These pictures show the W.E. Patt. '08 Pistol Order. Originally introduced in 1913 for Pipers and Range-takers, it was later authorised for other soldiers who did not carry a rifle, such as tank crews, machine gun crews, and Other Ranks in the RFC. The leather Case, pistol, Webley, with brass hooks, Mark II and Pouch, ammunition, Webley, with brass hooks are attached to a Belt, waist, special, Mk.II, and Brace attachments replace the Cartridge carriers. From the Karkee Web Collection.
W.E. Patt. '08 - Pistol Order, with Mk. I Pistol Case
The RFC marked set shown here, including the Belt, special; Braces; and Brace attachments was issued to H. F. Arbery, R.F.C., 28421, probably in 1916. The British Medals roll shows he enlisted in the R.F.C. on 9th May, 1916. That matches perfectly with his service number, which also indicates a May 1916 enlistment. His Kit bag, left, was found with the webbing inside it by regular KW contributor Kevin Smith. The Kit bag itself is in Kevin's Collection. Photo © Kevin Smith, 2013. The Mk. II Belt and the Braces are both dated 1916, and the Brace attachments are dated 1915. The Mk. I Pistol case is dated 1914, and the Cartridge pouch is dated 1917. The Pistol, Webley, with 4-inch barrel is a Webley Mk. IV, .455-inch, and is dated 1905. From the Terry Hawker Collection. Photographs © Terry Hawker and Cathy Davis, 2013.
The first series of photos show the pistol equipment alone.
This series shows the equipment as used, complete with the pistol and accessories.
And finally, photos of the Pistol, Webley, with 4-inch barrel by itself.
W.E. Patt. '08 - Pistol Order, with Mk. II Pistol Case
The webbing parts of this set are the same R.F.C. marked pieces shown in the setup just above. The Mk. I Pistol case, though, has here been replaced by a 1917 dated Mk II example. This Case is owner marked to "SUB-LIEUT. KLEBURN, T.E." on the rear. Lt. Thomas E. Kleburn, R.A.N., served as an Australian Naval Officer during WWII. The Pistol, Webley, with 6-inch barrel is a Webley Mk. VI, .455-inch, and is dated 1915. From the Terry Hawker Collection. Photographs © Terry Hawker and Cathy Davis, 2013.
The first series of photos show the pistol equipment alone.
This series shows the equipment as used, complete with the pistol and accessories. The final photograph in this series is a comparison of the Mk. IV and Mk. VI Revolvers and the Mk. I and Mk. II Pistol cases.
And finally, photos of the Pistol, Webley, with 6-inch barrel by itself.
W.E. Patt. '08 - Pistol Order, Field Expedient
Another set of the W.E. Patt. '08 Pistol Order, slightly different from the "official" setups shown above. This is an original wartime set, MGC marked, in which the Braces have been sewn to the Waist belt in lieu of Brace attachments. The Braces are dated 1910 and the Belt, waist, special is dated 1913 (the year this type of Belt was introduced). The Belt's internal chapes have been removed.... obviously more comfortable this way! The feintly dated 1913 Belt, waist, special has been repaired and reissued as a 'standard' Belt. The RFC stamp is likely to be contemporary to its first life as a Belt, special. It has then been put together as a pistol set using two 1910 dated Braces, one of which is stamped MGC 10208. (Stanley Lumley, MGC 10208). Whether just the Brace, or the whole set was his, we shall never know...
Pistol rigs were contrived in various ways when Brace attachments were unavailable. The most simple doubled the Brace around the Belt and back to itself, using the 2- inch sliding buckle. Other examples had 2-inch buckles, on chapes, stitched to the upper edge of the Belt.
The Service Dress Jacket belonged to a Sergeant of the Tank Corps, shown by the T.C. titles and the white rhomboidal tank arm badge. The shoulder strap colours of red and khaki indicate the 18th Bn., who were disbanded post-war. The Machine Gunner badge, normally worn on the left cuff, here denotes an Instructor, when worn above the rank chevrons. The two blue Overseas Service chevrons, on the right cuff, denote two years service after 1914. Had he seen service prior to 31st December 1914, the lower chevron would be red. From the Chris Pollendine Collection. Photos © Chris Pollendine 2010.
W.E. Patt. '08 - Pistol Order, Indian Army method
On this set, note that the attachment buckle on the Brace attachment is upside down, with the "V" to the top, and the diagonal brace is passed upwards and trapped under the 2-inch buckle on the Brace. This follows an Indian practice, where the Brace attachment is worn back-to-front so that the buckle can be inverted, which allows the Brace attachments to be worn on a standard Patt. '08 Belt. The photo at right, showing this method of wear, is taken from The Armed Forces of World War II. Uniforms, insignia and organisation by Andrew Mollo (Orbis Publishing, 1981). From the Chris Pollendine Collection. Photos © Chris Pollendine 2012.
W.E. Patt. '08 - Pistol Order, RFC method
The RFC seems to have taken their own path when wearing Pattern 1908 Pistol Order. One technique occasionally seen in period photographs is have a Pistol case and one Brace attachment on the right, and with a rifle equipment Cartridge carrier on the left. The photo at right shows (left to right) Cpl. McGair, Air Mechanics Page and Wakely, and one other, 4 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron, Northolt, 1915. Wakely is wearing a left Cartridge carrier in place of the pistol Cartridge pouch, whilst Page is wearing a right hand one. Also note that both men are wearing their Pistol cases on the right, opposite from the usual Army method. In the same way, McGair and the unidentified airman are also wearing both their Pistol cases and Cartridge pouches reversed - another peculiarity commonly seen in RFC photographs. Photo taken from British Air Forces 1914-18 (I) by Andrew Cormack and Peter Cormack (the illustrator). Published as Men-At-Arms No. 341, by Osprey Publishing, 2000. Modern photos are from the Chris Pollendine Collection. Photos © Chris Pollendine 2012.
