WWII Used 1908 Pattern Webbing Set?

[peregrinvs]

Hi,

Pre-dissembly Pics attached of a P08 set I've just acquired. The seller said that he'd bought it off a chap who was 'clearing out his grandad's loft' and he wasn't sure if it was WWI or WWII? It appears to be all P08 apart from a P37 large pack (looks like it's 1945 dated) and a WWII period canteen. Unfortunately there's not much in the way of legible dates other than a 1919 on the e-tool carrier and a 1915 on the e-tool head.

The price paid for the set was *scarily* reasonable (I'm still in mild shock...) and assuming it's 'as found', is it likely someone would have been issued such a set in WWII? The other possibility is that it was put together by a collector some time ago as the cartridge carrier pockets are padded out with old newspaper. I unrolled one piece and it was 1981 dated.

All input gratefully accepted. It's now dismantled and I'm intending to post pics of the components for an appraisal in due course.

Cheers,

Mark

Edited 8 April , 2013 by peregrinvs

[T8HANTS]

It is my understanding that well over half of the 1940 BEF went to France with 08 webbing, and initially only a third of the troops were issued with Battledress, the rest still being in service dress. 08 was still being manufactured during the early 40's, and I have been amusing myself by slowly putting together a set from 1940, rather than the more common WW1 examples. The Territorial battalions I think were almost completely equiped as their fathers would have been.

You could in the late 60's buy a complete set of 08 for about £6-10-0d, ( Morrison's of Liecester) my hunch is you have an early collected or compiled set.

[peregrinvs]

You could in the late 60's buy a complete set of 08 for about £6-10-0d, ( Morrison's of Liecester) my hunch is you have an early collected or compiled set.

Having given it some further thought, I agree that's probably the most likely explanation. Possibly the compiler couldn't get a period pack or canteen and substituted WWII items. (Or wasn't aware of the difference - I think the marking on the pack is 'Bagcraft 1945' but it's quite faint)

I'll try and post some pics of the components shortly. I'd be interested to have some opinions on the age of the blanco, etc.

Cheers,

Mark

[wainfleet]

You've posted various bits of this elsewhere but I thought I'd assess the lot here. As GT pointed out, the long numbers are all postwar - 6, and occasionally 7 digits, are as long as they got in WW1. Also the blanco is almost certainly postwar.

That said, if the price was "scarily reasonable" then you have got quite a good deal as the important bits are either WW1 or just post. Fortunately the waterbottle cradle has not been postwar converted to top-fastening. There's a thread somewhere on here about removing blanco, if you wanted to take it back to the original colour - something about a washing machine... You should still be able to find a sidepack without too much difficulty. A good frog with helve strap will be harder, and although helve holders do turn up, half-decent wartime ones seem to start around the £400 mark if you are lucky.

Good luck with completing your set! It can be done, with a little patience and a bit of money.

[mark holden]

Hello Mark

You may be able to ascertain the dates on some pieces of the webbing by damping with a wet cloth around the area where you can make out faint marks, so between the straps on the waist belt and on the vertical straps that come down from the cartridge carriers. This technique seems to work by emphasising the ink used in the marking process and will not damage your kit.

regards

Mark

[peregrinvs]

You've posted various bits of this elsewhere but I thought I'd assess the lot here. As GT pointed out, the long numbers are all postwar - 6, and occasionally 7 digits, are as long as they got in WW1. Also the blanco is almost certainly postwar.

That said, if the price was "scarily reasonable" then you have got quite a good deal as the important bits are either WW1 or just post. Fortunately the waterbottle cradle has not been postwar converted to top-fastening. There's a thread somewhere on here about removing blanco, if you wanted to take it back to the original colour - something about a washing machine... You should still be able to find a sidepack without too much difficulty. A good frog with helve strap will be harder, and although helve holders do turn up, half-decent wartime ones seem to start around the £400 mark if you are lucky.

Good luck with completing your set! It can be done, with a little patience and a bit of money.

Thanks. Useful intel.

By useful coincidence I already have a 1917 dated haversack. I also have a frog and helve carrier - albeit they are Lawrence Ordnance repros. I have a real frog, but it has no tab. (Need to dig it out and check whether it ever had one) For £400 I think I can live with a repro helve carrier, but here's hoping I get lucky. What sort of price do WWI period water bottles fetch?

You may be able to ascertain the dates on some pieces of the webbing by damping with a wet cloth around the area where you can make out faint marks, so between the straps on the waist belt and on the vertical straps that come down from the cartridge carriers. This technique seems to work by emphasising the ink used in the marking process and will not damage your kit.

Thanks. Sounds like it's worth a go.

Cheers,

Mark

Edited 11 April , 2013 by peregrinvs

[RobL]

Haven't seen an original WW1 water bottle before, but if you'd consider a repro;

http://www.militaryhistoryworkshop.co.uk/shop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=225

[snapperxv]

Just go for a blue second war bottle and a Canadian cover- a lot cheaper than a real one.

[peregrinvs]

Just go for a blue second war bottle and a Canadian cover- a lot cheaper than a real one.

Apologies for necroposting; but obtain one WWI waterbottle, add a WWII Canadian felt cover, stitch a new stopper retention string into the top and et voilà...