WW I - what is this for ?
 

I've had this back pack thing for Quite awhile, always wondering what it was for.
One of the straps has the mfg name on it and date 1916
Looks to be NOS- or very little used judging by the felt "cushions" for shoulders and hips
Two hooks at the top corners, (one bent) and attachment points all around the edge of a thin but sturdy plywood.


Anyone know?

Hi Marc

It looks like some variant of the "Yukon Pack", a loose term for packs capable of carrying large heavy loads such as water cans, ammo crates etc, forward by individual soldiers.

http://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/318/231/large_000000.jpg
https://cefresearch.ca/phpBB3/search...=Pack&start=15

I have a post-WW2 one.

Can we see the stamp? C Broad Arrow?

regards
Darrell

Faded of course but still legible.
M.W.&S Ltd. 1916
Brit broad arrow

Hi Marc

So it is British. At least British-made. I cannot find a similar one. Excellent condition. :)

MW&S Ltd made a lot of British WW1 webbing. Still in business today. :smoker:

regards
Darrell

I would think it would have been in some use by Cdns, otherwise how did it get here and in such unused condition?


Several have looked at it, no real answers yet. A mystery item, I wonder in some British webbing expert might know?

Anyone have connections to such a person (peoplekind)

Other than what is it, how much is it?

Experimental Archibald Utility Packboard
 

The MW&S Ltd 1916 web strap was a bit of 'red herring' as this packboard is related to the 1950s Heller.

The Heller was a Canadian 100mm antitank rocket launcher produced and fielded in 1954 and subsequently replaced by the M20 3.5-Inch Rocket Launcher and the 84mm Carl-Gustaf after 1967.

It was during the early 1950s trials process for this weapon that the Experimental Archibald Utility Packboard was developed so that the Heller Loader could carry six rounds. The webbing on this packboard is a mix of 1908 and 1937 pieces with many showing signs of having been modified by a textile worker.

I cannot confirm that this packboard was ever adapted and suspect it was not as there were other packboard systems already in use that could be employed to carry the ammunition.

Attachment 130070

Attachment 130071

Attachment 130072

Attachment 130073

Attachment 130074

Hi Ed

Well done. :)

regards
Darrell

Excellent research Ed!
You are a valuable asset to our community !
BZ

If experimental, cant have been that many around so would be very rare. .Might be the only one in existence now?

The Heller was clearly an innovative weapon. The sight incorporates a split image range finder which even with a short base of about 12 inches(?) would have gone a long way to solving the range-finding problem that plagued all such weapons at more than point-blank ranges before the advent of lasers.

Pretty sure I saw one of those sights for sale recently. Going to have to rack my memory on that one!

An interesting feature of the original packboard is the incorporation of a "tumpline" strap to go across the head. This method of load-carrying was introduced by the Canadian Expeditionary Force in WWI, and was clearly not forgotten in the early 1950s. Hard to believe, but it was found to be a highly efficient way to carrying heavy loads and was copied from the aboriginal/voyageur method of carrying loads.