did Canadians still use the Smith & Wesson .38 revolver in Korea

[x westie]

http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/wars/Ridgewayrocky.jpg

I got wondering about this photo, it shows General "Iron-Tits" Ridgeway, commander of UN troops in Korea, confering with Brigadier J Rockingham, commanding the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade , also in Korea, Rockingham is shown wearing a Pattern 37 web belt, with P-37 ammo pouch, which was for .38 ammo. a 9mm mag wouldnt fit in a P37 ammo pouch,..unless he had spare rds in it,..kinda odd, i though .i was under the impression, that the Inglis Hi-Power had replaced the .38 revolver, in the Canadian Army...your thought, thanks


General Ridgeway was nick name "Iron-Tits",by the troops,on account, that he always had a hand grenade hooked to his webbing straps

 

[Phat Eagle]

He was a General... Pretty sure they'd let him use the same old sidearm he trained on waaaaaay back when he joined the C Scot R in 1933!

 

[Old Ranger]

Not milsurp but- When I joined Ont Lands and Forests in 1969 my supervisor (Fish and Wildlife Deputy at Bancroft HQ) was still carrying a Webley in 38 S&W. (38/200?). It was replaced with a S&W in 38 Spl shortly after. All the field officers (CO's) were carrying Smiths by this time.

 

[woodchopper]

Generals at that time would carry what ever they wanted.

baby browning tucked away somewhere too I would suspect.



I would suspect that he would have a Browning HiPower, spare mag tucked in the holster. Some spare rounds in the pouch, boxes of 9mm held 32 rounds so 2 mags of 13 leaves you with 6 loose rounds.



dooooh - 64rds not 32.... Math wins again, boxes are 8x8.

so that's 38 loose rounds to fill your pockets.

 

[retiredsaf]

Every box of 9mm I had in the Cdn army in 1961 had 64 rounds in it

 

[retiredsaf]

Every box of 9mm I had in the Cdn army in 1961 to 1966 had 64 rounds in it

 

[Nyles]

Sure its not the compass pouch instead?

 

[kawicrash]

The General carries a grenade?

 

[green]

Compass pouch and ammo pouch are identical externally, probably compass.

 

[Phat Eagle]

The General carries a grenade?

No, he was known to always carry two!

 

[x westie]

No, he was known to always carry two!

if you look closely on Ridgeways shoulder webbing straps you can see the grenade hooked about halfway up, the other strap was a field dressing... Ridgeway was very good general and well respected by the regular soldier..,and certainly did much to improve the morale of the troops in Korea,

 

[Garand]

The Browning was on issue as of October 1944, what is shown in the picture is the compass pouch for P37 webbing

 

[Juster]

I think I recall a scene in the movie Patton where he looks at a Colt 1903 in the drawer, thinks for a second, and then sticks it in his pocket, even though he has a holstered revolver. Capture is a major issue for a General.

 

[AP]

The Browning was on issue as of October 1944, what is shown in the picture is the compass pouch for P37 webbing

This. although they are identical the compass case had padding and was stiff. No self respecting senior officer would ever be without a compass - after all it is well known in the Cdn Army that you certainly cannot trust a junior officer with a compass!!!