1937 Pattern WWII British Haversack

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1937 Pattern WWII British Haversack

1937 Pattern - WWII British Soldier's Haversack
(Packed with soldier's personal kit dated from the period)

In the early 1930s it was decided to replace the 1908 pattern webbing, as it was thought that in the next war infantrymen would be part of a motorized and mechanized army, rather than fighting in trenchers. Although what was to become pattern 37 webbing was approved by the army, it was deferred as the army was looking at a new light machine gun (bren gun). A new basic pouch was designed to suit it and the 1937 pattern webbing was then excepted in June 1938. The equipment set that the Canadian Army began to employ in 1939, called 1937 Pattern Web Equipment had already been made standard in the British Army two years before. Officially also known as Web Equipment, 1937 Pattern, WE '37 was made of the same light khaki coloured cotton webbing that the early 1908 Pattern had been made from. Some items remained similar, indeed, the Large Pack remained identical to WE '08.

The basic 1937 pattern webbing equipment was of a pre-shrunk dyed in the weave webbing which rendered the material virtually waterproof, and in the field this was treated with 'Blanco' to colour the material green to aid concealment. The basic webbing set (Battle Order) consisted of a web-waist belt with cross brace shoulder straps linked to ammunition pouches on the lower chest; which hung from either the waist belt or straps the 1908 pattern entrenching tool and 1937 pattern carrier, water-bottle and bayonet frog. In addition to such by 1944 most troops were issued with the new 1943 Light Pattern Anti-Gas Respirator and haversack carrier worn across the body on the left hand side under the 1937 webbing set. Personal items and rations etc. were carried in the 1937 pattern haversack carried on the soldiers back via brace straps attached to the webbing cross straps.

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1 1937 Pattern WWII British Haversack with Enameled Tea Mug	2 1937 Pattern WWII British Haversack with shoulder straps	3 1937 Pattern WWII British Haversack with shoulder straps	4 Standard British pattern enameled tea mug
5 Standard British pattern enameled tea mug	6 Standard British pattern enameled tea mug	7 Rain Cape - folded over and tucked into the haversack to keep contents dry from rain	8 Inside the haversack
9 Inside the haversack	10 Typical contents carried inside haversack	11 Typical contents carried inside haversack - Brush, mess tins, kfs set, veil, boot laces, sewing kit, shaving/signal mirror, shell dressing	12 Typical contents carried inside haversack - shell dressings, sewing kit, shaving/signal mirror, socks, grooming kit, cigarettes, matches, money
13 Typical contents carried inside haversack - shell dressings, sewing kit, shaving/signal mirror, socks, grooming kit, cigarettes, matches, money	14 Typical contents carried inside haversack - grooming kit, money	15 Typical contents carried inside haversack - socks, cigarettes, matches	16 Typical contents carried inside haversack - signal/shaving mirror, dentifrice tooth powder, money
17 Typical contents carried inside haversack - Shell dressings	18 Typical contents carried inside haversack - Housewife roll sewing kit	19 Typical contents carried inside haversack - KFS (Knife, Fork Spoon) set, extra boot laces	20 Grey tin of issued cigarettes
21 "Cigarettes" embossed on lid	22 Tin packed with unfiltered issued cigarettes	23 Tin packed with unfiltered issued cigarettes	24 Cardboard liner in the tin around the cigarettes