Vintage Webbing

[Brett]

*Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, it's 5am and I just want to make this post rq

Hey everyone, it's been about 7 years since I've last been on these forums. After reading through all my old cringe-worthy posts, I came across one that that made me laugh... My "1940 webbing". When I first got my kit issued to me I did not have a tac vest included, so when I was sent to meaford the only one they had available was from 1940!! At least it looked like it was anyway. I'll post a picture later on if I can find it. Anyway, I remember thinking "this isn't so bad, its super easy to put on!" but I remember getting so many looks walking into the mess hall or around the parade square. During our grad ceremony this thing was literally disintegrating. I had worn the shit (whatever was left of it) out of it for 5 consecutive weeks and by grad, one small bump in the road during march would cause the left buckle to come undone, forcing me to pin the side of it with my elbow. Try swinging your arms in a march while trying to hold this thing on your back.

Has anyone seen any old school tac vests lately? They should be given out for people to wear as a form of punishment!

 

[LightFighter]

You were not issued webbing from the 1940's. What you were issued was '82 pattern webbing.

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/equipment/loadbearing/1982pattern.htm

This is what was worn in the '40s by Canadian Soldiers
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/equipment/loadbearing/1942battlejerkin.htm
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/equipment/loadbearing/1937pattern.htm


The only old school tac vest in use by the Army now, is the current CADPAT tac vest.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

You forgot 51 pattern and (gag) 64pattern

 

[expwor]

Flashbacks...had both sets of webbing when I was in the Militia 1979-1981
The top one, was issued during recruit training.  We just didn't have the pack with it
We also had cheapie Canadian Tire ponchos issued to us...yes really, not CF ones.  They got rolled up and taped between the suspender buckles on the web belt
The second webbing was what we got when we graduated and were full fledged infantrymen
In Canada our web gear consisted of grenade pouch, canteen and mess tin carrier plus field dressing
If you carried a SMG you had one of the ammo pouches from the old web gear to carry your extra magazines
If you carried a FNC2 LAR you also wore a LAR "bra" (four pouches on your chest to carry 4 30 round FN magazines) plus a FN cleaning kit on your belt
As for the bayonet frog, got to be a pain in the ass to disassemble and reassemble your webbing before and after every exercise, and range day because the bayonet was carried between the mess kit and back suspender...so go to the surplus store, we bought our own "frog" and put it on our webbing.  Then when issued bayonet and frog, remove the bayonet frog, reattach the bayonet to the frog on your webbing, and once done, remove it, put the issued frog back on the bayonet and return to armouries
When in West Germany with 3RCR we were issued the knapsack shown with the old webbing here.  It was used to carry your NBCW suit and boots. It wasn't attached to our web gear, instead it had one strap carried over your shoulder.  And the gas mask pouch issued and carried on your web gear like the second photo shows
Flashbacks to my younger...much younger days

Tom

 

[Brett]

You were not issued webbing from the 1940's. What you were issued was '82 pattern webbing.

The running joke was that it was old. Obviously it was not from the 1940s, but rather sure as shit looked like it was compared to everyone else.

Flashbacks to my younger...much younger days

Thanks for sharing that

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Actually the 51 pattern was far more useful than the 64pattern. When I showed up to work with 1 CER with my 51pattern on, the WO almost got teary eyed!  (Helped that we had people that taught us how to assemble it correctly). Frankly all they needed to do was to issue better cross straps. 82 pattern was a throwback to 51 with modern material and some simplification.

 

[expwor]

The one secret to the old webbing, (51 pattern...although it does look WWII vintage) after it was assembled and adjusted for one's size take the ends of the suspender straps which were
rolled up and tape them so they wouldn't unfurl (is that the right word) and slide back through the buckles.  BTW a possibility when running as I found out the hard way early in using the 51 pattern

Tom