British 1944 pattern webbing equipment

[GasMasksUK]

I'm still using a 44 pattern waterbottle and mug for cadets and for the same reason as robin.
Thanks

Danny

[jimpy]

Hi guys.

Ade, you brought back some happy memories of the 44ptn webbing.

When I was in the TA, (infantry and engineers), in the early 1980's >1990 ish! I used a few bits with my 58ptn kit, ("modified" of course).

Somewhere stashed away in a case in the cellar, I have a couple of ammo pouches, belt, 2 or 3 small packs, 2 or 3 waterbottle pouches and a 44ptn mug. I must get them out and check the dates on them.
I used to have the shoulder straps as well, but I split them and made 2 separate shoulder straps for the haversacks, (BIG mistake, I know that now!!!)
As an aside, I used to use one of the small packs as a "bail out" haversack when I was a driver/radio op in the engineers. Added the shoulder strap, mess-tins in the side pocket, poncho/groundsheet strapped underneath, NBC kit clipped on top in a 58ptn poncho roll, ration packs/spare kit etc in the main body of the pack. The rest of my kit was in my bergan in the back of the LandRover. Doing it that way left the back of my webbing clear when driving.

I'm not sure, but I think that Silvermans, in Mile End, London, still have some stocks of 44ptn kit in stock.
When I get chance, I will post up some pic's of my kit, this and a few other bits that I have got. (Including a few bits that i got from my late grandfather.)

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, thanks for the comments. The water bottle does look like a good bit of kit.

Jimpy, you are correct about Silvermans (Big London based surplus shop. Still going) stocking this webbing. In fact, they might have even produced the unmarked water bottle cover I show. A friend of mine commented about it when I showed him it. I was actually given it as a gift from a guy who was a mercenary.

Interesting to hear how you used you kit.

I have these two straps which are 44 pattern but I don't know what they were used for? I don't have the size to hand, but they are about 18 inches long going from memory.

Any ideas?

Cheers, Ade.

[OKW]

I can't understand why this kit never took off, its far more practical than '37 pattern. I did read that it wasn't adopted as it didn't require blancoing or have brasses to polish which was a great user up of time for national servicemen when all the coal had been painted white.

[People's Army]

I can't understand why this kit never took off, its far more practical than '37 pattern. I did read that it wasn't adopted as it didn't require blancoing or have brasses to polish which was a great user up of time for national servicemen when all the coal had been painted white.

Comrade,
It had material and design problems, also as it failed in the Jungle it was tarred with a very broad brush of being not very good, the jungle is an extreme, so maybe it was judged harshly.

[Nige H]

Another water bottle cover. Not marked at all.

Hi Ade,
the second water bottle (the un-marked one) could be a Dutch copy these have clones of the lift the Dot fastners instead of the genuine British made ones, and these covers are also getting very rare, it just a local dealer mate of mine had some of these in minty condition which he'd been stored for some years. Apparently the SAS used these Dutch models in the 1970's and 1980's somewhere ! Also there is an enlarged model (about half as big again) , made of canvas instead of webbing, which was also SAS item.

Nige.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Nige, thanks. I will dig out the unmarked cover and take some close up's of the Lift the dot fasteners.

Cheers, Ade.

[jimpy]

Hi Guys, thanks for the comments. The water bottle does look like a good bit of kit.

Jimpy, you are correct about Silvermans (Big London based surplus shop. Still going) stocking this webbing. In fact, they might have even produced the unmarked water bottle cover I show. A friend of mine commented about it when I showed him it. I was actually given it as a gift from a guy who was a mercenary.

Interesting to hear how you used you kit.

I have these two straps which are 44 pattern but I don't know what they were used for? I don't have the size to hand, but they are about 18 inches long going from memory.

Any ideas?

Cheers, Ade.

Hi Ade

Ive just picked up three books from my local Waterstones, (titles etc at the end) and I think that I may have cleared up the query over what these straps are for.
If I have got the right picture, they appear to be from a Manpack Carrier Frame
I think that they are either head bearer straps or base attachment straps.

The books that I mentioned earlier are as below. Obviously, because of the nature, and titles, there is a certain amount of overlap with content, but a quick look through them shows very few, if any, duplicated photos.

Europa Militaria No32: British Web Equipment Of The Two World Wars. by Martin J. Brayley ISBN: 978 1 86126 743 6

Europa Militaria No34: British Post-War Jungle Webbing. by Simon Howlett ISBN: 978 1 84797 086 2

Europa Militaria No35: Modern British Webbing Equipment. by Simon Howlett ISBN: 978 1 84797 140 1

All the above are published by Crowood Press, (Welcome to The Crowood Press) and are priced at GBP£10:95 each at current rates (November 2009)

All the best.

Ian
AKA: Jimpy

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Ian, many thanks!

Cheers, Ade.

[Reg]

Hi Ade

I remember being issued the millbank bag and large water carrier fresh from stores (blooming heavy when full) for an exercice in Kenya in 2002, I dont recall what year they were made but I bet some storeman is still sitting on a load of un-issued ones!

Cheers
Reg