Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 - Equipment Carriers
Carrier, water bottle
The Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 Water bottle carrier was introduced with the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 23254, dated 2nd October 1919. It is very nearly identical to one version of the later Pattern 1937 Water bottle carrier. It is made of 1-inch web, with two 1-inch Twigg buckles and a 1-inch strap that snaps to a stud on the front cross piece. There were no changes to the Pattern 1919 Water bottle carrier during its service life. This example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1923. NEW! New information - we've discovered a few things since we first published these pictures in December, 2008. In fact, this particular Water bottle carrier is not W.E. Patt. '19 at all. Although in form it is exactly the same as a Pattern 1919 Carrier, it is actually a Water bottle carrier for the Mills Web Equipment, Officers. We've made this determination because it is made of the finely woven herringbone twill web used for officers' equipment, not the standard web strapping used for Pattern 1919. Does any reader have a pukkah Patt. '19 Carrier we can display?
Case, pistol
The Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 Pistol case was introduced with the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 23254, dated 2nd October 1919. It is designed to take the large frame Webley revolvers. It has two double hooks on the rear to fit the Pattern 1919 Waist belt, is lined with smooth webbing, and it has a round wooden plug at the bottom (see detail at right). KWRT is not sure when the wooden plug was changed to a full web base; we have not found any instructions or LoC entries to this effect. This example, from the Chris Cone Collection, is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1924. Photographs © Chris Cone 2009.
As mentioned above, no documentation has been located that shows when the wooden "sewing reel" at the base of the Pistol case disappeared, and the Case became all web. Our best estimate is that this was circa 1935, but Karkee Web would very much like definitive information on when this took place. The second issue W.E., Naval, Pattern 1919 Pistol case shown at left looks almost identical to the W.E. Patt. '37 Pistol case, but naval marked and without the third, horizontal double hook on the back side. From the Tony Cone Collection, this holster is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1938. Photographs © Tony Cone 2009.
Pouch, cartridge
The Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 Cartridge pouch was introduced with the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 23254, dated 2nd October 1919. It is designed to carry ammunition for the pistol. It has two double hooks on the rear to fit the Pattern 1919 Waist belt. The pattern was amended by List of Changes entry LoC A6828, dated 29th April 1932, which added a strip of web across the top of the pouch's opening, to keep loose cartridges from falling out. The later Patt. '25 Pistol cartridge pouch is identical to this pouch except for color. This pouch also appears to have been used for some officer's Private Purchase Equipments. This example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1942.
Frog
The Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 Frog was introduced with the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 23254 [no date but 1920]. This Frog's description in the List of Changes states that it is designed to take a Bayonet scabbard. The Mills Company Fitting Instructions, though, describe it as a Cutlass frog, as do the official instructions given in the1940 printing of Royal Naval Handbook of Field Training, 1934. The loops are larger than those on a Patt. '08 Bayonet frog. It can be used with either the Pattern 1888 or Pattern 1907 Bayonet scabbard, although the fit is slightly loose. The scabbard for the Sword, Naval, Pattern 1889 | Cutlass,steel hilt, is a good fit, where it would be very tight in the Pattern 1908 Frog. It must be noted, however, that in actual use with the Patt. ’89 Cutlass the Frog is awkward. As seen in the pictures, the bell of the cutlass hilt causes the sword to hang uncomfortably. The Fitting Instructions make it clear that this frog was intended to carry the Patt. 1889 or Patt. 1901 Cutlass, but it must be said that the Mills Company’s usual care in design appears to have fallen a bit short of the mark here. This particular Frog is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1924. Also note the two rivets at the top of the loop. The head of one is broad arrow marked, while the other has the naval "N" stamp. The Pattern 1889 Naval Cutlass is maker marked “ENF” for RSAF Enfield and is dated 1891. There is also another, different type of Bayonet frog to be found in the Mills Pattern 1919 Rifle Equipment. That Frog is identical to the later Pattern 1925 Frog, and is illustrated in the section on Pattern 1919 Rifle Equipment.
The Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 Mess tin cover was added to the Pattern 1919 Naval Web Equipment in List of Changes entry LoC 24857, [no date but c. 1921-22]. Prior to the introduction of this Cover, the mess tin was carried strapped to the Pattern 1919 Rucksack, but it was either uncovered or in the Mk. I Naval Mess tin cover introduced with the Naval Pattern 1901 Accoutrements. In either case, it was necessary to unstrap and remove the Mess tin to access it. This Cover is designed so that the strap attaching it to the Rucksack passes behind the Mess tin rather than over it, while still providing it full support. This allows the Cover to be opened and the Mess tin removed and replaced without removing the cover from the Rucksack. It appears that, although officially entered into the LoC, this Cover was not widely used. Karkee Web has not seen a contemporary photo if it in use, and the photos in the 1940 printing of Royal Naval Handbook of Field Training, 1934, still show the canvas Mk. I Naval Mess tin cover. This example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1924.
