BACKGROUND: At the beginning of September 1939, the Canadian soldier looked remarkably like his counter part from 1918, wearing the 1914-18 pattern khaki service dress and the 1908-pattern web equipment. It was in September 1939 that the Canadian Army officially adopted the battle dress that had just been approved for use by the British in March 1939 and the first new uniforms arrived the last week of October. At first, Canadian troops embarking to Great Britain, were completely clothed in Canadian made battledress and upon arrival were then issued British steel helmets and modern 1937-pattern webbing. Canadian individual equipment was copied directly from the British 1937-pattern web equipment with manufacture starting at the beginning of 1940 and mass distribution began in October of the same year. The Canadian equipment differed its British equivalent by its yellower coloring and the brown paint used to cover the metal parts.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Canadian issue, first pattern, long strap, armoured crew holster. Kaki-colored, webbed canvas holster. Has a vertical loop sewn to its front for the cleaning rod, with an angled panel alongside of it with loops for six cartridges. A brass stud is between the cleaning rod and the cartridge loops, which mates with the brass snap to the end of a brass capped, angled webbed strap proceeding from the back. "United Carr" and "Canada" is stamped to the reverse of the snap. The bottom of the holster shows wear and fraying to the webbing. Original cleaning rod and six deactivated 1943 dated .380 rounds included.