Pattern 1925 Web Equipment - Set Displays
Khaki Rifle Equipment
Web Equipment, Pattern 1925
Canadian "Web Equipment, Pattern 1919"
Introduced by the Mills Equipment Company as a refinement of its previous Web Equipment, Pattern 1919, the new Web Equipment, Pattern 1925 was not adopted by the British Army, due to the excess of Pattern 1908 equipment still in store. The new equipment was adopted, albeit in limited quantities, by various other countries, though, including South Africa (possibly in "Veldt grey", although this is not confirmed) and most importantly, Canada. It was also used by certain colonial units such as the King's African Rifles, and by other countries outside the Commonwealth.
Canadian Militia Order No. 500, dated 28th September 1928, introduced to Canada what was termed as Web Equipment, Pattern 1919. As has been previously discussed, this equipment was actually a khaki version of the same equipment that was introduced (in blue-grey) to the R.A.F. as Web Equipment, R.A.F., Pattern 1925. This equipment was a refined version of the equipment previously introduced by the Mills Equipment Company as Web Equipment, Pattern 1919.
The Rifle Equipment set of W.E. Patt. '25 shown below, in khaki webbing, is from the Chris Pollendine Collection, and is actually part of the Afghan contract set shown below. For this display, Chris has selected only that portion of the equipment that is correctly Pattern 1925. The Rucksack, bottom part, and its Kicking strap are missing. The Water bottle carrier is incorrect - it should be the skeleton type shown in the W.E. Patt. '25 Equipment Carriers page. All of the pieces are either unmarked or maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1927. All photographs © Chris Pollendine 2010.
Mills Equipment Company Foreign Sales Set - Afghanistan
As a commercial enterprise, it was Mills Equipment Company policy to sell their equipment to as many countries as possible. As always, they were more than happy to customise their equipment to suit the customer's needs. This set exemplifies both of those policies. Made for and sold to Afghanistan, this custom configuration includes a W.E. Pattern 1925 Back adjustment strap, Cartridge carriers, Bayonet frog, Braces, Haversack, and Rucksack, top part. Probably the sets as sold also included the Rucksack, bottom part and its Strap, supporting, rucksack, although these have not been seen by KW in any surviving set noted to date. W.E. Patt. '25 did not include provision for an entrenching tool, since these had been declared obsolete for British Army service in 1923. The Afghan Army, though, apparently wanted entrenching tools as part of their new equipment. Accordingly, the Mills Company added the paired Entrenching tool carrier and Water bottle carrier previously designed for the Web Equipment Pattern 1919 Rifle Equipment to their supply. These sets first appeared on the collectors' market some years ago, labeled by the seller as "Pattern 1927", because most of the pieces are dated to that year. Additional sets have turned up in Afghanistan and have been shipped back to the UK and the USA. The set shown here is from the Chris Pollendine Collection. All of the pieces are either unmarked or maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1927. All photographs © Chris Pollendine 2012.
