Sam Browne Trade Pattern, subdued Type D
We've included this set as a result of a Rog Dennis brainstorm. Both the Belt and Braces shown here are part of the Karkee Web Collection, and we've long had pictures and discussions of them in the W.E. Patt. '08 section (see links below). When we were developing the Sam Browne Subdued Pattern pages, though, Rog recalled that we had speculated that these Braces could be used to make a kind of web Sam Browne set-up. Back then, we had tried to use them with a standard 'o8 Belt. One could, just, fit the brace loops over the rear belt tabs, but it was awkward. More recently, though, we've come to believe that the Belt shown here, without rear tabs, was used not just for OR's for walking out, but also by VTC officers as part of their uniform. If this is the case, then it seems logical that these unusual braces would be used with it. As can be seen, the pairing of these two makes for a very tidy setup. It's all speculation at this point, of course, but we'll toss it out here as a provocation. What do you think? Can anyone come up period photos that show something similar?
The set opened out, showing the way the Braces are slid over the Belt.
Another view, showing the inside of the Belt, and the small leather reinforcing patches on the Braces. All photos this section from the Karkee Web Collection, photographs © Karkee Web 2010.
This is simply a Pattern 1908 Waist belt with the rear tabs left off. This was a private purchase item, used by OR's when "walking out", and, we believe, by some VTC officers as a uniform belt. This example is marked "1 CVR" (1st Cheshire Vol. Regt.?), which supports the idea that some Volunteer units used them as uniform equipment. This Belt is also shown on the W.E. Patt. '08 Belts page. This example is maker marked "M.E. Co." and dated 1916. From the Karkee Web Collection, photographs © Karkee Web 2009.
The center sections of these Braces are well made of light "officer grade" webbing with a herringbone surface pattern. They have a 2-inch wide bearing area in the center, tapering to 1-inch wide at the ends. The lower portions are made of standard double weave webbing. The adjusting buckles are the tongueless Twigg type, and there are small, square leather wear pads on the inside. There is a crossover loop on one Brace. The fixed loops at the ends are sized for a 3-inch wide Patt. '08 Waist belt, and at the bottom of each loop is a brass dee. This pair of Braces is also shown on the W.E. Patt. 08 Associated Equipment: Braces, Straps, & Similar Miscellany page. They are unmarked and undated. From the Karkee Web Collection, photographs © Karkee Web 2009.
N.B. If you follow the link above, you'll see, just below the entry on these Braces, an entry on Belt slides. The ones pictured there, like all of those we've seen, are sized for a 3-inch belt, have a brass dee on one end, and a fairly large metal grommet on the other. It seems reasonable that they might be used with a setup like this, but how? And for what? If you put them with the dee pointing down, then you would have another pair of dees below the belt, which could certainly be useful. But, then, what are the grommets for? If you put them the other way round, with the dees pointing up and the grommets down, then you could snap swivels to the grommets, and use the dees for a Brace. Which is right? We don't know. Can anyone provide period pictures of this type of Belt slide actually being used?
Haversack & Water bottle in carrier
Both of these pieces are also shown on theWeb Equipment, Officers. With brass fittings page. This Haversack and India Pattern Water bottle in web Carrier are fitted with swivels that would allow them to be fitted to the dees on the Braces. Whilst this is again purely speculative, it seems likely that this is the sort of equipment that would have been used with this set. Haversack from the John Bodsworth Collection, photographs © John Bodsworth 2010. Water bottle and Carrier from the Paul Hannon Collection, photograph © Paul Hannon 2010.
