Karkee Web: British & Empire Accoutrements and Personal Equipment of the Twentieth Century
Contributors' Collections: Iain Davidson
Iain Davidson is a collector who lives in New Zealand. Except as noted, all original photographs on this page are © Iain Davidson 2012.
New South Wales Mounted Infantry Ammunition Belt
Iain primarily collects Enzed militiaria, but he was intrigued by this Belt and Braces Equipment when he saw it in a local antique store. After purchasing it, he began to research it. This proved to be a difficult task at first, although a reply to his post on one militaria forum indicated it might be Australian. The big break came when a fellow Kiwi collector, whose great-grandfather had served with the 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles in the 2nd Boer War, was able to confirm its origin. With that clue, Iain began to search period newspapers, and was able to find a number of period photos showing this type of belt in use. He also discovered two additional examples of the type of Belt in other collections.
Another example of this type of Belt, reproduced (with permission) from Carvings from the Veldt, Part Two, by Dave George (Dave's own Karkee Web Contributors' Collection page is here).
(1) A young trooper of the New South Wales Imperial Bushmen; (2) Trooper A. Battye, New South Wales Imperial Bushmen, along with the regimental mascot, Bushie; (3) New South Wales Imperial Bushmen in action in Transvaal,1900; (4) New South Wales Lancers 2nd Reinforcement Draft; (5) New South Wales Lancers 3rd Reinforcement Draft; (6) New South Wales Lancers 3rd Reinforcement Draft, Troopers Lumley and Tyler; (7) Farrier-Sergeant Peter Handcock, 1st New South Wales Mounted Rifles (1899-1901), later Vetinary Lieutenant with the Bushveldt Carbineers (1901-1902). Lt. Handcock was executed on 27 February 1902, along with Lt. Harry "Breaker " Morant, for the murder of Boer civilians.
