Patronentragegurtel 1917

[Adler]

The meaning of those bandoliers was to provide the soldiers in a quick and easy way with as much ammo as possible. After they received the ammo (one or more bandoleers), they had to refill their ammo pouches and take the rest of the bandoleers to their post. It was actually a quick way to transport ammo by persons.
The bandoleers were mostly from grey to light blue. Inside the pockets were small cardboard tip protectors for every clip of 5 rounds. The "open side" of the pockets was closed by a light pice of cloth, so it could easily been torn open to have quick acces to the ammo...
Stamps of the production year were most of the time the last two digits in a circle. Normally you can also find the makers name on the bandoleers...
Each bandolier could hold 14 clips with 5 rounds... The 4 bottom pockets of the bandolier hold 2 clips each, the others hold 1 clip each...
The reason you hardly find those bandoleers now is that they were thrown away when empty...

I hope you like this one...

Adler 1

[Chopperman]

I've got to believe it's pretty rare to find one of these in this
kind of condition. As you said, most would be ripped open and then discarded in the mud.

[Dimas]

I've found once a couple of similar Patronentraegeguertels in Latvian attic, they was similar eqipped, but I don't remember the markings on them, the probably was a Latvian army reissue

[Adler]

Thanks for your replies gentlemen!

Adler