Webbing Manufacturers’ Codes

Throughout the Second World War a large number of new companies, that had never made webbing before, received military contracts. These manufacturers all marked their webbing with letter codes so any faults could be traced back to a particular producer. These markings are often very faint now and can be hard to make out, but the following list records some (but probably not all) of the markings to be found on British Made webbing:

Garstin & Co. Ltd ……………….AG & CO LTD
Albert Gill Ltd ……………………AG
Albert Gill ……………………….ALBERT GILL
Associated Cutters …………………AC
Bagcraft Ltd ………………………BAGCRAFT
Barrow Hepburn and Gale Ltd …………BHG Ltd.
Bass Smeaton ………………………BS Ltd
Blackman Leather Goods Ltd ………….BLACKMAN
Blackwell & Young ………………..BEWYSE
R. Burns Ltd ………………………R BURNS LTD
Caoutchouc Products Ltd ……………C. P. Ltd.
H.H. Carroll & Co Ltd ………………HHC & CO LTD
Civic Co ………………………….CC
County Screen Co …………………..C S Co.
Crown Bedding Co …………………..CB
Finnegans …………………………FINNEGANS
Foxcroft ………………………….F L LTD
Hampton and Sons …………………..H&S Ltd
Hewit Sons & Co Ltd ………………..H.S.L.
J. & A. Hillman ……………………J&AH
Martin Wright & Sons Ltd ……………MW&S.
Mary Harris Gowns ………………….M.H.G.
Mills Equipment Co …………………M.E.Co.
Peckwash Mills …………………….PM
Princess Silk Shade ………………..PSS
Rover Car Co ………………………ROVER
R. Parkyn Ltd ……………………..R.P.Ltd.
S. Norton Ltd ……………………..SN Ltd.
Teddy Toy Co Ltd …………………..T.T.C.
Trefano Ltd ……………………….TD
Vesta Ltd …………………………VESTA LTD.
Waring & Gillow ……………………W&G

The above list is drawn from an old thread on the wwiireenacting forum, but hopefully this will be fresh to many. The following are examples of the markings:

Mills Equipment Co:FullSizeRender4Hampton and Sons:FullSizeRenderMartin Wright and Sons:FullSizeRender1Bagcraft Ltd:FullSizeRender2Civic Co:FullSizeRender8Albert GillA GillCaoutchouc Products Ltd CP ltdS. Norton LtdSN LtdCounty Screen Co CS Co LtdThis list only covers UK made webbing, and other stamps will be found on Indian, Canadian, Australian and South African produced webbing. If anyone has any further codes, please let me know and I will add them to the list.

5 comments

  1. Hello. Regarding Manufacturers’ Codes, can you tell me what company manufactured canvas browning ammunition belts with what appears to be a ‘”fleur-de-lis” symbol stamped into the metal tang? Yours faithfully, Simon

      • Hello Hatchfive. Many thanks for that, it helped a lot. I’ve got two of these, one manufactured by RMC, and from the markings on them I think they are type Drawing C.3951 Revision 13, 05-15-43, mainly because the starter tab has been removed from one end. That is a great site for reference. Thanks again. Regards, Simon

  2. I think the tangs I have seen with the ‘”fleur-de-lis” symbol were marked “TF&S”, which I believe is Thomas Firth and Sons of Sheffield (though they may have just manufactured the metal fittings).

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.