Web Gear Find

[Stevo]

I rediscovered a box of web gear in the back of my gun room. I've probably had it 15 years or more and don't know anything about it.

It all appears unissued and the charger clip(?)/grenade(?) chest rig appears to have a 1918 date on it.

Does it have any value? Thanks for any info.

Pics for your enjoyment:

Rucksack, front and markings on strap:

https://flic.kr/p/2jWqepD https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWuEDh https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/

Web gear set with belt, suspenders, large pouch, canteen and 2 Bren mag pouches:

https://flic.kr/p/2jWqeA5 https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWqekR https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWqemH https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWtSbS https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/

Chest rig:

https://flic.kr/p/2jWtSoR https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWqeyghttps://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/

And a helmet with broken/missing chin strap:

https://flic.kr/p/2jWqeig https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/
https://flic.kr/p/2jWtS8v https://www.flickr.com/photos/162118399@N03/

 

[bearhunter]

About the time you purchased that kit, most of the surplus stores across Canada had bins full of it.

I bought a full kit, very similar to the one in your pics.

It's got a bit of both pattern 37 and 38 combined, which was normal.

Your kit isn't complete but it's pristine and than accounts for a lot.

Lots of the pattern 37 kit didn't make it through WWII in decent condition. Especially the rucksacks and dual ammo pouches. That's why you see so many 50s dates.

Also, a lot of their spare kit went to many European countries, middle east, Malaysia, India and even Greece/Italy after the war.

The real value in that kit is the helmet IMHO

 

[Stevo]

About the time you purchased that kit, most of the surplus stores across Canada had bins full of it.

I bought a full kit, very similar to the one in your pics.

It's got a bit of both pattern 37 and 38 combined, which was normal.

Your kit isn't complete but it's pristine and than accounts for a lot.

Lots of the pattern 37 kit didn't make it through WWII in decent condition. Especially the rucksacks and dual ammo pouches. That's why you see so many 50s dates.

Also, a lot of their spare kit went to many European countries, middle east, Malaysia, India and even Greece/Italy after the war.

The real value in that kit is the helmet IMHO

Thanks.

What's special about the helmet?

 

[JP]

The 1918 dated grenade bras/pouch rig is U.S. WW 1 issue.

 

[bearhunter]

Thanks.

What's special about the helmet?

It's not that they're overly rare but they've become quite collectible. When I see them at gun shows, they're priced $200 or more.

Up until about 15 years ago, when they dumped that pristine web gear onto the market, prices on the gear was actually higher than it is today. Decent WWII date web gear will usually command a better price, because a lot of it was scrapped, due to being in poor condition and a lot of it went offshore.

I had a good Indian friend that brokered a deal for British "issued" webbing, shortly after they got their Independence in 1947. I would have thought that the Brits would have left all sorts of that type of kit behind and they did, but most of it was pretty shabby. So this fellow's brother, who was working in the UK as a liaison officer, knew where there were a couple of warehouses full of used, but serviceable webbing.

I don't know the whole story but they bought it by weight, rather than by piece. He told me it cost them more to ship it than it cost to buy it from the UK. When it got to India, they hired a bunch of people to clean it all up to the point it was actually presentable. They washed it all, sorted it for quality and lack of stains.

He said only about 10% of it was acceptable to the procurers, so they bleached the other 90% and died it all khaki and green so that it looked new.

I can't imagine anyone doing that today but 70+ years ago it was very profitable.