C027894 TWO CANADIAN ISSUE P1937 CANVAS UTILITY POUCHES & STRAPS.

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 that was sometimes used to cover the metal parts. Although not considered a component of the P37 web set, utility pouches were issued in pairs and were used mainly to store extra ammunition such as spare cartridges or grenades. Each set could carry four Boys anti tank magazines, six two inch mortar shells or six Bren gun magazines. The pouches were meant to be worn with a shoulder brace to the front and back with one pouch, marked "Front", having a waist strap and the other having a loop though which the waist strap passed.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Two large tan/khaki webbed canvas single pocket utility pouches, in which infantrymen could carry extra gun magazines as well as their own ammunition. To the forward edge of the top fold over flap to each is a brass stud which mates with a brass button, each being marked "United Carr, Canada", on an extended vertical tab proceeding from the center front of the pouches. To their reverses to the bottom are stamped "Front" and “Rear”. A horizontal strap with a brass buckle to its shorter end and a brass tip to the longer section. Stamped in black to the interior of each marked pouches’ fold over flap is the "C broad arrow" next to three small horizontal pockets and stamped along the interior back "Z.L.& T.Ltd. 1941" and “Z.L. & T. Ltd. 1940" This pair appears to have been unissued as near pristine condition. A handwritten broad arrow within a “U” for South Africa is to the rear of the “Front” pouch.

GRADE ****1/2                             PRICE $49.00

To Order this item, please use one of the two e-mail addresses below to contact us. Please make sure to quote the item number in your e-mail

MILITARIA WANTED!  If you have items for sale, please contact us. We specialize in selling single pieces and entire collections. Over 3 decades in the business and we do all the work for you. Get the best return for your investment.

-E-Mail Address pawmac@nbnet.nb.ca  Or  guild@nb.aibn.com

To return to the main page please CLICK below