1980s combat uniform pockets / Mess Kit accuracy

[lisa_barbi]

Looking for any assistance to what was carried in the pockets of the old combat uniform pockets. Yes I can guess what was placed in the pockets, but not sure if I am correct and not sure what went into what pocket, for an average person. I am sure some things that was carried was the wallet, keys, smokes, lighter, handkerchief (for some people), note pad, map, field cap/beret, gum (or what ever) and so on. I could put things into what ever pocket I feel like putting it into, but if someone who served back than could tell me what they had in their pockets and what pocket it went into, it would make my collection more historically correct. Can anyone assist? Thank you and sorry to bother you all on such a stupid matter.

 

[TCBF]

- The two chest pockets each fit a twenty round magazine for the FN C1 rifle.  The shirt's two hip pokets had nylon partitions that would each hold two more magazines.  So, in theory, you could carry six FN magazines, but were only issued four.  If you carried an FN C2, none of your six thirty round mags would fit in the shirt pocket loops. Instead, you used the 1951 pattern basic ("Bren Gun") webbing pouches to hold the C2 mags, or if issued 64 pattern webbing, you carried four mags in the "Case, Ammunition, Magazine, 1964". A.K.A.: "The C2 Bra."
Your fifth mag went on the C2, and the sixth in one of your trousers thigh pockets.  If it was a full mag and you were running a lot, it would beat the piss out of your leg.

- But 99% of the time, the old 1964 OG-107 Combats held other stuff, depending on what you were doing.

- If you lived in Bldg F16 in Petawawa about 1977, you could fit six bottles (the old stubbies) of beer in the shirt hip pockets - three each side.  Walk across the Hussar parade square to the old stables which was the base theatre, pay 75 cents for a movie ticket and buy a large pop. You sat down, the movie started, the lights went out and you poured the pop on the floor. You opened your first beer, and poured it in the empty pop cup. That way, even if it was a bad movie it was a good movie. Afterwards, refreshments in the Coriano Club to discus the artistic merits of the film.

 

[lisa_barbi]

I read some place that the 2 chest pockets and the shirt cargo pockets held rifle magazines, but if the magazines where fully loaded, would it not rip the shirt? How comfertable would it have been? Could you use them to hold magazines while wearing the p82 web gear?

I was more thinking about what you would stick in the pockets as if you where either on a hike or just working around the base.

75 Cents for a movie? WOW! wish I was around back than. Would not mind seeing some photos from the bases back in the 1960s to the 1980s. It seems that the only pics you can find that shows life on the bases are no older than about 2000, and anything older just gets dumped. There dose not seem to be much around from the cold war, witch is probably why I am collecting the old combat uniform.

 

[TCBF]

- The mags would not rip the shirt.

- Don't forget to collect the crewsuit as well. Then, of course, you need all of the slip-ons, rank and cbt hat badges.

 

[57Chevy]

If you carried an FN C2, you carried four mags in the "Case, Ammunition, Magazine, 1964". A.K.A.: "The C2 Bra."

Better known as "The Chest Pack"
You could carry at least 20rds of clipped ammo in each shirt hip pocket which fit nicely into those pocket loops
Also the mag charger. (a dandy little piece of kit)

I usually carried sunflower seeds and beef jerky in those pockets along with a field message book or note pad.
The C5 knife could also have been found in one of those pockets along with the bic lighter or zippo.

The chest pocket was just about the worse place to carry a 20rd magazine.
Those pockets were set aside for the wallet and the pack of smokes......sometimes just the smokes.
Usually the wallet stayed at home except for the ID card which would be found in the inner shirt pocket.

 

[lisa_barbi]

First of all, thanks; Second z couple of questions, what went in the back pants pocket, the 2 pants hip pockets (the ones you stick your hands in just before you have someone yelling at you to get your hands out of them), and the 2 pants cargo pockets? Thank you all for your help and not giving me any dumb answers. It may sound dumb to ask (along the same line as "what type of underwear did the female soldiers had on under their combat uniforms", witch by the way I hope its the basic sports bra and briefs) about but like some MCPL types, I like details, its the differance between a good display and a great display.

Also, any sugestions on how to put together the p82 web gear for the average foot soldier and what should be put in the butt pack? I have been laying it out like the American soldier's/marine's web gear from the 1960's, same goes for the backpack.

Thanks

 

[The Bread Guy]

- If you lived in Bldg F16 in Petawawa about 1977, you could fit six bottles (the old stubbies) of beer in the shirt hip pockets - three each side.  Walk across the Hussar parade square to the old stables which was the base theatre, pay 75 cents for a movie ticket and buy a large pop. You sat down, the movie started, the lights went out and you poured the pop on the floor. You opened your first beer, and poured it in the empty pop cup. That way, even if it was a bad movie it was a good movie. Afterwards, refreshments in the Coriano Club to discus the artistic merits of the film.

Or so you've been told by third parties, right? 

.... what went in the back pants pocket, the 2 pants hip pockets (the ones you stick your hands in just before you have someone yelling at you to get your hands out of them), and the 2 pants cargo pockets?

Late-70's through mid-90's, I carried a field message book and an aide-memoire in a ziploc baggie (or sometimes in an FMB cover - although mine was home-sewn) in my right-hand pants cargo pocket.

Also, any sugestions on how to put together the p82 web gear for the average foot soldier and what should be put in the butt pack? I have been laying it out like the American soldier's/marine's web gear from the 1960's, same goes for the backpack.

Ahhh, now you'll get all the former Sgts-Major coming out of the woodwork with their individual ideas of what should have gone in there  ;D  Again, my own experience generally:  small garbage bag liner, ranger blanket, socks in its own plastic bag, extra ammo when needed.  This, too, would change based on what job was being done.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Cigarettes (often home made) were typically carried in a plastic box accompanied by a zippo lighter that you filled by suspending it, by a wire, into a jerry can of gas.

Pick a pocket.

 

[Haletown]

Cigarettes (often home made) were typically carried in a plastic box accompanied by a zippo lighter that you filled by suspending it, by a wire, into a jerry can of gas.

Pick a pocket.

Would that be a Zippo that was opened with a quick wrist flick and started with a quick finger snap?

Brings back some memories of gasoline flavored Export A's.

 

[xo31@711ret]

smokers on the Matawawa Plains after a PET CON (Mid 80's) in the fall: I could carry a 2-4 of the old stubbies with khaki cbts (top & bottom)    ;D

 

[Pusser]

The old Motorola flip phones (gigantic by today's standards) and glasses cases fit well in the chest pockets as well.  I usually carried a field message pad in the cargo pocket on the trousers.

 

[armyvern]

One week a month, mine would hold tampons. Just saying. It was a necessity.

 

[lisa_barbi]

Where would you have placed your keys (when you carry them), a comb (when and if you had hair), handkerchief, wallet (when you carry it) and I think that is the main items. Thank you again all of you, your answers are great, ok the beer ones may not exactly go with the web gear, backpack, helmet, and rifle but it is cool to know.

 

[AmmoTech90]

Where would you have placed your keys (when you carry them), a comb (when and if you had hair), handkerchief, wallet (when you carry it) and I think that is the main items. Thank you again all of you, your answers are great, ok the beer ones may not exactly go with the web gear, backpack, helmet, and rifle but it is cool to know.

Most likely in pockets...

It doesn't matter.  If you do it the way one person did it will be wrong for every other person.  We are not robots who all put their keys in the same spot.  As mentioned earlier, about the only standard thing may, and only may, be the ID card in the interior velcro pocket. 

As far as the zippos and fuel goes I was always torn between gas and naptha.  Gas would last longer, but  burnt smokey and left a rash on my leg.  Naptha evaporated so quick I was lucky if I got a day between refueling, but it burnt cleaner and didn't stink or cause a rash (there, I kept my zippo in the trouser pocket).

 

[Shamrock]

I recall somewheres seeing certain orders stating a compass to be carried in one pocket.  Those old school whistles, the ones on the leather fobs, were carried in another.  I believe the pen pocket within the breast pockets was originally intended for dosimeters.

 

[the 48th regulator]

• Du Maurier Regular (Not the friggen lights either, or the king Size...Never had time to smoke a full one of those) Sideways.
  
• Plastic Ligher (Never a Zippo, as I would loose it when you bent over, I never had any luck keeping one like others, the Zippo went in the inside breast pocket that had Velcro). 
  
• Pencil (Broken in half and sharpened, so you always had a spare for the dumbass that forgot one for orders). 
  
• Metropolitan Metal Whistle attached to Whistle cord, that was wrapped around shoulder, through epaulet.
  
  

dileas

tess

 

[OldTanker]

I don't remember exactly what I carried, but I do remember "losing" things in my pockets. There were so many, between the pants, shirt and jacket keys, etc, could just disappear.

 

[George Wallace]

I recall somewheres seeing certain orders stating a compass to be carried in one pocket.  Those old school whistles, the ones on the leather fobs, were carried in another.  I believe the pen pocket within the breast pockets was originally intended for dosimeters.

Epipens, epinephrine autoinjector, or atropine autoinjector.

I carryied my pens in them as we seldom saw autoinjectors. 

Top left pocket for ID, 404s, pens.  Map in right trouser.  Cbt Cap in left Trouser.  Nothing in rear pockets to cause cramping on long road moves. 

 

[57Chevy]

For the keys.....oh those keys. Feeding the key ring via a hole in the little loop of the hip pocket was always
a good idea so as not to lose them.

One of the breast pockets may have been used for the silva compass with the lanyard attached behind the button.

Forget about the trouser back pockets because it was just too combersome to get anything in or out of them,
especially with the web gear.

The trouser cargo pocket was great for the folded map (it made it easy to see who was carrying one) ;D
Those pockets were also good for certain items from the ration packs or spare parts like lantern mantles.

*after getting real itchy a few times from the leaking "world famous" zippo, I tossed it and replaced it with the
"even more famous" Bic lighter.

 

[vonGarvin]

Epipens, epinephrine autoinjector, or atropine autoinjector.

I recall that the "pen holder" slot was originally intended for the dosimeter; however, my first dosimeter was circular (issued to me in 1989).  So, perhaps it was later intended for the autoinjector.  (I used a "training autoinjector" on my thighs during a QL 1 Infantryman course back in my Militia time.  One word: ouch!)