44 pattern cutlery

[Roger M]

Guys,
I have two sizes of '44 pattern fork. were their two sizes manufactured or was the larger size the original pattern and then superseded by the smaller ?

The large one is dated 1944 and the 3 smaller forks I have are dated 1945. As you can see the larger one does not fit in the pouch.

[Watchdog]

Guys,
I have two sizes of '44 pattern fork. were their two sizes manufactured or was the larger size the original pattern and then superseded by the smaller ?

The large one is dated 1944 and the 3 smaller forks I have are dated 1945. As you can see the larger one does not fit in the pouch.

I can't answer the question about the cutlery itself but that is the type of pouch I was issued with in 1975. The KFS didn't fit then either!

Regards

Mark

[brickie501]

Roger,

I'm afraid I can't help regarding manufacturers of '44 Pat cutlery either...

By the time I was issued my 'KFS' in the early to mid 90's (I think I had 2 issues, once from TA, then again on becoming a Regular in '95 - partly explaining multiple spoons!) 'normal' cutlery was provided.

Mark,

Thanks for your post. It never ceases to amaze me, what I find out from this site...

Did you receive '44 Pat cutlery, or was it 'normal' stuff like me?

I didn't receive one of those pouches with my KFS but I do remember seeing them around & didn't realise they were issued! Unfortunately I just thought they were some 'camping' item & made a substitute from an offcut of DPM instead … I might have scrounged (or maybe even paid for) an 'official' item if I'd known it was one, even if it wasn't a great fit

Anyway, unless the world wants another 'British issue cutlery' thread, I'll put this picture of (most of!) my issued KFS here:


Most of it is "Hiram Wild' made (dated between 1991 & 94) but there's an 'HM&Co" spoon dated 1989 too.
I suppose it does demonstrate there were at least 2 providers of differing '58 Pat cutlery (I'll call it that, since that was the contemporary webbing I was issued, although its probably not accurate to do so) at basically the same time… so there may have been for '44 Pat too?

Having assumed the Army had always just issued normal (albeit 'broad arrow' stamped) cutlery, of course, now I want a '44 Pat KFS & cover in my collection!

[Watchdog]

Just a quick reply;

This is WWII and I still have a set that I used whilst I was serving.

I can't find it right now but I will post it when I do.

Regards

Mark

[Edward Lionheart]

Guys,
I have two sizes of '44 pattern fork. were their two sizes manufactured or was the larger size the original pattern and then superseded by the smaller ?

The large one is dated 1944 and the 3 smaller forks I have are dated 1945. As you can see the larger one does not fit in the pouch.

Hello.
That's indeed a very interesting question. I cannot at the time answer to it completely, but I have noticed something that could be important : the smaller one is the central piece of the set, while the bigger one isn't.
These Pattern 44 sets are not easy at all to find in France, I suspect that some I came across that looked really shabby were just civilan made items " upgraded " with poorly made Broad Arrows and dates, but what I can say for sure is that my set, all B&J.S. Ltd stamped, has the knife as the central piece.
Was this an evolution or were the contractors able to decide for themselves how to dispatch the knife, fork and spoon ?
Honestly I doubt it but let's keep an open mind about that, at least for now.