The Commander Series Forum

When did the British Army stop using battledress after WWII?

I'm thinking about putting together a late 50's early 60's group and like the idea of having a mixture of late war and early modern kit

In the late 50s the khaki battledress was gradually replaced by green combat jackets and trousers. The DPM didn't appear until the 60s. I'm not sure that it was mixed within units. Bttns and rents wouls simply have an entire issue of the new kit.

The plain green uniforms were officially introduced in 1960. As Dr Dave has put, entire units would have been issued with the new kit en masse. Priority would have been given to infantry units though, so perhaps you could have your "fighting" units in olive green, with REMFs in khaki battledress?
DPM was officially introduced from 1968, though the Paras & Royal Marines continued to wear the Denison smock with plain green trousers until around 1972. I have a 1960s British battlegroup in olive green (which made painting considerably easier) and 2 companies of Paras in Denison smocks, which adds variety and colour.
My 1963 battlegroup also has a Churchill AVRE (though that may be stretching the dates a tad), 25-pounders & eventually some 5.5" guns and I think it's fun having a mix of contemporary kit and old WW2 stuff. Plus, Centurions and Conquerors look great and kick ass.