The introduction the Sten gun in 1940 gave the British Army a minor headache when it became apparent that the magazines were too long to allow them to be carried in the standard 37 pattern basic pouches then in service. This therefore led to the introduction of the MK III pouch, which was 1/2 inch longer than the earlier model to allow the magazines to fit in. Later models would be produced with quick release tabs, like the example here, but the early versions retained the press stud to secure the lid and it is an example of this pattern we are looking at tonight:
Apart from its length, the pouch conformed to the standard design that had been in use since the start of the war, described in the 37 pattern webbing manual as:
Basic Pouches- these are interchangeable, and are rectangular in shape to contain two Bren gun magazines each, or a number of grenades, or S.A.A. A buckle is provided at the top of each pouch for attachment of the brace;
This buckle has a loop at the top which serves for connecting the hook on the shoulder strap. Two double hooks are fitted to the back of each pouch for attachment to the waist belt:
As mentioned earlier, these early MK III pouches retained the brass press studs to secure the lid:
This particular pouch is marked on the underside of the lid as having been manufactured by BG Ltd in 1943:
These pouches saw service after the war and the following instructions for what to carry in them come from a Royal Navy publication of 1950:
These are designed to carry ammunition or Bren magazines. A typical ‘carry’ for the rifleman of a section is two Bren magazines in each pouch, or two magazines in one pouch and fifty rounds of rifle ammunition in the other. Grenades cannot be carried in the pouches with other ammunition. There is no specific place for grenades to be carried, but they are usually placed in the haversack. The pouches are fitted with metal prongs that fit in the canvas sockets in the inside of the belt. They are worn on the front of the equipment, equidistant from the central buckle and so that the arms are free to move across the body.
The water bottle and its carrier were not originally included in the set, and had to be retrospectively added. This component is not shown above, but we have covered it 
The yoke itself was a major advance for this set of webbing as it was padded and far more comfortable than previous webbing sets and the 58 pattern set was to see service right through until the mid-1990s, with the Falklands campaign being its shining hour. By the fist Gulf War it was partially replaced by PLCE, but was still used by many troops who had not yet received the new PLCE web set.
The first set of fitting instructions gives the following, comprehensive, overview of the set:
This is a nylon haversack that sits at the rear of the webbing set and is designed to carry the same contents as the 58 pattern kidney pouches and poncho roll:- NBC kit, field rations, spare socks, wash kit etc. Whilst the pouch is larger than the kidney pouches of the earlier set, without the poncho roll the capacity remains small and this was one of the major shortcomings of the set.
This in turn was covered with the top flap. On the underside of this top flap are the maker’s details:
At the rear are a pair of plastic D-loops that allow the yoke to be attached to the pouch:
Beneath these is a white panel used to write the soldier’s name and number on when in service:
The 72/75 pattern set does not have a separate belt, so the rear pouch attaches to the side pouches directly so straps and plastic frictions buckles are sewn to each side of the pouch:
Two variations of haversack apparently exist; a plain one and a type like this one that has a long pocket across the base:
Some sources say this was for a machete, whilst others say it was for a pick axe head, which is what I have fitted it with:
A loop with a friction buckle is also fitted to the top of the flap of the pouch:
This seems to have been used to allow extra items to be strapped onto the webbing.
These sets are scarce as they were a trials item half a century ago, but all the pieces are still available from one supplier (albeit not cheaply) so I am pleased to have finally finished the set and have a full set up as a soldier on exercise whilst trialling the new web set in the early 1970s:
Having worn the set, I can see why it was never adopted. It is flimsy and complicated and the carrying capacity is limited, as is the sets adaptability. On the plus side the butyl nylon is much easier to decontaminate than cotton webbing, but it would be another ten to fifteen years before a far superior design was adopted by British Army when the PLCE set became the standard load bearing set for the next thirty years or more.
It is one of these modified bayonet frogs we are looking at tonight:
That this started out as a standard frog for the SMLE bayonet is evident from the upper loop to secure that bayonet’s handle under:
The modification itself can be seen on the upper loop where the slot has been cut as per the instructions and the hole stitched around with button hole stitching:
This then allows the scabbard of the No4 spike bayonet to be secured through this little hole:
This little modification is one of those fascinating cases of the War Office recognising a common practice undertake by troops and deciding that it was better to just formalise and regulate the practice as it was the simplest and most practical solution to the problem rather than trying to outlaw it.
In design this exactly matches the description from the 37 pattern fitting instructions:
The scabbard is inserted and pushed through until the stud on the outside comes out between the two loops.
As with the other pieces of jungle green webbing we have looked at, the piece is very faded and the markings on the rear are very badly stamped and hard to read:
There were a number of webbing manufacturers in India, Bata and ‘KEF’ being two whilst ‘CA’ is often seen marked on webbing and is the mark of the Cawnpore Government Harness and Saddlery factory. This manufacturer was based in Cawnpore and was a government run equipment company dating back to the First World War. In addition to this factory, the company had branches at Calcutta and Cossipore, whilst yet more satellites were set up in Amritsar, Bombay and Madras when the threat of Japanese invasion was at its height.
As is often the case, the green colour has faded of this belt so it is far less intense a colour than it would have been when new, nevertheless when compared to standard Indian made 37 pattern webbing the contrast is clear.
As are the rear buckles:
A C/|\?? inspector’s acceptance code is faintly visible on the rear of the belt:
As is the maker’s mark and a date of 1946:
The jungle green 37 pattern webbing was only introduced in 1944 so was only used in the last 12-18 months of the war. Nonetheless it was a simple but welcome change to the soldier’s equipment and far more suited to jungle fighting than the tan version.
The satchel is a simple design, with a pair of weather flaps and a box type top flap to protect the shell dressings from the elements:
The lid itself is secured with two web straps and a pair of brass Twigg buckles:
Although the main body of the bag is made of woven cotton webbing, the carry strap is of a lighter weave, sewn to the rear of the haversack:
A brass buckle allows the length of the strap to be adjusted, in the same manner as the respirator haversacks of the period:
The front of the haversack has a large red Geneva cross on a white circle to indicate that the contents are for medical use:
The designation “Shell Dressings” is stencilled on the front, together with the number ‘2’:
The markings inside indicate that this haversack was made by M&Co in 1942:
The haversack would hold a dozen of the standard shell dressings and can be seen being carried in the field by medical personnel:
These packs lasted in service for decades and even today they lurk in various reservist units as a haversack for general first aid supplies during exercises.