This set of the 1939 Fitting Instructions for W.E. Patt. '37 was scanned from the first Canadian printing, from December, 1940. The production values in this issue are not very good. Yes, there was a war on, but still! The pages are misaligned, the pictures don't always fit the pages properly, and the photograph reproduction quality is simply awful. Still, Karkee Web has provided a faithful reproduction of the document "as issued". At the end, we've included the one-page "Amendment No. 1", issued 28th August, 1940, and reprinted in Canada in 1941. If any reader has an original printing of the 1939 British manual, Karkee Web would be pleased to include a scan of it also. As usual, this manual is presented in Adobe PDF format. You'll need to use your browser's back button to return to Karkee after accessing it.
This is a scan of the Australian issue of the Patt. '37 Fitting Instructions, printed in Melbourne in 1941. The cover and title pages bear the note: This Pamphlet has been modified for use with the Australian Military Forces. The text has been revised and reorganised, and all of the pictures are new. The production values are much better than those of the Canadian version. Note the "Arrow-in-C" ownership mark on some items (e.g., Plate 14) , which was Canada's ownership mark. Once the war began, it was impossible to supply Australia from the U.K. and Australia had yet to establish her own factories making Patt. '37. Supplies therefore came from Canadian stocks and manufacturers. Some of the components therefore have manufacturing differences, when compared to production items from M.E.Co. and M.W.&S. Ltd. This was due to there being no looms capable of carrying out integral- or reduction-weaving in Canadian factories. Note also Plate 22, which shows the Patt. '08 Pack with eyeleted 2 inch tabs, for use with Patt. '14 Equipment. Again, this manual is presented in Adobe PDF format. You'll need to use your browser's back button to return to Karkee after accessing it.
This very interesting copy of the Istruzione Provvisoria Sull' Uso dell' Equipaggiamenti Britanico MOD. [1]937, dated Ottobre 1947, was provided to Karkee Web by Giacomo Stacconeddu. It is both the earliest and the most complete record we've seen of Italy's use of Web Equipment, Patt. '1937. The equipment shown and detailed in this provisional manual is exclusively British or Canadian production; it apparently predates Italian specific equipment such as the "one over two" Cartridge carriers, the stylish web Beretta Holster, and the Basic pouches with leather tabs. You'll likely not be surprised to hear that this manual is presented in Adobe PDF format. You'll need to use your browser's back button to return to Karkee after accessing it.
To add to this, Giacomo has told us that he carried this equipment when he served in the Italian Forces in the 1980's, and he has promised to send us some photos of some of the Italian Patt. '37 type equipment he used. Let's hope he includes a shot of him wearing it!
