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Web Equipment, Infantry Officers

Official Documentation

List of Changes (for Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919)

LoC 23254 Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 - New Patterns. dated 2nd October 1919

Introduces Pattern 1919.

LoC 23970 Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 - Modifications. dated 11th March 1921

Modifies the Pack and Haversack.

LoC A4174 Web Equipment, Naval, Pattern 1919 - Modifications. dated 27th December 1928

Modifies the Brace attachments.

As before, the pattern was Private Purchase and the Army’s way was not to record these in LoCs. Post-war issues of the Priced Vocabularies dropped all reference as well. Whilst Mills seemed willing to give the customer exactly what they wanted, making two versions of the same item, one for the Navy, the other for Army officers does not seem an economical approach to manufacture. In that Patt. ’19 W.E. Brace attachments were nearly identical and the Patts. ’19 Haversack and Pack are identical as to envelopes and most of their fittings, it was a reasonable assumption that these could be read across. This reckoned without the illogicality of M.E.Co., which matches that of the Services!

In addition, Paul Hannon has come up with the next best thing – official correspondence, detailing the range of Mills items on offer. The list is not complete, as it covered only the variable elements of the pattern, namely Belt size, pistol and binocular types  and water bottle pattern. The Compass pocket and Ammunition pouch were, as before, integral assemblies with the Binocular case and Holster respectively.

This typewritten document, from Elgin Mills, Cawnpore, who were M.E. Co. agents for India, is dated 11th October, 1933. It is the cover letter for the two documents below. From the Paul Hannon Collection. Photograph © Paul Hannon 2009.

 

 

 

 

This document lists some of the sizes and options available for various items of the Mills Infantry Officers' Web Equipment. From the Paul Hannon Collection. Photograph © Paul Hannon 2009.

 

 

 

 

Another document from Elgin Mills, this is a complete list of the various items that comprise the equipment, along with prices, in rupees, for each item. This list dates from 1931, and at that time the exchange rate was 1 rupee = 1s 6d. That would make the cost of a complete set about ₤3 11s 0d. From the Paul Hannon Collection. Photograph © Paul Hannon 2009.