Odd WW2 British bag or field pack

[karkee]

I'm in absolute agreement that sets would have been made up from a variety of manufacturers! The only exceptions I can think of would be in the early years before the smaller firms began production. For example, sets worn before Dunkirk were probably mostly composed of MECo and MW&S. Canadians sent to Hong Kong in 1941 probably had sets with ZL&T and MS&U components. As the war progressed things started getting progressively mixed. Also, I'm not sure that many of the smaller firms produced the full range of pattern 1937 items.

I originally thought that the set I bought was put together by an individual collector as well. But there were so many mixed sets of P37 webbing that hit the US market a few years ago, that now I wonder if they weren't purchased in bulk and resold by some surplus outfit...

Collecting is fun once you figure out what is what. I bought a lot of incorrect stuff early on though! lol

[PhantomGuitar]

I'm in absolute agreement that sets would have been made up from a variety of manufacturers! The only exceptions I can think of would be in the early years before the smaller firms began production. For example, sets worn before Dunkirk were probably mostly composed of MECo and MW&S. Canadians sent to Hong Kong in 1941 probably had sets with ZL&T and MS&U components. As the war progressed things started getting progressively mixed. Also, I'm not sure that many of the smaller firms produced the full range of pattern 1937 items.

I originally thought that the set I bought was put together by an individual collector as well. But there were so many mixed sets of P37 webbing that hit the US market a few years ago, that now I wonder if they weren't purchased in bulk and resold by some surplus outfit...

Collecting is fun once you figure out what is what. I bought a lot of incorrect stuff early on though! lol

Absolutely, I have no doubt about that. Or even the decent quantities of Canadian made items (belts immediately come to mind) that were sent to Australia at one point in the war. If only I could find a set of web gear as worn to Dunkirk and unbuggered with since then! Some of the smaller firms could not manage integral webbing and therefore produced items such as the sewn together shoulder braces.

I'm not entirely sure how the mixed lots ended up in the US either. Some stuff I have seen with "MADE IN CANADA/ENGLAND/AUSTRALIA, and assume this had to do with Importing it.

I also like when stuff that barely resembles 37 Pattern webbing is sold as such, such as the Jungle Green 37 style belts with black hardware and grommets all the way around. Or a item being sold as "original WW2 whatever" and HTK in big bold letters. I too have been burnt due to my own lack of knowledge, one of the first helmets I bought thinking it was a US 1917 turned out to be a Danish Civil Defense helmet. Live and learn, especially when money is involved!

[Gary J]

I made a point of trying to put together a set Of WW2 MeCO webbing (Mills Engineering Company), just because MeCo were a known British manufacturer.

[NCA]

Nice large pack...nothing amiss here apart from the straps are put on wrong.The l straps are correct then the two valise straps should cross over the front of the pack then the buckle ends thread through the loops on the bottom of the pack, these then buckle onto the l strap tabs.