As first announced, the Pattern had no Water canteen, Water bottle carrier, Holster, Binocular case, Compass case, or Yoke attachments. These had been added by 1965. Note the juxtaposing of U.K. and U.S. terms! A group of add-on items, specifically for the Special Air Service were also added between 1965 and 1976. All components were dyed to “…British Standards Specification Colour No. 298 Olive Drab…” which, to all intents and purposes was dark green, otherwise S.C.C. 15 . The anodised aluminium fittings varied, right from the start, mostly being mid-green, but both gloss and matt. Some fittings had a matt, greyish finish and snap hooks were gloss black. Later fittings were a vicious shade of gloss green and, still later, changed to a very dark green, closer to black. Quick Release (QR) fasteners were stiffened with spring steel, something first suggested in 1946 – for Patt. ’44 Q.R. fasteners. First Issue straps all had crimped-on U.S. style metal tips. Un-surprisingly, these failed, so Mills’ standard eyeletted tips were substituted.
The following nomenclatures should all be read as though followed by “1958 Pattern; Web Equipment.”. The semi-colon is the Army’s idea of good English, which also did not include capitals “W” and “E” for "web equipment".
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Our accent illustration might not seem relevant, but shows elements of K.E., or Knapsack Equipment in full. This was the last non-integrated Pattern of accoutrements worn by the British Army. It was succeeded in 1868 by the very integrated V.E., or Valise Equipment. In V.E., the whole assembled set could be put on in the manner of a coat - a statement later made for Patt. '08 W.E.. As K.E. was the last of its kind, so too was Patt. '58 W.E., as its replacement - still some years in the future - would be made of nylon and not the cotton webbing that Mills had pioneered half a century earlier.
