Opinions on this 37 pattern small pack

[Warspite]

Hi All

I picked up this absolutely gopping 37 pattern small pack this morning for a few pounds.

I have compared it to a known British made example and there are a few differences. The flap securing straps are about an inch shorter:

And the weather flaps are cut at a different angle:

The bag came with an equally manky Canadian shoulder brace:

I was wondering if the differences between the small packs could be because the new one is Canadian as well? Or is it just usual manufacturer's differences? Sadly the bag is so filthy the markings are completely obliterated and I don't have a Canadian example to compare it to. What are people's opinions?

Cheers Ed

[karkee]

Now this is an interesting question!

Although the brace is certainly of Canadian manufacture, I don't believe that the pack was made in Canada. The Canadian small packs that I have seen are distinctive in two ways. Firstly, their closure straps are spaced farther apart than British-made examples.


1941 British-made Small Pack


1942 Canadian-made Small Pack

Secondly, the internal dividers of Canadian small packs are made of thin, single weave webbing, whereas British examples use canvas dividers.


Canvas internal dividers in a British-made small pack.


Webbing internal dividers in a Canadian-made small pack.

If I were to venture a guess, I would say that your small pack is of Indian manufacture. The crudeness of the brass, coupled with the generally poor condition of the straps, point towards an Indian origin. Do the fittings on your pack have any stamps whatsoever?

Lastly, the closure straps on my Indian small pack are shorter than the standard British-made small pack as well


1943 Indian-made Small Pack

I hope this is of help. I plan on writing a section on the differences between the Empire variants for Karkee Web one day when I am done with school.

[Warspite]

Thanks Karkee, didn't think of that. I will check it against my Indian one tonight and see how it compares.

[ILH]

Indian was my first thought too.... are there any marks on the backs of the buckles?

Why not give it a gentle scrub? Sometimes water and the right light can bring up markings quite well.

[Warspite]

I think we can say it's Indian. There's a date of '41' on the metal chape of the closure strap. Correct me if I'm wrong, but only Indian brass work is dated

[karkee]

Very cool! With that early date, the make is probably either Ca or, more likely, an early run B.S.C.-made bag. With that said, the date of the fittings rarely seems to match the date of the item! lol

Hmmm, WWI slings featured dated brass fittings. Interwar Mills webbing was often marked with 'MECo' and the date as well, especially on Pattern 1908 webbing made of the Government of India (perhaps this is where Indian makers got the idea). Additionally, I have seen South African slings with "D.I.F. & CO. LTD. 1940" stamped into the brass.

I think your pack is nice, it has certainly seen the better part of the war!

[Warspite]

This is the fitting, you can just make out '41' (it's clearer in real life as you can move it in the light)

[karkee]

That's a tough one...Is it partially obscured by the rivet?

[Warspite]

I've tried to indicate the date on the photos below. As I said it's faint, but clearer in real life: