so very 'Cholmondley-Warner'. He went to all that trouble with the reeds and then put his cap on and stood to attention with his rifle to make himself blend in. I just cant get the thought out of mind, that the poor bloke is standing there with all his mates behind the camera snickering away.... On a more serious note - Does anyone have examples of sniper camo? - Was there anything official? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 I would suggest this book for all your sniping answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(nzef) Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 I would suggest this book for all your sniping answers. Cheers - Bit pricey for me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknownsoldier Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 Camouflage nets did the job properly - actually I wonder if the caption is correct those look like early gas hoods. There is one of these coats on display in the IWM IIRC and in the visual history book, noted as a home made snipers outfit, from the real picture the robe is roughly hand cut and splattered with paint as camouflage, the mask portion has a pointed flappy bit and would not look out of place in a cheesy b movie horror show ATB, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 There is one of these coats on display in the IWM IIRC and in the visual history book, noted as a home made snipers outfit, from the real picture the robe is roughly hand cut and splattered with paint as camouflage, the mask portion has a pointed flappy bit and would not look out of place in a cheesy b movie horror show ATB, Tom So why would artillery men be wearing home made snipers outfit? Off to a fancy dress party? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 On a more serious note - Does anyone have examples of sniper camo? - Was there anything official? American sniper using a paper mashie bloated cow corpse as camo. Obviously not something he could knock up in a dug out. He was part of one of the units of American black soldiers. I believe that there was some angst in part of the USA over encouraging black Americans to snipe white Germans ("they might get unsuitable ideas" - probably already had them I know I would in their position). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 There are references to German snipers wearing "earth-coloured" suits, and I have seen photos of men with improvised capes. Remember too that khaki, field-grey and horizon-blue were all conceived as providing a measure of camouflage anyway. Steel cylinders done up to represent tree trunks were also used to hive forward observers a reasonably high vantage point. Those old enough to remember Monty Python may also remember the sketch "How not to be seen." Number 1: Don't stand up. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 This sort of thing perhaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknownsoldier Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 So why would artillery men be wearing home made snipers outfit? Off to a fancy dress party? No idea, perhaps they were also spotting? Or they didn't want to be seen dashing between guns? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfaulder Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 Cheers - Bit pricey for me though. Is this it? :Sniping in France, with notes on the scientific training of scouts, observers, and snipers : Prichard, Hesketh Vernon Hesketh, 1876- David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 No idea, perhaps they were also spotting? Or they didn't want to be seen dashing between guns? Tom Much more likely they are wearing gas suits - we know that these were issued to artillery to allow them to keep manning the guns in the event of a mustard gas attack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph0ebus Posted 23 June , 2010 Share Posted 23 June , 2010 There are references to German snipers wearing "earth-coloured" suits, and I have seen photos of men with improvised capes. Remember too that khaki, field-grey and horizon-blue were all conceived as providing a measure of camouflage anyway. Steel cylinders done up to represent tree trunks were also used to hive forward observers a reasonably high vantage point. Those old enough to remember Monty Python may also remember the sketch "How not to be seen." Number 1: Don't stand up. Ron I would think that after any significant time in a trench, everyone would be earth couloured? Re: Monty Python: -Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 24 June , 2010 Share Posted 24 June , 2010 Daniel Yes, but the German uniform was predominantly grey. Having a kind of "working overall" would also allow them to keep their proper uniforms reasonably clean. Centurion (post 17): Yes, just like that, although are you sure that your picture isn't a still from "Allo Allo"? The Colonel and the Captain used them in one episode. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 24 June , 2010 Share Posted 24 June , 2010 Daniel Yes, but the German uniform was predominantly grey. Having a kind of "working overall" would also allow them to keep their proper uniforms reasonably clean. Centurion (post 17): Yes, just like that, although are you sure that your picture isn't a still from "Allo Allo"? The Colonel and the Captain used them in one episode. Ron Do you mean the German one or the Italian one? "Watta mistaka to makea" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(nzef) Posted 24 June , 2010 Share Posted 24 June , 2010 Is this it? :Sniping in France, with notes on the scientific training of scouts, observers, and snipers : Prichard, Hesketh Vernon Hesketh, 1876- David Thatsthe one- Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 25 June , 2010 Share Posted 25 June , 2010 Do you mean the German one or the Italian one? "Watta mistaka to makea" The German one - Hans Geering. Captain Bertorelli always wore a chicken on his head, which would have been a bit conspicuous at the top of a tree-trunk! Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now