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The
Origin of Ghillie Suits and Camouflage
Ghillie
suits are a type of camouflage worn by soldiers and hunters.
These suits are designed to break apart the human outline and resemble
heavy foliage. Ghillie suits
help to blend shooters in with their surroundings, creating a sense of
invisibility. However, you may
wonder where the idea of the ghillie suit came from.
Who came up with the ingenious idea of wearing clothing specifically
designed to downplay the enemy’s appearance?
Before
you travel back in history, you first have to look into the animal kingdom.
Certain types of fish, amphibians and reptiles have shown abilities to
conceal their shape and blend into their surrounding environment.
Some species use this ability for capturing prey while others use it for
defense. Some animals and insects
even have the ability to simulate natural movement, such as leaves shifting in
the wind. It’s interesting to note
that some species have the ability to change their body rapidly or by season,
whereas others only show camouflage ability in their basic appearance.
(And thus live in these settings)
This
is where man got the great idea to create camouflage clothing.
The first documented appearance of camouflage clothing dates back to the
18th century, where it was reported that armies purposely wore bright
colors and bold impressive designs. This
was not only to distract the enemy, but also to assist with tactical plans and
to help identify the same side during episodes of war fog.
Because of fog, smoke, soot and dirt, the uniforms were sometimes
obscured.
A
few scouts adopted colors of brown and green in the 18th century,
apparently in an effort to obscure their appearance.
It is stated in history that the British in 19th century
India
, in a state of emergency, dyed their red outfits to neutral tones (a mud-tan
color known as khaki). Though only a
temporary measure, it caught on and in the late part of the century the colors
became standard for Indian service. By
the early 1900s, all of the British army had followed suit.
Ghillie
suits are a form of camouflaged attire—an invention as old as nature itself.
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