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Slade–Wallace equipment

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A soldier of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in 1892, wearing whitened Slade–Wallace equipment.
Soldiers of the British Indian Army wearing Slade–Wallace equipment in 1900.

Valise equipment, pattern 1888, also known as Slade–Wallace equipment, was a leather harness used by the British Armed Forces.

History

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The equipment was designed in 1888 by Colonel Slade and Major Wallace for use with the first .303-inch calibre rifles, replacing the valise equipment, pattern 1870,[1] which had entered service in 1871. The Slade–Wallace equipment weighed 25 pounds (11 kg), which was the lightest infantry equipment issued to British troops up to that time.[2] The belts, straps and pouches were made from buff coloured leather, which was whitened with pipe clay; the haversack was made of white canvas, except for rifle regiments which had black.[3]

It was the standard equipment worn by British and Imperial infantry during the Second Boer War. It proved unsuitable for holding modern ammunition, because the pouches had been designed before the introduction of the clip charger which allowed for rapid reloading, and could only accommodate individual rounds. The leather also tended to deteriorate during long periods in the field. After the war, review of the British Army's performance was conducted by the 1903 Royal Commission on the War in South Africa, which heard evidence that the Slade–Wallace equipment was "cumbersome, heavy and badly balanced" and "an absurdity". As a stop-gap measure, the leather 1903 Bandolier Equipment was issued, but it quickly proved to be unsuitable for infantry use and was itself replaced by the 1908 Pattern Webbing.[4]

After the outbreak of the First World War, quantities of Slade-Wallace equipment sets were brought out of storage for the use of recruits in training,[5] and was used on active service by some British colonial troops in the East African campaign.[6] The whitened Slade–Wallace equipment continued to be worn for ceremonial duties by the Brigade of Guards until 1939,[7] and other regiments in that era sometimes wore the whitened belt with Service Dress on formal occasions.[8]

Description

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The complete equipment consisted of:

  • one waistbelt
  • two pouches
  • a pair of braces with movable buckles and a keeper
  • two greatcoat straps
  • one mess tin strap
  • one valise

Complementary equipment:

Grenadier Guards wearing whitened Slade–Wallace belt and pouches in 1911.

The leather was coloured according to regiment. It was left buff and then coloured black for rifle regiments, and whitened on the outer surfaces for infantry regiments.[1] A pouch with a reserve magazine (for the Lee-Metford/Lee-Enfield rifle), like a spade, was worn only with the appropriate order. Outside of the marching order, one ammunuition pouch was worn (on the back, or on the right side).[11] The special magazine pouch nominally was a possible element of equipment until the introduction of SMLE No. 1 Mk. I and 1903 Bandolier Equipment, but were not mass issued in practice, with some particular exceptions for some squads and positions.[12][13][14] The supply of reserve magazines and pouches for issue as part of standard equipment was stopped in October 1890 and those already supplied to the troops should have be returned to storage (LoC 6235 of 10.03.1890 and LoC 6233 of 10.06.1890). There are examples of what is believed to be a magazine pouch, introduced around 1900, that match the pattern of Slade–Wallace equipment in fittings and materials, but were not strictly included in the set. They appear to have been put into very limited use only.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ a b Turner, Pierre (2007). Soldiers' Accoutrements of the British Army 1750-1900. Crowood Press UK. p. 86. ISBN 978-1861268839.
  2. ^ Raugh, Harold E. (2004). The Victorians at War, 1815-1914: An Encyclopedia of British Military History. ABC-CLIO. p. 279. ISBN 978-1576079256.
  3. ^ Herbert, Edwin (1990). The Second Anglo-Boer War. Sterling Publishing Co Inc. p. 29. ISBN 978-0788155604.
  4. ^ Chappell, Mike (2000). British Infantry Equipments (2): 1908-2000. Osprey Publishing. p. 8. ISBN 978-1855328396.
  5. ^ Richardson, Matthew (2000). The Tigers. Pen & Sword Books Ltd. p. 53. ISBN 0-85052-740-6.
  6. ^ Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research: Volume 70. London: Society for Army Historical Research. 1992. p. 186.
  7. ^ Wilson, James (2016). Up the Micks!: An Illustrated History of the Irish Guards. Pen & Sword Military. p. 20. ISBN 978-1473835634.
  8. ^ Brayley, Martin; Chappell, Mike (2001). The British Army 1939–45 (1): North-West Europe. Men-at-Arms # 354. Botley, Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 40. ISBN 1-84176-052-8.
  9. ^ War Office, Horse Guards (1888). Instructions For Fitting The Slade–Wallace Equipment. p. 5.
  10. ^ Navy And Army Illustrated, Vol. VI. London: Hudson and Kerns, George Newnes, Limited. 1898. p. 617.
  11. ^ War Office, Horse Guards (1888). Instructions For Fitting The Slade–Wallace equipment. p. 7.
  12. ^ Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall Yard, Vol. 47, Issue 1, by Royal United Service Institution. Great Britain: W. Mitchell. 1903. p. 51.
  13. ^ "Privates, King's Royal Rifle Corps, 1895 (c)". National Army Museum. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Kit Inspection, Coldstream Guards, 1895 (c)". National Army Museum. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  15. ^ "BRITISH SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE VOLUNTEER REGIMENT HALF MANNEQUIN". Regimentals.
  16. ^ "BRITISH LATE 19TH CENTURY CAVALRY BUFF LEATHER BANDOLEER & POUCH". Stewarts Military Antiques.
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