Web Equipment, Pattern 1908, Officers
INTRODUCTION
After Mills had started to manufacture Patt. ’08 W.E., their attentions turned to officers’ accoutrements, the existing regulation form being the leather “Sam Browne” Belt. A 1910 Patent shows a derivative of Patt. ’08, with features that, in later years, would be productionised as a Belt, special. Envelopes for pistol, ammunition, binoculars, compass and a rudimentary sword frog were illustrated. The standard Patt. ’08 style Braces attached to the rear of the Belt, as normal, but at the front they were secured to “…brace extensions…”, which would be developed into the more familiar Patt. ’08 W.E. Attachments, brace. It is known that a regimental trial took place in 1910, though not whether this was with the Patent form, or a development of it.
WEB EQUIPMENT, PATT. ’08, OFFICERS was another pattern listed in the 1920 Price List of Emergency Stores. Nothing is known of its form, but its nomenclature clearly indicates that it was the standard Patt. ’08 W.E., with add-ons to tailor it for an officer. Comparing like with like, i.e. the 1920 Priced Vocabulary, with the Price List of 1920, produces a match on certain items, which demonstrates that fine-weaving cannot have been employed. Other prices differ, those for the Officer set being pennies more expensive, from which it is reasonable to deduce that some small detail had been added.
Comment has been made that no item of this Pattern variant has been seen. In itself, that proves nothing, a balancing comment also being made of a belief in the existence of Australia – despite the commenter never having seen the place. The Army thought it necessary to itemise this group of items separately, in an extra listing. There’s no smoke without fire. Comparing numbers of officers to O.R.s, statistically, there cannot have been many sets made. Such stocks as were handed in could have been “…reduced to produce…”, the Army jargon for dismantling to useful piece parts. It could have been sold off and it is known that M.E.Co. bought surplus webbing and refurbished it for sale as “Part-Worn”. Most of it was no different to O.R.’s Patt. ’08, so may even have been pressed back into service as Patt. ’08 W.E..
Of the add-on items, the Binocular case would – sensibly – be identical to W.E., Officers, Experimental, but have 3-inch belt hooks. Change the hooks to 2 1/4-inch and, who knows, it may have been retailed as Part –Worn Web Equipment, Infantry Officers. In the Paul Hannon Collection there is a leather binocular case, which has had khaki duck (not khaki drill) bonded to it, then 3 inch “C” hooks on leather chapes added. The average clerk looking at this may well have described this as Cases, field-glass, leather-lined. Where’s the leather? On the inside, ergo it’s leather-lined!
