TonyE Posted 13 November , 2013 Share Posted 13 November , 2013 Can anyone tell me when the humble cotton bandoleer to hold 50 rounds in chargers was introduced? I cannot find it in Lists of Changes, and I don't know whether it was introduced soon after the advent of charger loading in 1902 or whether it was a wartime issue. I can find the LoCs for the webbing bandoleers but not the cotton. The earliest example I have is dated 1916. Thanks TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 13 November , 2013 Share Posted 13 November , 2013 Hello Tony, I have one dated 1915 and I have read references to them being issued in 1914 (Aisne), perhaps they are listed in LoC by another name other than bandolier. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 13 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 November , 2013 Thanks Khaki. I wonder if they came in with the 1914 equipment? As a matter of interest, is your 1915 one ink stamped with the manufacturer and date of the ammo? Mine held 1916 Kings Norton made ammo and I will post a picture this evening. Regards Tonye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 13 November , 2013 Share Posted 13 November , 2013 Hi Tony, My cloth bandolier is Canadian and is ink stamped as such including the year date, all the ammunition within is also Canadian and all rounds are dated 1916. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 13 November , 2013 Share Posted 13 November , 2013 Can anyone tell me when the humble cotton bandoleer to hold 50 rounds in chargers was introduced? Finally found the Karkee Web section on them, somewhat hidden under the 1937 Pattern webbing! Simple answer is 1906: http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1937/1937_associated_equipment_slung.html#1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 14 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2013 As promised, here is a photograph of my bandoleer. It was originally filled with Kings Norton made Mark VII in September 1916 and then reissued with Woolwich made ammo in 1926, so had been sat in stores for ten years! Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 Hello all. Mine is dated 11/16 and has the copper wire hooks...... Well two out of five remain. No re issue marks. Hope this is of interest? TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 14 November , 2013 Share Posted 14 November , 2013 Sorry forgot to add..... There is no big red stamp but only a stamp on the edge. Faint black and G Davis 11 11 16 TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 15 November , 2013 Share Posted 15 November , 2013 I believe the red stamps to be refill dates, ie Tony's has been refilled twice. These bandoliers were made with buttons, hooks and press studs - there seems to have been no standardisation at any time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headstamp Posted 17 November , 2013 Share Posted 17 November , 2013 One of my many interests on the cartridge collecting side has been to accumulate a list of 303 cotton bandoliers manufacturers with the hope of putting a name to the initials inked on the edge of the bandolier. So far very little on this but I have found over 80 different makers from WW1 to post WW2. Looking at this list the earliest I have is S & N. 6/15 II with brass press studs with another W.S.T.& Co.Ltd 11 15 II with copper wire fasteners and GL DEC15: 1 with Black buttons closure - this I assume is a Mark I bandolier. Most of the remaining WW1 bandoliers I list are of 1918 manufacture and are Mark II which seems to have been made well into WW2. Mark III and Mark 3 bandoliers were from late WW2 until about 1950 and then onto Mark 3/1 which apart from late Australian which had brass press studs all had the copper wire closure. Raises the question when was the Mark 1 introduced and when did the Mark II supercede it? Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 17 November , 2013 Share Posted 17 November , 2013 One of my many interests on the cartridge collecting side has been to accumulate a list of 303 cotton bandoliers manufacturers with the hope of putting a name to the initials inked on the edge of the bandolier. So far very little on this but I have found over 80 different makers from WW1 to post WW2. Looking at this list the earliest I have is S & N. 6/15 II with brass press studs with another W.S.T.& Co.Ltd 11 15 II with copper wire fasteners and GL DEC15: 1 with Black buttons closure - this I assume is a Mark I bandolier. Most of the remaining WW1 bandoliers I list are of 1918 manufacture and are Mark II which seems to have been made well into WW2. Mark III and Mark 3 bandoliers were from late WW2 until about 1950 and then onto Mark 3/1 which apart from late Australian which had brass press studs all had the copper wire closure. Raises the question when was the Mark 1 introduced and when did the Mark II supercede it? Les All the information you could possibly want can be found in the link I posted back in post 5... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 18 November , 2013 Share Posted 18 November , 2013 Hello Tony and Les, In case it is of interest I attach a couple of photos of the example in my collection. The maker, stamped in black ink, is W & C Ld. and the date is 11.14. The refill date, in red ink, is 6 - 15. Hope this is of interest. Regards, Michael H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 19 November , 2013 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2013 Thank you. What is the maker's mongram in front of the date please? I can make out most of the stamp but not that part. It is interesting that these early (1914/15) bandoleers are marked "ILS" for "Inspector, Land Service" whilst the slightly later ones are marked "ISAA" for "Inspector, Small Arms Ammunition" after the Inspection Department had been reorganised. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Haselgrove Posted 19 November , 2013 Share Posted 19 November , 2013 Hi Tony, I think the marking is W & G Ld. (probably not W & C Ld. as I wrote earlier) although the ink has faded and is now indistinct. Regards, Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now