Lesotho - Revision history

Admin1 at 03:10, 15 December 2025

2025-12-15T03:10:05Z

Admin1: /* Camouflage of Lesotho */

2025-12-15T03:08:54Z

Camouflage of Lesotho

Admin1: /* Kingdom of Lesotho */

2025-12-14T22:56:00Z

Kingdom of Lesotho

Admin1 at 03:17, 16 January 2018

2018-01-16T03:17:23Z

Admin1: /* Camouflage of Lesotho */

2012-08-21T16:14:04Z

Camouflage of Lesotho

Admin1 at 22:14, 27 March 2011

2011-03-27T22:14:01Z

Admin1: /* Camouflage of Lesotho */

2011-01-31T23:42:07Z

Camouflage of Lesotho

Admin1 at 03:37, 31 January 2011

2011-01-31T03:37:03Z

Admin1: Created page with "http://camopedia.org/image/flag/lesotho.gif The Kingdom of Lesotho ''(Muso oa Lesotho)'' is a landlocked nation that is completely surrounded by South Africa. The region was..."

2011-01-31T03:21:54Z

Created page with "http://camopedia.org/image/flag/lesotho.gif The Kingdom of Lesotho ''(Muso oa Lesotho)'' is a landlocked nation that is completely surrounded by South Africa. The region was..."

New page

http://camopedia.org/image/flag/lesotho.gif

The Kingdom of Lesotho ''(Muso oa Lesotho)'' is a landlocked nation that is completely surrounded by [[South Africa]]. The region was populated mostly by migrating Sotho-Tswana-speaking people between the 4th and 11th centuries CE. Originally known as Basutoland, the region emerged as a unified polity under the reign of Moshoeshoe I in 1822. In order to protect his kingdom from encroaching Boers claiming land rights in the late 1930s, Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the government of [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], but the disputes re-emerged, inciting the Free State-Basuto Wars between 1865 and 1868. In the aftermath, Basutoland became a British protectorate and the Boer Free State acquired large tracts of land that were once part of the tribal territory. Basutoland gained its independence from Britain and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966.

Formed in 1979, the armed forces of this nation are known as the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force, and comprise approximately 2,500 active duty personnel. An elite security unit called the Royal Squadron provides ceremonial and protective details for the monarchy.

== Camouflage of Lesotho ==

* The Defence Force have worn variations of British [[DPM]] since the 1980s. An early version, seen below, was locally-made in a style similar to the British 1985 pattern uniform.

[[File:swaziland1.jpg|200px]]

* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and more durable fabrics, being produced in Asia specifically for use by the Swaziland Defence Force.

[[File:swaziland2.jpg|200px]]

* During the 1980s, the Royal Squadron (King's Bodyguard) were issued a brilliant-colored blue/purple [[DPM]] pattern camouflage uniform for ceremonial appearances. These uniforms were made in South Africa by the same factories that produced uniforms for the SADF. It is not known whether this unique camouflage pattern is still worn.

[[File:swaziland3.jpg|200px]]

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 * A completely different variant of DPM is worn by the Special Operations unit of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service. The pattern has disruptive shapes in black, dark purple and ochre on a tan background.
-[[File:lesothopolice.jpg|200px]]
+[[File:lesotho-police.png|200px]]
 * Although not matching in appearance to the historical camouflage attire of the LDF, in the 2020s a large number of [[China|Chinese-made]] ballistic vests and helmet covers in the old PLA Type 07 Universal camouflage pattern were integrated into the supply system.

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 [[File:botswana1.jpg|200px]]
-* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and were also produced in the Republic of [[South Africa]].
+* 1990s-era versions of DPM feature much brighter colors and were also produced in the Republic of [[South Africa]].
 [[File:lesotho2.jpg|200px]]
 * A completely different variant of DPM is worn by the Special Operations unit of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service. The pattern has disruptive shapes in black, dark purple and ochre on a tan background.
 [[File:lesothopolice.jpg|200px]]

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 In 1998, tensions rose over a rift in the ruling Basotho Congress Party (BCP), sparking protests and ultimately leading to the involvement of troops from both the Botswana Defence Force and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Order was finally restored, but not before a number of Basotho and South Africans had died.
-Formed in 1978, the Lesotho Defence Force consists of the ground forces and the Air Wing.
+Formed in 1978, the Lesotho Defence Force consists of the Army and a small Air Wing. The National police force of the nation is called the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), which traces its lineage back to 1872; the agency was previously known as the Lesotho Mounted Police, and the Royal Lesotho Mounted Force.
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← Older revision		Revision as of 03:17, 16 January 2018
Line 39:		Line 39:

	[[File:lesotho2.jpg\|200px]]		[[File:lesotho2.jpg\|200px]]
		+
		+	* A completely different variant of DPM is worn by the Special Operations unit of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service. The pattern has disruptive shapes in black, dark purple and ochre on a tan background.
		+
		+	[[File:lesothopolice.jpg\|200px]]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 [[File:lesotho1.jpg|200px]]
-* Another [[DPM]] pattern from the 1980s is seen here. This pattern was also worn by [[Botswana]].
+* Another [[DPM]] pattern from the 1980s is seen here, apprently sourced in [[South Africa]] from a commercial manufacturer. This pattern is very similar to that worn by [[Botswana]].
 [[File:botswana1.jpg|200px]]
-* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and were produced in the Republic of [[South Africa]].
+* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and were also produced in the Republic of [[South Africa]].
 [[File:lesotho2.jpg|200px]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 http://camopedia.org/image/flag/lesotho.gif
 The Kingdom of Lesotho ''(Muso oa Lesotho)'' is a landlocked nation that is completely surrounded by [[South Africa]]. The region was populated mostly by migrating Sotho-Tswana-speaking people between the 4th and 11th centuries CE. Originally known as Basutoland, the region emerged as a unified polity under the reign of Moshoeshoe I in 1822. In order to protect his kingdom from encroaching Boers claiming land rights in the late 1930s, Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the government of [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], but the disputes re-emerged, inciting the Free State-Basuto Wars between 1865 and 1868. In the aftermath, Basutoland became a British protectorate and the Boer Free State acquired large tracts of land that were once part of the tribal territory. Basutoland gained its independence from Britain and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966.
@@ Line 8: / Line 12: @@
 Formed in 1978, the Lesotho Defence Force consists of the ground forces and the Air Wing.
 == Camouflage of Lesotho ==

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 The Kingdom of Lesotho ''(Muso oa Lesotho)'' is a landlocked nation that is completely surrounded by [[South Africa]]. The region was populated mostly by migrating Sotho-Tswana-speaking people between the 4th and 11th centuries CE. Originally known as Basutoland, the region emerged as a unified polity under the reign of Moshoeshoe I in 1822. In order to protect his kingdom from encroaching Boers claiming land rights in the late 1930s, Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the government of [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]], but the disputes re-emerged, inciting the Free State-Basuto Wars between 1865 and 1868. In the aftermath, Basutoland became a British protectorate and the Boer Free State acquired large tracts of land that were once part of the tribal territory. Basutoland gained its independence from Britain and became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966.
-Formed in 1979, the armed forces of this nation are known as the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force, and comprise approximately 2,500 active duty personnel. An elite security unit called the Royal Squadron provides ceremonial and protective details for the monarchy.
+In the 1970s, members of the Basotho National Party (BNP) who had lost power in Parliament formed the Lesotho Liberation Army (LLA), which was trained in [[Libya]]. A largely ineffective guerilla campaign was waged against the government into the early 1980s. In 1986, a military coup d'etat deposed the president and handed power to King Moshoeshoe II, hitherto only a ceremonial monarch. His son was installed as King Letsie III one year later when he went into exile. The nation returned to a democratically elected goverment in 1993, but was again overthrown in another coup led by Letsie in August the following year and Moshoeshoe reinstated as head of state.
-== Camouflage of Lesotho ==
+In 1998, tensions rose over a rift in the ruling Basotho Congress Party (BCP), sparking protests and ultimately leading to the involvement of troops from both the Botswana Defence Force and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Order was finally restored, but not before a number of Basotho and South Africans had died.
-* The Defence Force have worn variations of British [[DPM]] since the 1980s. An early version, seen below, was locally-made in a style similar to the British 1985 pattern uniform.
+Formed in 1978, the Lesotho Defence Force consists of the ground forces and the Air Wing.
-[[File:swaziland1.jpg|200px]]
+== Camouflage of Lesotho ==
-* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and more durable fabrics, being produced in Asia specifically for use by the Swaziland Defence Force.
+* The Defence Force has worn variations of British [[DPM]] since the 1980s. An early version, seen below, was imported from Britain.
-[[File:swaziland2.jpg|200px]]
+[[File:lesotho1.jpg|200px]]
-* During the 1980s, the Royal Squadron (King's Bodyguard) were issued a brilliant-colored blue/purple [[DPM]] pattern camouflage uniform for ceremonial appearances. These uniforms were made in South Africa by the same factories that produced uniforms for the SADF. It is not known whether this unique camouflage pattern is still worn.
+* Later versions of the pattern feature much brighter colors and were produced in the Republic of [[South Africa]].
-[[File:swaziland3.jpg|200px]]
+[[File:lesotho2.jpg|200px]]