Webbing

During the War, the equipment carried by British 'Tommy's' changed very little. The webbing was 37 pattern. The soldiers had a belt and anklets for best dress uniform as well as for battle gear. This also allowed them to carry large amounts of equipment in to battle to sustain them for a number of days in combat.

The equipment listed below shows what the average soldier would have landed with on June 6th 1944 - this is our standard display at events. The webbing is naturally a light khaki colour. But for different areas of the world and different time frames throughout the war the colour was changed. It was coloured with a powdered, paint-like substance called blanco. For our impression the colour is a dark green known as KG3 Blanco, which was standard for British infantry in Normandy.

'Battle' Webbing

1. 37 pattern webbing cross straps, these support the webbing belt and form the main basis around which the rest of the webbing set is created

2. 37 pattern utility pouches MkII, a pair of these are attached to the webbing belt and cross strap

3. 37 pattern webbing belt, again the main part of the webbing with the cross straps which forms the main basis of the set, the belt is also used by itself with best dress and parade uniforms

4. No4 spike bayonet for Lee Enfield No4 Mk1 rifle (see weapons sections) with a scabbard in 37 pattern frog

5. 37 pattern water bottle cradle and water bottle with cork (bottle removable)

6. 37 pattern entrenching tool, cover and handle

7. Gas cape

8. Hawkins mine (see weapons section), not carried by all soldiers

Contents of Battle Webbing

1. Bren Light Machine Gun ammunition magazines with 28 rounds of .303 ammunition held in one of the utility pouches

2. Boot polishing brushes, cloth and polish held in the intrenching tool holder

3. Water bottle held in cradle

4. Lee Enfield Rifle cleaning Pull Through held in the intrenching tool holder

5. Intrenching tool haft and blade held in the intrenching tool holder

6. No4 spike bayonet held inside scabbard

7. No 69 Offensive Grenade (see weapons section)

8. No 36 Defensive Grenade 'Mills Bomb' (see weapons section)

9. 50 rounds of .303 ammunition loaded on 'charger clips' ready for use with rifle, held inside bandolier (10)

10. Bandolier, holding 50 rounds of .303, held inside utility pouch