British 1944 pattern webbing equipment

[jimpy]

It does make me wonder how soldiers issued with this kit were able to make do! By this I mean very few pouches etc. When I served in the army my belt kit was covered in pouches, full of kit, always and that is not including a day sack. I appreciate that times have changed and the British army has moved on but even so soldiers back then must have wondered where they were going to put spare ammo, rations warm kit, socks etc etc etc.

Not really a contribution to the over all thread I know but more of an observation. Unless anyone can tell me any different if there were more pouches available to soldiers back then? Was ressuply always close by or did the soldiers extra kit travel up in vehicles?

Hi Dave.

I know exactly what you mean mate. I seem to remember my own belt kit being a mass of pouches when I was in the infantry, based primarily around 58ptn. Modified 58ptn belt (roll-pin buckle extension), 58ptn Ammo pouch, w/bottle (44ptn), 3x kit pouches (about the size of a 44ptn ammo pouch but produced by the civilian firm Arktis), w/bottle (44ptn), sheath knife, resp' haversack, 58ptn ammo pouch. Poncho Roll above, NBC roll below and Bergan.
When I transferred to the engineers as a driver/radio operator my kit soon changed to that which I mentioned earlier in this thread, same belt, 58ptn ammo pouch, w/bottle carrier (44ptn) X2, resp' haversack, 58ptn ammo pouch. The rest of my "ready use kit" was stashed in a 44ptn small pack, with my bergan as back-up in the back of my "Lanny".........Simple but effective.
I used to complain about the weight of the kit that we carried, (40>50 pound belt kit alone when I was infantry!), but just before he deployed to Iraq and Afghan, I tried my sons kit "for size", and I know that I am a lot older and less fit these days, but I struggled with lifting it and that was BEFORE the addition of ammo scales etc!!

I believe that one of the original design criterion for the 37ptn webbing set was based on the fact that any future war was expected to be highly mobile and that any "excess kit" would be transported in unit transport.

Ramble over for now.

Regards etc

Ian d

AKA: Jimpy

[Captain Keith]

The holster for the Browning High Power above is a Canadian 1951 pattern. I picked one up in unissued condition from a place in London, it was among a lot of 1944 pattern webbing that they'd acquired so it must have been issued as part of the '44 ensemble but it is definitely Canadian. A British made holster for the High Power was around in the 1950s, the Holster No2 Mk2, based on a Canadian design from mid-1945, but it was in khaki canvas, so it appears the Canadian 1951 pattern was used in tropical theatres along with the '44 gear even though it doesn't appear in any of the official army listings (CCN, etc.) that I'm aware of.

[ILH]

Hi just a couple of 44 type odities:
1) the 1980s re-issue of the manpack frame (met a chap who had to carry one in Gulf 1 -Kuwait).
2) a private purchase golf bag in 1944 Pattern materials.

[ILH]

and here's the instruction leaflet that came with the manpack:

[37Webbing]

I know this is not strictly 44. patt. webbing, but here goes.

The Danish army adopted the water bottle, cup and a modified version of the carrier for the home grown M/45-50 webbing equipment.

From my own collection:

Made by: M.E.Co
Carrier in 1949, bottle and cup in 1951.

[ILH]

44 pattern wood saw in cotton duck pouch. Dated 1952 with broad arrow.

[Warspite]

Very nice, your seems to have a brighter shade of green for the pouch than mine. I attach mine to the flap on my 44 patt haversack with the wire hanger.

[ILH]

Just cleaned a bit of grease off the saw blade:
Marked "DITTON USA 1944, /I\"

cotton duck is often lighter in colour than canvas... And I've just washed it!

When I get at the box to put it away... I'll dig out some of the other bits of 44, mainly radio gear.

[ILH]

Here are some more bits:
Top left: leather energa round pouches.
Top middle: unknown, possibly replacement loops for belts.
Top right: Mortar/rocket carrier.
Middle left: lightweight gaamask case.
Middle: Bren spares case.
Bottom: Bren cleaning cases.

[ILH]

Radio bits.
Right radio pouch,
Larkspur carrier (takes haversack shoulder straps),
Ariel bag,
Unknown radio carrier (has integral shoulder straps),
Some wash rolls and a soap tin.