Pattern 1925 Blue-grey Web Equipment - Pistol Equipment
Strap, adjustment, and Pieces, side
The Pattern 1925 Strap, adjustment, and Pieces, side were introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/85 (Adjustment strap) and 23/81 (Side pieces). The Adjustment strap and Side pieces can be assembled together to form a Waist belt. This very early example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1926.
Attachments, brace
The Pattern 1925 Attachments, brace, were introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/73. They are identical to the Pattern 1919 second issue Brace attachments, and would continue in service with Patt. '37. This pair is contract marked "716131/37" and dated 1938.
The Pattern 1925 Holster, pistol, Colt was introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/83. Like the Patt. '19 Pistol case, this first issue Patt. '25 Holster has a wooden base plug, but it is smaller and shaped differently than the Patt. '19 one. It was made to carry the Colt .455-inch Auto, not the large frame Webley. If you look at the center left picture, you will see that this example has two fastening spigots. The central one is the original. The one to the left was added by A.M.O. N. 523 /1938, with the R.C.A.F. equivalent authorised in 1939 by A.F.R.O. 253 of 1939. This was in order to adapt the Holster for the Pistol, revolver, No. 2, Mk. I,a .38-inch. This weapon replaced the Pistol, revolver, Webley, Mark VI, otherwise known as the Pistol revolver, No. 1, Mark VI. This example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1927. It is interesting to note that the Air Ministry clerks made a mistake on the Colt Stores Ref. - weapons not being coded in Section 78 in A.P. 1086. It should have said "7B"!
This is a later issue of the Patt. '25 Holster, pistol. I am not sure when this type replaced the earlier version. As can be seen, the Holster in now fully made of web, without the wooden base plug, and has a sleeve sewn on the rear to hold a cleaning rod. Notice also that while the spigot is centralized, the crown fastener has been offset, again indicating that this particular Holster was intended to be used with a Pistol, revolver, No. 2, Mk. I. This Holster has only two vertical hooks to attach it to the belt. This, together with the external cleaning rod sleeve, distinguishes it from the otherwise identical Patt. '37 model. The Patt. '37 Holster has an internal sleeve and a third horizontal hook above the other two that connects to the Patt. '37 Pouch, ammunition, pistol. This example is contract marked "783549/38" and dated 1938,
Patt. '25 Holsters were made to accomodate pistols with different barrel lengths. This interesting example was made for a revolver with a 6-inch barrel. It is neither A.M. marked nor contract stamped, and is therefore considered Web Equipment, Officers, (private purchase). It is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1930. From the R.J. Dennis Collection. Photo © Roger Dennis 2008.
Here are two additional Holsters in RAF blue-grey web. Both are Patt. '25 style, but since they are neither A.M. marked nor bear contract stamps, they must be considered as Web Equipment, Officers, (private purchase), like the one shown just above. They are shown here to demonstrate the differences in fastener locations between a Holster for a revolver (left), and one for an automatic pistol (right). Both examples are maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1939 (left) and 1937 (right).
The Pattern 1925 Carrier, Magazine, pistol was introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925,, under Air Ministry Weekly Order No. 793/1927, as Stores Ref. 23/79. It is designed to carry two magazines for the .455-inch Colt Automatic Pistol. This integrally-woven Carrier is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1927.
This mint, integrally-woven Carrier is un-marked, never having left the M.W.Wright & Sons factory. From the R.J. Dennis Collection. Photos © R.J. Dennis 2009.
The Pattern 1925 Pouch, ammunition pistol was introduced with the Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925, under Air Ministry Order No. 523/1938 as Stores Ref. 23/101. It is designed to carry ammunition for the Pistol, revolver, No. 2, Mk. I, introduced under the same A.M.O. Except for color, it is identical in design to the Pouch issued as the Patt. '19 Pouch, cartridge. After abandoning the Pouches, magazine, machine carbine, in favour of the Patt. '37 W.E. Pouch, basic, Mark III, the pouch became a Pouch, ammunition, pistol and filler magazine. The right-hand Magazine pouch had been qualified as " ...With tool pocket...", which meant the Filler, magazine, Mark II needed carrying elsewhere. The existing Pistol ammunition pouch was used, where required. This example not maker marked, but because it is integrally woven it could only have been made by M.E. Co. or M.W. & S. The Pouch is contract marked "783549/38" and dated 1938.
Another Pattern 1925 Pouch, ammunition pistol. This example differs from the one shown above in its construction. The body of the pocket is "folded and sewn", rather than being integrally woven on a Mills patent loom.This example is maker marked "D. & M. LTD" (Durie & Miller Ltd.) and dated 1941. It is additionally marked with a crown over AM (for Air Ministry). This pouch from the R.J. Dennis Collection. Photographer Martin J. Brayley.
