Tally ho, chaps! Here’s the larger khaki-colored pack of the British Pattern 37 system. A rare treat and very tricky to get these days, but we managed to find a small batch. Familiar from WWII Commando comics. No shoulder straps because this is meant to be attached to the combat webbing. Worry not if you don’t have that because the included shoulder sling enables these to be used as an ugly delicious shoulder bag. Carry some beer to the beach or something.

Features

The British Pattern 37 Web Equipment is also known as 37 Webbing. This load-carrying system was taken into use in Great Britain and the Commonwealth in 1937, and it was in use throughout WWII until it was replaced by 1958 Pattern Webbing. As always, the switch wasn’t instantaneous, so the older gear saw increasingly limited use until the ‘70s. Belgians also had their own copy that was used in various African conflicts.

The system is built around the belt and cross straps, and it includes all sorts of bits and bobs. This is the larger of the packs, aptly named Large Pack, which is designed to be carried on the back. The Small Pack is carried on the left side. Many of the packs in this batch have 1943 stamps, but there can also be packs manufactured in the 1950s. Since these have been used by many armies around the world, it is impossible to say where these particular ones have served. There can also be some Belgian packs in the mix.

This simple pack has just one compartment closed with two brass buckles. The outer measurements are c. 32 x 32 x 11 cm (12.6" x 12.6" x 4.3"), and the weight c. 630 grams (1.4 lbs). The material is thick and coarse cotton canvas. The color is officially khaki, but the shade can vary to some extent. There are no shoulder straps because the pack is attached directly to the webbing. However, these come with a shoulder sling, so if you, for some weird reason, don’t have the 37 Webbing, you can use this as a shoulder bag.

Condition

Heavily used British military surplus. Or some other army that used the same stuff. Possibly gone through a war or two. Since they are made from heavy-duty stuff, they are still perfectly serviceable, but the decades have left their marks. The brass buckles can be oxidized, and the bags can have names of the previous users, large letters, dirt, and other signs of life. Some have slightly ominous reddish-brown splatters, but they may well be just rust.