Found this old belt. WWII?

**Danger** · 12-04-2011, 09:50 AM

Hey guys.
Saw this belt at a flea market.
Only paid 50c.
Is it WWII?
No markings except for W.T.

**NCA** · 12-05-2011, 06:58 PM

Your belt looks alot like pre 1910 american web equipment..similar to the garrison belts.The buckle looks very similar.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-05-2011, 07:39 PM

While the buckle does look US in style, the basic webbing and the other hardware looks like British 37 pattern?

A new one on me....

Cheers, Ade.

**Battery Command Post** · 12-06-2011, 12:55 AM

by Danger

Hey guys.
Saw this belt at a flea market.
Only paid 50c.
Is it WWII?
No markings except for W.T.

Like Ade said, seems to be 1937 Patern Web style with a Mills US type buckle. There are a few similar items I know of but nothing exactly the same:

1. The UK-made Mills web equipment for officers made from 1916-1918 had the same buckle, but was of a back-adjusting design for the belt. Could be a variation as this was very experimental.

2. The Mills equipment made for the French army also used a very similar belt. They also made equipment for the Belgian forces and others. It could be for one of these overseas orders?

Just thinking out loud...

Rob

**Danger** · 12-06-2011, 04:57 AM

Cheers guys.
And here I was thinking it was just an old WWII belt.
Just had another look at it and the brass used to be black.
Is ther anything I could look for that would give any clues to what it is?

**Danger** · 01-11-2015, 04:47 AM

Hey guys,

Just saw a similar belt for sale as a - RNZAF WWII pilots pistol belt.
The buckle is different though...

**karkee** · 01-11-2015, 06:12 AM

Hi Danger,

You actually have a New Zealand Pattern 1913 belt that was originally made by Mills Equipment Company (It was originally marked 'M.E.CO. 1913 N/|\Z'). The 1913 set originally consisted of a belt, frog and two single cartridge pockets (with internal integrally woven loops). It was issued to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and used during the annexation of Western Samoa in 1914.

Nice early piece of Kiwi history you have there!

**Danger** · 01-11-2015, 07:33 AM

Thanks karkee.
That's music to my ears.
The frog wasn't brown leather was it?

**karkee** · 01-12-2015, 12:10 AM

Glad to help Danger! The frog was actually very similar to the 1937 Pattern. Karkee Web has some excellent pictures of the New Zealand Pattern 1913 bayonet frog in question (though it is listed with a different set of webbing)...

Pattern 1913 Web Equipment