Milsurp After Hours

Not a very fancy accoutrement, but it would have had its uses. This is the small pack that I was issued with in 1968 when I joined the RAF. I never used it in my service but it has somehow survived being in my possession for nearly 40 years (is it really that long ago?).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/ ... kfront.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/ ... ckrear.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/ ... inside.jpg[/pic]

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I have a WW2 version that I have had for about as long a time. This was used by a workman on the farm to carry his sandwiches and flask and got left behind when they finished the job.

The front.

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The back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/ ... w2back.jpg[/pic]

Inside the front part.

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Inside the back part. This is a map pocket or something similar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/ ... derear.jpg[/pic]

The makers marks.

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I suppose these played their part in military life.

Regards

Peter.

very interesting , wish id kept more of what i had in those days , as it is i have very few things of this nature

Your RAF Small Pack is much the same as the Army version.

The other pack is probably a Gas Mask pack. Many years since I saw one; we used them just post war for school bags.

Indeed, the WW2 bag is a small box respirator bag.

The larger section, which strangely is the 'back' (well, that part worn next to the body when in use) contained the respirator box, hose and mask, when stowed; the smaller sub division, I believe held the anti-dimming kit for the lenses and the seperate smaller (front?) pocket held decontamination kit (and possibly the respirator record booklet?).

Not a rare piece, and not in the best condition, but a very nicely marked example and (I believe), quite early for this pattern - I seem to recall that earlier bags resembled the Great War pattern, single flap bags.

I think this respirator would have been the slightly earlier pattern with the khaki 'stockingette' covered face piece - late patterns had plain black rubber and, by the end of the war, the replacement for the SBR was being introduced*.

Tom

* I could well be wrong on these points as WW2 is not my field, but I remember having the SBRs when I was lot younger.

for 40 years it's in very good shape.

Tom-May, thanks for the info. I didn't know it was a respirator bag. I don't use it for anything, it just hangs around the spare bedroom (gun room) along with the other bag. I still have my webbing belt somewhere. I also have my greatcoat. Do they still issue greatcoats? Probably not.

Regards

Peter.