Pattern 1925 Blue-grey Web Equipment - Equipment Carriers
The Pattern 1925 Cartridge carriers were introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/77 (left) and 23/78 (right). The Carriers are mirror images of each other, and connect to the Adjusting strap. Each Carrier has four pockets, and each pocket holds 15 rounds of .303-inch ammunition in three 5 round chargers. This provides a total ammunition load of 120 rounds. This pair of Cartridge carriers is unmarked and undated, but they are clearly Canadian made. The cartridge pockets are folded and sewn, rather than integrally woven like the British Mills Equipment Company ones. If you compare these Carriers with the British made examples shown below, the differences can be easily seen.
The rear views of the same pair of Cartridge carriers. In these views the upper four bar closed buckle can be seen. The Carrier itself attached to the lowest bar via a short web strap. After crossing over the shoulder, the Brace is threaded (from behind) over the bar second from top, back through the next lower one, and finally through the loop on the brass fitting connected directly to the Cartridge carrier. The upper bar on the buckle connects to the front hook of the Rucksack strap. This elaborate design was simplified in later equipment patterns.
This pair of Pattern 1925 Cartridge carriers were made on a Mills patent loom and have integrally woven cartridge pockets. The differences are easy to see when you look at the bottom of the pockets. These types of looms were used only by the Mills Equipment Company and M. Wright & Sons, Ltd. This pair of Cartridge carriers is not maker marked or dated, but because of the construction they would have been manufactured by one of those two British firms. From the R.J. Dennis collection. Photo © Roger Dennis 2008.
The rear views of the same pair of Cartridge carriers. From the R.J. Dennis collection. Photo © Roger Dennis 2008.
Another pair of British made Cartridge carriers. The left Carrier is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1928. The right Carrier bears an illegible contract mark and is dated 1938. From the Paul Skrebels Collection. Photographs © Paul Skrebels 2009.
Frog, bayonet
The Pattern 1925 Bayonet Frog was introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/61. It is identical to the W.E. Patt. '19 Infantry Equipment Bayonet frog and has the crown half of the fastener to attach it to either the left Cartridge carrier or the Back adjustment strap. It is designed to carry the Pattern 1907 Bayonet in scabbard. An almost identical Frog, in khaki and without the fastener, was used as the first variant of Frog issued with W.E. Patt. '37. This example is maker marked "MS&U Ltd." and dated 1941.
The Pattern 1925 Water Bottle Carrier was introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/80. It is an envelope type Carrier for the Mk. VI water bottle. It does not have a retaining strap, relying on a tight fit to keep the bottle in place. This same type of Carrier was re-used, in khaki, as a late issue variant of the Patt. '37 Water bottle carrier. This example is Air Ministry marked, maker marked "M.E. Co.", and dated 1927.
