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Another NI Kit Query - Unusual Pack


SimonLMoore

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Just another oddity turned up during searches of images of early British Army involvement in Northern Ireland. The leading chap here seems to have a somewhat unusual pack, in contrast to the '58 Pattern packs of the men behind. The flap straps and fittings seem similar to those of the second '44 Pattern haversack but it also seems to have a front and side pouches... Any ideas?

 

NI3.jpg

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It looks like a prototype of the para bergen. It has the same tabs on the flap and side pockets with room to put things behind them, but it seems to do up like a GS bergen. Might just be a 72 trials version but the OG suits don't seem to fit timewise if it's NI.

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  • 11 months later...

Just resurrecting this thread as I think I have an answer to this after some digging, it's one of these;

 

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1360021180

 

What one of these is in real terms however I do not know, trials pattern? This was indeed carried by General Moore in the Falklands, I've located at least one photo showing the pack. The back is similar to the Australian packs issued from the late '60s with a pack board, two padded sections and padded shoulder straps.

large_000000.jpg

Edited by SimonLMoore
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Simon,

 

This pack is shown on page 36 of Simon Howlett’s book British Post-War Jungle Webbing and he notes that: ‘The haversack is an experimental type based on the normal 44 pattern haversack and produced in both webbing and nylon material... there are no markings to determine origin or manufacturer, although owner names written on the reverse indicate previous UK service use.’

 

I’ve seen the same pattern of pack, manufactured in a nylon camouflage material with fawn-coloured webbing straps, used by the Hong Kong Regiment in the late eighties. I'm not sure if it was 'issue kit' or a local purchased by the unit. It was however on individual issue as they refused to trade one on this basis.

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  • 9 months later...

Resurrecting this thread once again, sorry I did not previously respond to the above reply, thanks for the info! It seems then that it might have been a trial item not introduced officially but picked up and produced by private companies. The photo I linked from the IWM shows fixtures and fittings as you say clearly taken from the '44 Pattern webbing so it looks like it could well be a trial item however versions I've examined have different ends to the web straps and sometimes different (American style) clips, weight of webbing material etc.

The pack board and straps are based on the design of the field pack introduced by Australia during their involvement in Vietnam or perhaps even vice versa.

I've recently picked up one of the nylon versions in a fairly light green with tan straps. I have a photo of one in British Army use, in the Gulf of all places in 1990! When I get chance I'll post photos of the pack and the photo of it in use.

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Thank you for your reply Simon - no need to apologize.

Yes, on seeing your latest pictures I now recall the D-rings on those used by the Hong Kong Regiment. I neglected to mention this in my post - that their rucksacks were manufactured using a material which I believe to be Rhodesian Brushstroke                        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Brushstroke

This probably is because they were commercially manufactured and this was the only camouflaged material available at the time, or that they were made by a Rhodesian manufacturer. I have just performed an image search, and whilst some Rhodesian packs have similar fittings and webbing to this pack, there are none identical to it.

Are there no manufacture's stamps anywhere on yours?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a suggestion.  My regiment which was stationed at Palace Barracks Holywood in 1969 had recently, served in Hong Kong where an enterprising local, by name (phonetically) Sam Sing, produced a considerable range of webbing, of lesser quality than the issue stuff especially as regards the dye, but certainly including a pack larger than the standard 44 pattern one and more practical in many ways.  It would not surprise me to learn that these soldiers were part of that regiment and that some of them owned Sam Sing packs and other webbing. 

Chris

 

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