F.M.CO Pouches, detachable ammo.

[David Dunlop]

Very nice find, Marco!

That fabrication material is certainly very durable, and must have been common in the 1930's and 1940's.

When my Mum emigrated to Canada as a War Bride from England after the war, she brought with her a collection of family photos in a box made of the same material, which is in excellent shape and still full of the photos, today. It was a container made for shipping HYSIL Laboratory Glass, from Chance Bros. and Co. Ltd, Glass Works, Smethwick, nr Birmingham.

Environmentally friendly stuff way before it's time it seems.

Wonder how many more military items from the war made of this material are going to turn up now?

David

[IanK]

TL14076 was the standard "code" for the British issue leather bags, normally made of pigskin. The earlier ones had a fixed length strap and the mounting bracket was on the same side as the top closing buckle. Later ones had an adjustable strap (probably because the earlier ones were too short!) and the closing buckle was on the opposite side to the mounting bracket (bit daft really as the bracket then rubs on your leg when being carried). There was also a curved leather Bren Mag pouch I think for cavalry.

[Robert Bergeron]

Friends of the Carrier,

Could someone give us the size and measurements of such leather ammo pouches so one could duplicate them ?

They seem rarer than hen's teeth.

Thanks very much in advance.

[Ron Pier]

Here is one of my pouches with a minimum of repair work. The basic dimensions are as follows. More details can be applied if anyone is serious about making them, please ask.
Hight = 11"
Width = 10"
Depth = 4 1/2"
Bottom of metal bracket = 5" from bottom of pouch
The material is about 1/10" grained Hog Skin or something and the strap is thicker about 3/16" and looks like Cow hide. Ron

[kevin powles]

Ron, you ever straped those bren mag bags to your wartime bike, filled them with beer and gone off road!. A lot of people ebay them as pannier bike bags.

:-)

[chris vickery]

I have heard of these as "bail out boxes". Not 100% sure of the authenticity of this claim but if memory serves, the intent of these was as emergency grab and go kits in the event of the crew having to dismount the vehicle.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by chris vickery

I have heard of these as "bail out boxes". Not 100% sure of the authenticity of this claim but if memory serves, the intent of these was as emergency grab and go kits in the event of the crew having to dismount the vehicle.

The original intent of a Universal carrier was "grab and go" as opposed to acting as a fighting vehicle. The Carrier would drop off the Boyes or the Bren along with suitable quantity of munitions, and the carrier would withdraw to a suitably safe position. Perhaps these bags were an evolution from the steel chests of mags provided for the Bren and Boyes. A chest of loaded Bren mags would have been heavy.

[Lynn Eades]

Chris, Yes they were "bail out bags" The early carriers were not originally supposed to "do battle" They were supposed to deliver the gun crew to a point, drop them and retire. Remember the British army was still having trouble with letting go of lining up in ranks of three, facing a similar enemy 150 yards away.Blitzkrieg left the allies lost for answers.
In saying the above, I don't think the bail out bags came into being until the second half of carrier production.

I took too long to put my post up.

[Ron Pier]

Originally Posted by kevin powles

Ron, you ever straped those bren mag bags to your wartime bike, filled them with beer and gone off road!. A lot of people ebay them as pannier bike bags.

:-)

Yes Kevin. I once saw one on ebay, advertised as a motorcycle pannier bag. The seller seemed quite appreciative when I corrected him and altered his listing accordingly. Ron

[IanK]

If anyone is thinking of making some replacement steel brackets for the backs of the bags I would be interested in buying some, because of the design many have been removed including the one currently on eBay. I have a couple without the brackets but otherwise good.....Talking of which can you still get the copper rivets to fix them on with and if so anyone have a contact?

Thanks, Ian