We are used to seeing modern officers wearing a Sam Browne as a piece of parade kit but during the Great War this was the equipment worn by Officers of all types of units as field equipment. The Officer of the time would be expected to carry a variety of equipment in the field and this changed as the war developed . With this post we are going to look at a couple of different set ups and also how I have developed my kit over the years and also to mention where there are differences in kit and why .
(I also recognise that there were officers sets of 1908 equipment and that officers would at times wear soldiers kit when in the trenches, but the plan is to focus on the type of equipment that would be seen across the war period using the Sam Browne as the principle field equipment.)
The Sam Browne. Having progressed in my career to being a Warrant officer and then onto being an Officer I have worn a Sam Browne as part of my dress uniform. For the Warhorse ride in 2014 we were provided with uniform but needed to use our own Sam Browne to complete the impression of an early war mounted Sapper officer. While I had been issued with a Sam Browne I also had a cheap copy that I used for horse riding competitions that I had been taking part in as a Army Warrant Officer, I used to compete in Dressage and Show Jumping at novice and inter unit/ station events (not bad for a late comer to this horse riding milarky). This copy was perfect for using on the Warhorse event and also to use as my basis for my RE Officer impression for future events.
The Engineer Training Manual (Drill) has been a really useful document as it defines the kit to be worn/ carried by Officers and Soldiers in the field, this has helped me to refine my kit for the different roles and periods of the Great War.
Single cross strap. The basic set up is the Single Strap Sam Browne with the addition of the leather holster and ammunition pouch for the webley revolver. While on the Warhorse 14 event I also had my sword attached to the sam browne, this was quite common Pre War and in the very early stages of the Great War, but became less common after September 1914. Where I don’t have the sword frog fitted I will normally have the holster on the left hand side. This set up is also the one that I have when I’m on horseback.
This configuration works well and is quite well balanced on the belt and so long as the cross strap is adjusted for load carrying and not for parades it works well. One of the things that I have done with the ammunition pouch is to work out what the weight would be of 12 rounds of .455 pistol ammunition and then add that weight in the form of penny washers in a taped package, this adds an appropriate weight and helps to fill the pouch out appropriately.
Double cross strap. The double strap Sam Browne is stated as the configuration required for field wear by the RE Training Manual. The reason for this is to help to balance the load on the body. The second strap is normally fixed to the front right hand side of the belt by one of 3 methods.
a fixed ring on the belt, either stitched, riveted or both.
a leather loop with a ring, that slides onto the belt
a ring on the back of the holster. (this is the version that I use).
Having regularly worn this set up it is very balanced and even with the added binoculars and case means that it does allow for the equipment to be carried comfortably both when on foot or mounted. The one issue to watch however is to ensure the holster is sufficiently back on the belt that it doesn’t dig in when riding.
Belt only. It was not unusual to see officers, when away from the front just wearing the belt of the Sam Browne. While it was a part of the dress regulations for officers to wear a belt with their jackets, the main people that you see in photos with this arrangement is that of Generals (possibly as they were photographed more frequently?).
Sword Frog. I have 2 modern sword frogs and I’ve used these in two ways, the first is to wear on the Sam Browne as required by the regulations but I’ve also used the second frog to be attached to the my Staff Saddle. This would allow me to switch the sword from my belt to saddle for ease of riding. On the War Horse 14 ride I did carry my 1897 pattern sword on the belt even when riding, which was fine but there was times when it was an embuggerance and from that experience I now always aim to carry the sword on the saddle, either using the loop on a shoe case or by using the spare sword frog.
One of variations that you can find is the Cavalry sword frog which has a slightly larger leather back, this was to provide protection to the Officer’s uniform from rubbing from the sword hand-guard. This type of frog can also be used on the officer pattern saddles.
Pistol Holster and ammunition pouch. The standard pistol was the .455″ webley, of a number of variants, but from 1915 onward the principle pistol was the Mk6 Webley. These pistols would be carried on the belt in an angled leather holster. This could be worn on either side of the belt.
The position of the pistol was initially stated as be carried on the right hand side of the belt, but around 1911 the cavalry issued a directive that the holster should be worn on the left hand side.
The rationale was that with the Sword Frog on the left it was too cramped/ tight to have the pistol holster added to the left. However with the cavalry carrying the sword on the saddle it meant that there was space on the belt on that side and the holster should move to allow for easier access and cross-drawing of the pistol. both in mounted and dismounted roles.
When not in the field and as the war progresses you do tend to see the holster becoming more usual on the right hand side.
For my set ups, for single strap Sam Brownes I will have the pistol and holster on the Right Hip and ammo pouch on the left side. With the double strap I have the holser on the left with the ammo pouch on the right side of the buckle.
The Additional Equipment:
The Watch. By rights an officer of the Great War was expected to have a wrist watch, and for that purpose I have a couple of old style wrist watches that I use, generally plain with a brown leather strap. But in addition to that I also have a pocket watch with chain that I have added. The reason for that it would fit with a pre War officer to be using a pocket watch, also my Early War jacket has a small pocket specifically for a pocket watch, so why not.
The Satchel/ musette bag. Just as soldiers are required to carry their personal field kit on them so does the officer. These would have been a private purchase by the officers and would have come in a whole variety of types and styles. The bag on the left of the photo below is often referred to as a Officers Musette Bag and was designed to be worn on the shoulder strap or by clipping to the loops on the Sam Browne belt were the Sword Frog attached.
The musette bag is a great bit of kit and works well when carried on the shoulder strap, however when you use it clipped to the Sam Browne it does have the habit of pulling down on the belt. Having tried this with a single strap Sam Browne several times it was not brilliant to wear so I tend to now wear it using the shoulder strap. It will be worth trying it again with a double strap set up and with pistol and equipment on the opposite side to try and balance it out. The photo of the senior officers of the Cameronians in August 1914 show several of them with this style of bag fitted to the Sam Browne without pulling the belts down so it probably is down to getting the balance just right on the belt.
The other bag is an old satchel that I picked up cheap but it allowed me to have an alternative, it was possibly an old fishing kit bag but for an officers satchel for the Great War period it fits really well.
Waterbottle. Until recently I would use a 1903 pattern waterbottle carrier and kidney shaped waterbottle with my set up. While using a 1903 pattern set up isn’t wrong it was more often the Indian Pattern waterbottle that Officers would have carried. Again this was a private purchase item and while the shape of the bottle was standard, the carrying harness/ strap would vary. The Indian Pattern waterbottle was slightly smaller in height to the kidney shaped bottle but was wider, the other main difference was that it was made from aluminium rather than enamelled metal (however I believe that some pre-1900 versions were enamelled steel).
I tend to use a 1903 carrier and waterbottle for riding events as the strap can be worn in a way that has the bottle very secure under the arm when riding, rather than bashing about on your hip or side. If I was doing an Officer of a foot unit then the Indian Pattern would be the first choice.
Binoculars. I have 2 sets of binos from the period, ideal for a Sapper Officer to have when on recce or just to keep an eye on what the Chaps are upto! Both came with cases that were in poor order but have now been repaired. One set is for wearing on a strap across the body and the other has loops to wear on the Sam Browne Belt.
Compass case. There is nothing more dangerous that a Officer with a map and a compass….as the saying goes. There are 2 types shown below. The smaller “pocket watch” looking item is a trench compass and is original. It is fully working and does appear like a pocket watch, its a nice bit of kit and when fitted with a watch chain is very easy to use when on horseback.
The other compass is a reproduction of a marching compass, very similar to the prismatic compasses that most modern soldiers would recognise and use. Again easy to use once you’ve been taught and very accurate. This is carried in a leather case and that would be either on a leather strap over the shoulder and across the body or it would have a clip and again attached to one of the loops on the Sam Browne.
Greatcoat carrier. Officers would carry a cold weather coat, either a great coat, trench coat or mackintosh either in carrier with a shoulder strap or with a set of straps that would clip to the Sam Browne cross straps. Examples that I have seen often replaces the greatcoat with rolled blankets or combinations of the all of the items. The only issue that I would say with the straps that clip to the cross straps is that this would be difficult to take off or put on without assistance or fully taking off the Sam Browne.
This is the a reproduction item from Military History Workshop and is really useful to carry my trench coat. I’m currently having an old and damaged Greatcoat repaired and converted to a Pea Coat and this will be carried using the carrier. neither of my Sam Browne have attachment loops on the rear and I want the convenience of being able to drop kit off with the minimum of fuss.
When mounted the Greatcoat/ trenchcoat can very easily be strapped to the rear of the staff saddle without removing it from the carrier.
Map Case. There are several types of map case that are seen used by officers and these would have been either worn on a leather strap across the body or for the 3 fold pattern case that could be clipped to one of the lower brass rings on the Sam Browne belt.
The one which I use is an original leather case with clear panels marked with a a grid. This case is worn by using a leather strap across the body. However it is a really good to use when on horse back as the clear panel does allow the map to be read very easily and I strap it to the front of the saddle wallets to keep it close on hand.
The 3 fold map case that is seen below is an original from the interwar period and is in need of some repair work particularly the leather work (a project for later this year). This type of map case is seen with both Mounted and foot officers and could be worn on a strap across the body or clipped to one of the rings on the Sam Browne.
Whistle Pouch. The whistle is such an iconic item of the Great War with Officers using it to initiate going over the top, but it also was used for other signals as well. This would be carried by officers, either in a pouch on the cross straps of the Sam Browne or attached to a pocket by a leather tab or length of cord.
Realistically this would be an important item for Platoon/ Troop/ Section officers and for Company Level officers as well. As someone that generally is kitted out as a mounted Major it’s an item that generally I’d keep in a pocket. When doing a RE Field Company officer (on Foot) then I would add it to my Sam Browne.
I suggest that you go to the Highland Subaltern’s youtube site (twitter @1914Subaltern), Ruadhán’s has an excellent video on the use of the Whistle and the signals on his Youtube site, follow the link below – If you haven’t subscribed to Ruadhán sites then you are missing a trick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5cJkmkMLHw
Summary. You can see there is a lot of kit that can be worn and carried by an Officer. The advantage is that it can be adjusted to suit the job at hand but the downside is that potentially the young officer would look like a christmas tree with so many things hanging off him. There would be a need to test and trial what works and how to configure your kit, For me I have to think if I’m spending time in the mounted role or on foot as with many things with soldiers equipment, once you have spent time in the field with the kit you adjust what you carried and how/where you carried it to be effective and comfortable. So the next time you look at a Sam Browne on parade consider that it is actually an item of field equipment.
References:
http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/officers/sam_browne.html
Royal Engineer’s Training Manual (Drill), 1929.
The Highland Subaltern’s Youtube site – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh3mJKJl8rzm2RmiqGMjiDw