Vickers Gunner, 2nd Cheshire Regiment, odd uniform item June 1944

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by EKB, Jan 12, 2022.

  1. EKB

    EKB Well-Known Member

    Official photo recorded southeast of Bayeux. The machine gunner wears a belt emblazoned with some unknown to me heraldry or symbology … what is this?

    © IWM B 5439 A.jpeg © IWM B 5439 B.jpeg © IWM B 5439 C.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2022
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  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Last edited: Jan 12, 2022
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  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Does anyone remember Ronny Barker in Clarence ?

    I remember watching it when it was first on back in 1988 & thought it a nice period detail to see the cap badges on his leather belt.
    See around the 11 minute plus mark.

     
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  4. Giberville

    Giberville Junior Member

    Good photo. I have an example in my collection from a veteran who served in Royal Sussex Regiment and 9th Medium Regiment RA. Don't think I have seen one actually worn in action before.
     
  5. Waddell

    Waddell Well-Known Member

    They are often referred to as hate belts in WW1. Whether that is correct or not I don’t know.

    Good old Ronnie Barker. Clarence was a great show.
     
  6. EKB

    EKB Well-Known Member

  7. EKB

    EKB Well-Known Member


    I suppose the leather belt might have been an heirloom. I'm not a collector but if that one still exists in good condition, it would be interesting to know what price it would bring at auction with the official picture documentation.
     
  8. JITTER PARTY

    JITTER PARTY Well-Known Member

    I watched a Jimmy Hanley film called 'Kiss the Bride Goodbye' on TPTV the other day, in which he played an RA L/Bdr returned home from Burma without, as it turns out, the award of a DCM. He was wearing just such a belt.

    Kiss the Bride Goodbye - Wikipedia
     
  9. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    The unadorned leather belt usually used for these was the '03 Bandolier Equipment Belt. A plain tan leather belt with a simple brass, flat, square frame buckle. Short lived with the Infantry equipment, it carried on as the standard Cavalry Equipment into the 1940s. It soldiered on as an issue item for signallers, referred to as the 'Lineman's Belt' into the 1970s. There must have been a lot around as official or semi official issue as they are often seen holding up a squaddies trousers rather than braces in photos.
     
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  10. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Screenshot 2022-01-18 at 19.31.34.png Screenshot 2022-01-18 at 21.17.26.png
    Chanced on WW1 examples in one of my photographs.
    Mates of my great uncle's, 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, Egypt 1916 after their return from Gallipoli.
     
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