Quartermasters Stores - Your kit queries here.

Bizzare, its not a regular commonwealth mark.

GB = broad arrow
Can = Arrow in a big C
South Africa = Arrow in a U
Aus. = Arrow in a D
New Zealand = NZ with arrow in between
India = Arrow on an I

So weird eh?

Maybe the arrow by the 37 is your war dept logo and the bit the middle is the manufacturers logo.

Well, on the inside of the flap between where the two flap-staps are anchored, it's got the typical M.E.C Mills makers mark followed by 1939 and the broad arrow stamped in 1cm high typeface in black ink (So the small pack isn't a forign/post-war/india-made one). To the left of the first flap-strap it's got the broad arrow with 37 underneath it, again in black ink. The weird marking in question is in the middle of the flap, but on the outside for all to see, in white paint[?] and in approx 3cm tall typeface. Also, T'is a bizarre one.

The owners initials?

Good point, I never thought of that. Would be a ruddy coincidence if is was owned by a William Davidson or something similar I don't know what the hexagon could be though, maybe an 'O', but it's deffo' coloured fully in. ah well, it shall remain a mystery.

Hi, can anyone point me in the right direction to get a lee enfield long (not spike) bayonet scabbard and 37 pat frog and also a fighting knife (Sykes Fairbairn) scabbard and frog if that is how glider troops would carry them if obtained. I don't have commando or para trousers with the leg knife pocket.

Not intending to have a real knife or bayonet hence why I only want the scabbard/ sheath.

Huh?

Glider Troops (late war) would have spike bayonets and would not carry a Fairbairn Skyes Dagger...

Yeah FS knives were occasionally obtained, theres a well known controversial illustration
of an RAMC officer wearing one.

Bayonet would have been spike though.

In fact it might be worth seeing if we can cast a spike bayonet in scabbard out of rubber for our group.

To be honest what bayonet you would carry would depend on which weapon you're carrying.

Hence for airborne a Spike Bayonet is most likely as that is what was used with the No4 and Sten MkV... after that maybe one of the strange sprung clip ones for the Sten MkII.

But since its highly unlikely that they'd carry a SMLE No1, then the standard long bayonet would not be carried.

Do you know if you can fit a spike bayonet onto a Warren No4?

Not a new one... no. he changed them.

yup barrel lug is too wide, you'd have to bore out the bayonet socket or lathe down the barrel

Hi, posted the questions as there are rubber training knives that look like Fighting knives and sort of K98 or Enfield sword bayonets, but only about 8 inches long, and I was wondering about putting a frog on my webbing. Looks a bit daft without wnything in it so I started looking for a scabbard also but unsure as to what glider troops would have access to.

Para had a leg pocket and commando had button straps for the FS knife on their trousers so are we saying that para might have been issued with a FS knife if available and glider could carry one but not generally issued. If that is the case, did glider generally have standard trousers and where would a knife be carried if at all.

I am aware that the utility of the 'pig sticker' was a question for most troops so I thought it might have been reasonable that the sword bayonet might have been carred by a few if they could get away with it?

Again, lots of questions but generally, did the spike bayonet get ditched in favour of anything else?

Also, if PBI eventually do the commando look, a FS knife and commando hat are a bit iconic so is this a worthwhile thing to investigate?

I wouldnt buy an SF knife unless going into serious re-enacting
,any sites wont let you carry it.

No one does a repro rubber wwii knife i know of.

The only troops carrying sword bayonets would be those with rifles that could use it, a bayonet is an incredibly poor hand to hand weapon of choice.

Odds on leg glider infantry having a fs knife - next to non - ,maybe the odd officer acquiring one outside of issue but its exceptional and were trying to look like a standard section.

So really although its probably not the answer you want...

get a spike bayonet if you're playing a sten gunner or a rifleman and superglue it into the scabbard so its safe...or have one cast out of rubber (like the band of brothers props were)

As a rule you dont see sword bayonets and their shortened version post d-day in europe. burma or the med yeah but not in europe.

Gadge, thanks for the reply. Bayonet frog off the webbing list now. Just ordered a resi case from Warren at SnS. Not bothering with a spike bayonet.

I think kit wise I am there now both for German Heer (well if the correct size belt turns up after three attempts) and for PBI. I just need to sort out the hessian on the badge and blanco the webbing. Is all outsides of the webbing blanco'd, pouches, small pack, belt, water bottle, belt and straps blanco'd?

Is all outsides of the webbing blanco'd, pouches, small pack, belt, water bottle, belt and straps blanco'd?

Yes... not the bottle itself though... just the webbing that holds it..

Great, thanks. Is there a PBI Commando kit guide available (pictures?) expanding the initial list of units and basic kit? I noted it was stated as basically a set of badges and another beret? That is assuming the commando impression includes the denison so in reality it is a beret and cap badge as the BD badging would not be seen? Alternatively, are cap comforters and wooly pullys on the list and if so, are there any tips to get the correct jumper/ look?

Finally, were commandos generally issued with Thompsons or could they pick what they liked, MP40, sten No4, all have a sidearm etc. depending on the raid?

On paper early commando units had .45 automatics, 1928 thompons, lee enfields and brens (maybe vickers K too i cant remmeber).

Why?

So they only had to carry two types of ammo as a .303 or .45 will be all thats needed for that list.

Ny the mid war they start to get the sten as its lighter and cheaper.

Officers may still carry revolvers.

But as we're airsoft realists we know that its hard to ge tmost this stuff so any wood style bolt action is ok.

m1a1 is fine instead of 1928model

Captured mp40s are fine too.

Hi all,

I just pruchased a first pattern, webbing 44 Small-Pack, but unfortunately it came without the L-Straps.
As P37 L-straps don´t fit due to the smaller buckles on the P44. I´m now desperately in need for a pair of pattern 44 L-straps.
Anybody who would like to trade or might gimme a hint were to find these @UK dealers ?

Would appreciate your help

Best Hornblower

Sabre sales in portsmouth should be able to help.

You'd be better off just getting a 37 pat small pack to be honest, you can get them from £2 onwards and its more appropriate for wwii.

The 44 pattern stuff didn't get issued til 1945 and then only in the far east, its really Korean War / Malayan Emergency webbing.

Hey Gadge and thanks. Got a p37 smallpack allready P44 is supposed to be for a postwar outfit anyway . Thanks, will try to contact sabre !

P.S. do you still have those p37 utility straps for the largepack you were once offering to me ?

Regards Hornblower