Carrying More; British Utility Pouches

[@BrandonF]

Rifleman Moore Carrying More

[@CC-kj4yc]

Shut up

[@brass3019]

AIUI the utility pouches with Bren magazines were not carried by the Bren group, but by one or more riflemen. The whole utility pouch set was passed dropped or thrown to the Bren group when required. Drills for occupying a defence included riflemen passing the Bren position and dropping off their Bren ammunition.

[@Pte.Fletcher]

The utility pouches were carried by the Number 2 gunner, who was essentially a rifleman who stuck to the Number 1s side all the time, reloaded, helped with barrel changes, etc. The Number 1 gunner had two basic pouches both with two BREN magazines each, the Number 2 would have two BREN magazines in a basic pouch, then two bandoliers of ammunition in the other basic pouch (one used for the Number 2s personal rifle, the other for reloading BREN magazines) as well as possibly things like grenades. Every single man in a section carried 2 magazines for the BREN, and it was the Number 2 gunners job to get them, and put them in the utility pouches. Later in the war, when the gun group was changed from two men to three, it was possible for a gun group to have 2 sets of utility pouches.

[@pincermovement72]

They also were useful for carrying other items too, my uncle was a Bren gunner in the Malaya emergency while doing national service , he was found carrying curry powder and cans of sardines in his and was charged and demoted.

[@astridvallati4762]

The Patt.37 Utility Pouches had their origing in the WWI LewisGun Magazine Pouches, on the Patt.08 style of webbing. Change of ɓLMG, change of Magazines, change of Pouches. A lot were damaged by dealers cutting off yhe waist bands as a separate strap. also the wide top strap also sold:as separate item...a real horror.

[@flatmoon6359]

A British Army pouch that works well, unlike 58 pattern that were good for SLR mags, but rubbish for SMG mags.No wonder people bought/acquired kit from foreign armies webbing. I was Recce office driver for 9 months,SMG and other kit that required securing went into Bundeswehr small bergan when not in use.

[@zulfadlitahar2442]

Found roughly 5 sets on my trip to Japan last year but I only had enough for 1 pair. Regretting not getting at least 2.

[@Pte.Fletcher]

My set has a M.E.Co front pouch and yoke (dated 1939 and 1941 respectively) and a Canadian produced rear pouch dated 1940 which still has the ballistite loops despite being produced after 1938.

[@Anon-mk4ms]

I used to carry my motorcycle tools on my BSA in one of these.

[@mrspudly1]

Great video, how often would these utility pouches have been worn fastened to the tabs on the shoulder straps of the A frame bergen ?

[@geodkyt]

I wouldnt worry about having a mismatched set in the slightest. Probably the only troops who got issued a "matched" set were the ones who got them issued the first year of service. Because the QM shurely doesnt care if they are "collector matched", and theyre going to hand you a front puch from box A, a rear pouch from box B, and a yoke from box C. Ive managed to fit three 2" mortar bombs into one, amd I know you can "kind of" fit a PIAT bomb in one (although that strikes me as hazardous, treacherous, and dangerous, requiring you to trust the failsafes on the fuze...)

[@crispianbarlow5184]

Are they suitable for Sten gun mags?

[@davidbrennan660]

It could be done, it would be cumbersome I guess, it could carry boxed Ammunition for reloading, Mills Bombs for example…. Most correctly sized era munitions or other equipment needed to be additionally carried.

[@crispianbarlow5184]

@@davidbrennan660 Normal 37P pouches were too short to snap closed with Sten gun mags, so I was wondering if these were "taller"

[@Pte.Fletcher]

If you're stuffing it full of Sten magazines, it won't work, at least for early productions of the utility pouches (my set are 1939 and 1940) you probably could get a few in if you had them at an angle. But also take into account historical authenticity. I've never heard of anyone using these pouches for Sten magazines, because they were issued to troops who had specialised roles which required those pouches, most of whom were issued with rifles, not machine carbines.

[@crispianbarlow5184]

@@Pte.Fletcher My question was because I was thinking of Lt John Nunneley KAR, fighting in Burma. He was pinned down under an overhang of a river by Japs and unable to shoot back because all his Sten mags had fallen out of his normal 37 pouches, and I was just wondering if it would have been a different outcome with these pouches.

[@davidbrennan660]

I have mine set up with a water bottle and the other 50 round bandoliers as part of my Desert War equipment……. Another method of carry was to hang them each side of the small pack with the neck strap under the flap of the haversack…there are always theatre/ campaign era gags to play when you set up your personal equipment.. great video for a cold November morning Simon.

[@TROCHOMOCHO27]

I love utility stuff, functionality over aesthetic

[@WHyte-eg4hn]

Greatly appreciate your videos breaking down the items and what went in them. I’m very curious to know, any recommendations for reading materials on the P37?

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

Typical British kit; looks a bit clunky, ain't sexy, but does the job pretty well.

[@davidbrennan660]

More 37 pattern pouches……today is a good day.

[@MickLafitte]

WWII, tough as nails. 1958, flimsy as wet panties.

[@alanpearson7554]

When I was army cadet and in my junior service we used 37 pattern webbing and we always dreamed of 58 pattern kit. Of course when we finally got into the real army it was not quite so great, specifically, as someone has pointed out, SMG mags. 58 pattern large pack was not so good either. I did the all arms commando course using 58 pattern and the scars on my back and shoulders must have taken 6 months to disappear