The New Zealand Army uniform has changed over the years from that of the original Armed Constabulary of the 1800s to the modern Army Combat Uniform style in use by the majority of world armies today. While British Army influence has always been strong, distinctive New Zealand features have gradually developed. From 2013 the New Zealand Army uniform underwent a complete redesign with a new and distinctive camouflage pattern unique to the NZDF.

Uniforms of the New Zealand Wars

During the New Zealand Wars of 1846–1886, settler militia and Māori allies in a variety of clothing styles served alongside the regulars of the British Imperial forces who wore their red and blue undress uniforms until plain dark blue field uniforms were adopted after 1860. Militia and volunteer uniforms consisted of “blue shirt, a cap similar to that worn by sailors, and any kind of trousers”. Māoris served throughout the wars in the 1860s, generally in tribal groups, or as members of the European volunteer forces.'The Militia', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/defence-armed-services-army-new-zealand/page-2 (accessed 10 Mar 2020) In the later stages of the Land Wars the government passed the Armed Constabulary Act of 1867, replacing both the British regular and local militia regiments. The Armed Constabulary had combined military and police functions and was the forerunner of both the NZ Army and the New Zealand Police. Members wore a blue woollen uniform with black braiding, a red stripe down the trouser seam and either a round "pill box" forage cap or a peaked kepi-like headdress. In the field this was often worn with "shawl dress", including a kilt or Māori Piupiu for convenience in wading across streams and rivers. By 1870 the last British regiment had left New Zealand.

Boer War uniforms The New Zealand contingent serving in South Africa from 1899 to 1902 sometimes wore the British pith helmet with standard khaki drill uniform and puttees. The usual headdress however was the Australian style slouch hat, worn at this stage in its history without the turned-up brim. The New Zealand and other colonial contingents in this war affected a more casual dress style than the more strictly disciplined British regulars.

Volunteers and Territorial Army

The Volunteers were created by the Militia Act of 1858, and continued until 1910. The force consisted of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and was usually formed for specific tasks and duties. The various volunteer militia units in existence until 1910 wore a variety of scarlet, dark blue or rifle-green dress uniforms, generally closely following contemporary British Army patterns. Some units, recruited in coastal areas, favoured Royal Navy style dress. Since 1902 a khaki serge service uniform had also been general issue.

Recruiting for the militia units declined and the Defence Act of 1909 called for the Volunteer Force to be replaced by a Territorial Force manned through compulsory military service.'Volunteers and the Special Reports Era', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/defence-armed-services-army-new-zealand/page-4 (accessed 10 Mar 2020)

The regional regiments of the new Territorial Army, which replaced the militia, were issued a new universal uniform in 1912. Modelled on the British 1902 Pattern uniform, the Territorial Force uniform consisted of a greenish/brown single-breasted tunic with four large pockets, elaborate cuffs, and shoulder straps. Coloured piping on the shoulder straps and trouser seams indicated branch of service. The uniform was worn with a slouch hat or peaked forage cap. Units were distinguished by regimental badges attached to the turned up brim of the hat. Dark blue dress uniforms were authorised for officers and members of the small Permanent Staff (regular cadre).

World War I uniforms

New Zealand's Territorial Force formed the basis of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) sent to help the British in World War I although there was no formal military connection between the Territorials and the NZEF. Most volunteers who joined the NZEF had received military training in the Territorials.'First World War military formations', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/first-world-war-military-formations, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 2-May-2017 They wore the Territorial Force uniform issued in 1912. Trousers were wrapped from ankle to knee in woollen puttees.

Infantry were equipped with a locally modified version of British 1908 pattern webbing, while Engineers were provided with a basic webbing garrison rig. Mounted Rifles Regiments used New Zealand designed and manufactured bandolier equipment, while the New Zealand Field Artillery wore the standard British 1903 Pattern leather bandolier.Warfare 1914-1918 New Zealand | URL=https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/warfare-1914-1918-new-zealand/#toc_introduction | International Encyclopedia of the First World War

The 5th Mounted Rifles (Otago Hussars) was formed on 17 March 1911 and fought as part of the Otago Mounted Rifles Regiment during the Battle of Gallipoli, and in Egypt. They later served in France with the New Zealand Division. They wore dress uniforms in the tradition of European Hussars.

During the Gallipoli campaign New Zealand troops wore a variety of hot-weather khaki drill uniforms with either slouch hats or the forage cap of the standard 1912 uniform.'NZ infantry uniform, 1914-15', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/nz-infantry-uniform-1914-1915, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 13-Jan-2016 Supply difficulties and the harsh nature of terrain and climate during this campaign meant that little emphasis was placed on smartness or uniformity of dress.

After the Gallipoli campaign the New Zealand Expeditionary Force replaced the "extravagant" Territorial Force uniform with khaki uniforms of British style together with the distinctive campaign hat that would come to be nicknamed the "lemon squeezer" in New Zealand. The different branches of service were distinguished by coloured puggarees or wide bands around the base of the crown: (blue and red for Field Artillery, green for Mounted Rifles, khaki and red for Infantry, blue for Engineers, white for the Army Service Corps, cherry red for the Medical Corps, yellow for the Pay Corps and maroon for the Veterinary Corps).

The uniforms worn on the Western Front included a mounted service pattern greatcoat, the Brodie helmet when in combat, and the universal combat boots and puttees wrapped around the legs. The conspicuous coloured branch facings were phased out after 1916, although surviving on the campaign hats.

Inter-war period

The reduced peace-time New Zealand forces of the period 1920–39 retained what was essentially a smartened version of the Western Front uniform of 1916–18. Puttees however were replaced by short anklets during the 1930s and a dark-blue dress uniform was approved in 1938 to encourage voluntary recruiting for Territorial units. Only bands resumed the scarlet parade uniforms of the pre-1910 Volunteer era.

The lemon squeezer with the wide range of coloured puggaree hat-bands to distinguish branches and units was retained in most orders of dress.

Until mechanization, the Mounted Rifles regiments wore their own version of the slouch hat, with a green puggaree.

World War II uniforms

During the earlier stages of the War the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force wore the now traditional "lemon squeezer" Campaign hat with the universal "NZ" badge. The hat with its conspicuous coloured puggarees and wide rigid brim was largely replaced by more practical forage caps and berets during the Italian campaign of 1943–44.

A high-collared khaki service uniform, drawn from peace-time issue, was soon replaced by British battle dress in common with other Commonwealth forces (with the exception of Australia which continued to use their World War I uniforms). In late 1939 large scale manufacture of Battle dress uniforms was started in New Zealand by numerous local clothing manufacturers. The New Zealand version was almost identical to British 1937 pattern, made in Serge twill but of a darker brown, while the stitching was a contrasting light colour. The NZ blouse had a six button fly front, rather than the British five.

In North Africa the New Zealanders wore light khaki Drill cotton short-sleeved shirts and shorts.

During the Pacific Campaign in 1943–1944, members of the 3rd New Zealand Division were issued New Zealand-designed and manufactured light-weight khaki shirts and pants in plain drill material. A second New Zealand-made blouse with four front pockets in a camouflage pattern consisting of dark green, chocolate brown, black, and lime green was issued for combat use.

In combat the Brodie helmet was also worn. The helmet was assembled in New Zealand from Australian materials and could be worn with a hessian cover held with a draw-string. A black diamond was sewn on the helmet cover, usually with the NZ Forces badge with "NZ" and "Onward" mounted on the diamond. Latter-war helmets were also imported complete from Australia.

Korean War uniforms

New Zealand committed an artillery regiment and a company from RNZASC in the Korean War.

New Zealand uniforms were basically the same as other participating Commonwealth forces, as all Commonwealth forces served in the British 1st Commonwealth Division. British, Canadian, New Zealand, and South African forces entered the war wearing World War II-style battle dress with different headdress, such as berets, forage caps, and slouch hats to distinguish each other.'Bob Jagger in Korea', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/bob-jagger-korea, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 29-Aug-2014 Australia never adopted British Battle dress during World War II but did eventually adopt it later in Korea.

The colours of each nation's Battle dress differed. Canadian Battle dress had since World War II been more green than the British, and New Zealand Battle dress was always a darker brown. The Battle dress worn by the South African Air Force serving in Korea was more of a tan colour.

Due to the harsh and freezing conditions of the Korean winter Allied forces had to source suitably protective clothing by any means available. The British issued the "1950 combat dress" which was based on the U.S. Army M1943 uniform Commonwealth troops often had to wear a mix-and-match of British and American cold weather clothing, depending on supply, proximity, and availability.

Malayan conflict, Borneo British-pattern Battle Dress was worn until the late 1950s, with British-issue "Jungle Greens" being used as field wear with Beret or Khaki Cap and British Boonie hat (usually called a "giggle hat" by Australians and a "J hat" by New Zealanders) during the Malayan Emergency, and Borneo.

Vietnam War

In Borneo in 1966, the New Zealand rifle companies wore coloured bands on their jungle hats as a means of recognising and identifying friendly forces in the jungle. The C Company band was black. C Company and D Company formed the basis of the first infantry deployment into Vietnam, Victor Company, with black becoming the colour of the company.

When Victor Company arrived in 1967 the Company members wore a black cravat embroidered with a small white Kiwi bird. At first this was worn as part of the formal dress (although never official) but as the Jungle Greens ("JGs") worn by New Zealanders were almost identical to their Australian counterparts, the cravat was then sometimes worn on operations to distinguish the New Zealanders from the Australians, especially with the first and second Victor companies.