58 pat belt kit

[ian]

this is my belt kit from my time on tanks
i added the bayonet secently becouse we never carried them
if you notice the mag pouch on the left is smaller than the right
this is becouse the left one is for the 32rd mags and the right is for the 34rd mag
i was issued 3 32 rd and 2 34 rd
it took a long time to get the larger pouch from the sqms and he flatley refused to chamge my mags so they were all the same
od people these store men
the browning is a replica
lots of memories in this belt kit
cheers ian

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Ian, thanks for showing this. I know nothing about '58 pattern. I have a belt I think and that is it. So it is all an education for me. The mags: I take it these are Sterling SMG? Again, I did not know these came in two sizes?

Cheers, Ade.

[GasMasksUK]

I know something Ade doesnt ......................for once

Yes, your right, the magazines in theses pouches are for Sterling Sub Machine Guns. I actually think theres 4 sizes of magazines, the ones mentioned above and smaller ones, I think theres 15 and 10 round magazines too and thats for the shortened version (Para) with the vertical foregrip, I also think theres stacked magazines in all of the sizes for them aswell, but I cant remember exactly

Thanks

Danny

[ian]

yes ade it stems from the old problems with the sten gun you know only loading 30 rds instead of 32 to stop over stress of the spring
same problem with the l4 series of lmg (bren )
they made 34 rd mags so you could load 32
and yes stirling smg
at first they gave us normal rifle mans pouches and i believe a lot of tankies were stuck with them the smg mags were to long and kept falling out
the smg pouches were raocking horse poo to get hold of
and then they found that the new mags would not fit the pouches they had so they had to make new ones you can imagine the trouble that coused
during what we called the lean years when you could get lots of nothing
(calahan)govern ment than maggy got in and all of a sudden we got the bits we neaded and the qms didnt get so many OBEs for saving money becouse they had to issue things that they had hidden away to save money
same old same old eh
there are lots of little ods and sods to the 58 pat
silly things like rifle but pouches believe it or not so soldiers could rest the buts of there slr sin a poutch to take the wieght of it while patroling in northan ireland and lots more daft bits
cheers ian

[Adrian Stevenson]

Good stuff guys. Nice to learn. My Wife Lez is an ex blanket stacker. (WRAC attached ROAC) Just read out your posts to her. She says "yes".

Cheers, Ade.