Map Case No. 3

Stores Code V3/VC 8262 Case, map, No. 3
Stores Code W10/VC 8262 Case, map, No. 3

3 1 front3 1 openThe earliest example noted is an un-coded one made in 1942, by Belstaff, which is not yet to hand, but is identical to the example illustrated at left, made by Albert Gill in 1944. This has no provision for a shoulder sling, having instead a Sam Browne style snap hook on a leather chape. It is manufactured in khaki cotton duck, with all cut edges bound in twilled cotton tape. This example has a neck / shoulder sling contrived in leather. So far as is known, this is a user-mod and was not official issue. From the Luc Nijsten Collection. Photographs © Luc Nijsten, 2011.

 

 

 

3 rear 13 rear 23 front 23 front 1Given the example of Case No.1, it is more than likely that khaki and green versions had the same code. The example illustrated is that shown on the Patt. ’44 Set Displays page.

 

 

 

 

3 det 13 det 2The Case is of tri-fold form, which is closed up by a side tab with a Newey commercial press stud, which are used throughout, with leather reinforcing patches inside for the stud base. Two flaps, both with a pair of press studs, respectively close over the folded sections on one side and the pencil loops on the other. The Case has a single compartment for maps, segmented into three “windows”, with white twilled nylon tape reinforcing the joins between the windows. The compartment has a closure tab with press stud on the central window. The fold of the weather flap has two large eyelets for a “sling” to be contrived – here in cotton, twilled tape, its running ends simply knotted to retain the sling. On the back of the Case, a full width flap, with two press studs secures the contents of four pencil loops. The upper loops - a stitched patch, 2 x 1 inches - are hidden under the flap. The pocketed element, another stitched patch 2 x 3 inches, is left exposed. Curiously, there is no provision for a Service Protractor. The unknown maker "W.E. & S. LTD." is stencilled behind the central window, with its code, "VC 8262" and the date 1945. An internal, secondary flap is stitched along the bottom edge of the central window. Its purpose is not entirely clear, but it certainly serves to protect two windows from rubbing against each other, the third section closing down on the duck material of the outer body. From the Chris Pollendine Collection. Photographs Chris Pollendine © 2011.

 

3 front3 rearA third, green example, from the Ed Storey Collection, has had this secondary flap removed and has a cord sling, with spliced bights, one short and the other very long. This example is un-dated, with no maker’s markings and has the repellent warning on a khaki cloth patch. The khaki example referred to above also has this secondary flap.

 

 

 

 

3 front open3 rear openWhilst this is NOT a Patt. ’44 W.E. component, it does form part of the S.C.C.19 coloured items, that were introduced for jungle warfare. By way of reinforcement the weather flap has a stencilled instruction label, in brown calico, stitched inside: "KEEP MOSQUITO REPELLENT OFF CELLULOID".

 

 

 

 

3 unfoldedWhen un-folded, the three “window” sections form one open pocket. The central tab prevents the map being lost, but the arrangement is hardly weatherproof, a point that was more adequately addressed in the larger Case, map, No. 4. Photographs © Ed Storey. 2011.