Collection: French Lizard D Algerian War CAMO

The pattern classified as pattern D is typified by that printed on shelter quarters from the Algerian War period. This design incorporates rust and light green horizontal brush strokes on a sandy background, and is printed only on one side. Historical evidence shows some elite French units had items such as berets personally tailored from this fabric, but there is no indication that any widespread production of uniforms were ever created for French forces using this color combination. Documentation also illustrates helmet covers were made out of this fabric for some units such as 3eme REI, although their use appears to have been localized and not widespread. The drawings themselves and the Type D pattern can be encountered on combat clothing using a different coloration.

The first postwar French camouflage patterns began to emerge around 1951. One of the most commonly encountered of these patterns, and one particularly associated with the Algerian War (1954-1962), is the striped or brushstroke pattern referred to in many historical and collecting circles as "lizard" pattern. This term is actually a reference to a nickname given to French paratroopers who wore the patterns during the Algerian War; the French themselves tended to refer to this series of camouflage designs as camouflee de leópard (leopard camouflage), and the uniforms as tenue de leópard (leopard uniforms) or tenue de saut camouflée (camouflage combat uniforms). French "leopard" camouflage saw production from 1951 until the middle of the 1970s, and as a result there are a varied number of designs, color combinations and fabrics that may be encountered by the researcher or collector. A reasonable attempt to document and classify these patterns was published in the French militaria magazine Uniformes Hors Serie No 14 and No 17, part of which is reprinted for public use by collector Gilles Gorgues and can be downloaded on his website: Vonstuck Camouflage The classification system established in these articles establishes an alpha-numeric code for each distinctive camouflage design; however, it should be noted that additional patterns have since been documented which do not fall within the system.