British 18 XXX Thompson Magazine Pouch?

[MySonsDad]

We picked up this magazine pouch, that was thrown in with a Lot of other items we recently picked up. Saw that it was British marked and 1944 dated so the kid did some web searching and identified it as a British 18 XXX Thompson Magazine Pouch that looks to have been modified, by cutting out a number of the dividers.

My first question is REAL or REPRO? It’s pretty crips so I doubt (if real) was ever issued, which would not make sense having many of the dividers cut out (repurposed?)

If anyone could shed some light as to what we have here and if it is real or repro, it would be greatly appreciated.

The markings inside look to read R.B. & Co. with the British arrow and a 1944 date. Has another mark, left of the mfr’s mark, but I can’t really make out what it is.














Thanks in advance,

Russ & Son

[joseph barrett]

I have one as well same maker same date, I was told that it was used for bren gun magazines and they do fit it perfectly but I have not come across any references material to support this so I am keeping a open mind about it, if your son has found some I would be interested to see it.

[MySonsDad]

Joseph, here is a link to the info my son came arcross. I should have included this in the body of the original post I guess.

D-day+2: U.s. Army Rangers, Thompsons, & 18 Xxx Magazine Pouches - MachineGunBoards.com Forums

Thanks for sharing your photos...

Russ

[joseph barrett]

Thanks Russ but I think you should read the rest of the posts eventually they decide that it is a A1/AA5294 Boxes, Magazine, Bren Gun, Carriers, Web.

[MySonsDad]

Thanks Russ but I think you should read the rest of the posts eventually they decide that it is a A1/AA5294 Boxes, Magazine, Bren Gun, Carriers, Web.

Yea, I read all that Joseph, but I've never been on that particualr forum so I have not gained the confidance in the posters as I have here on this forum, wanted to see what folks I feel knowlegable here have to say. Myself, I don't know one from the other so I have to reley on those I've gained some degree of confidance in. I'm assuming folks here will come to the same conclusion but I won't know until folks chime in. I'm also interested in the opinion of Real or Repro as I question most things of that age that are as crisp as mine however, I've seen plenty of surplus stuff older than this looking new and fresh out of the box!

[joseph barrett]

I think it was stated that there was still piles of them in the stores in the seventy's and I know the bren gun was still being used in 1977-78 as I remember handling one but I don't know when they went out of service but when they did the carriers would have gone out to surplus and as you say that would explain the condition so I'm thinking they are real until somebody comes up with anymore information.

[talltom]

the bren (l4) was last produced in 1977/78 but was still in action as late as the first gulf war in 1991 no idea about the pouch but it sure looks new a nice find

[MySonsDad]

Thanks Tom, it came with a bunch of other stuff, I was mostly interested in one of the gas mask bags in the Lot but seems we got a few other goodies as well. This particular item, and one other, we have not been able to identify. I have not give up on the other item yet, gonna give it the old collage try again tonight before I post for help. Problem with some of thise field gear is if you are not knowledgable of it (as I am not) and they don't have any markings to at least ID what country they are from, you could spend a lot of time barking up a lot of wrong trees.........

[Battery Command Post]

Thanks Russ but I think you should read the rest of the posts eventually they decide that it is a A1/AA5294 Boxes, Magazine, Bren Gun, Carriers, Web.

That's exactly what it is, no doubt about it, although I'm not convinced the nomenclature is correct.

So what is this other item?

Rob

[MySonsDad]

That's exactly what it is, no doubt about it, although I'm not convinced the nomenclature is correct.

So what is this other item?

Rob

SO what woud the actual name for this item be?

Also, any idea why someone would cut out a number of the partitions? Possibly re-purposed? And since it sounds like these things have been laying around in surplus for years, the 1944 date is probably good and no reason to believe they have been faked or reproduced I'm guessing?

I'll snap a few photos of the other item I can not identify here in a few minutes and add it to this thread. As I am not even sure of what country it is from I was a little hesitent to post willy nilly.

Russ