Ammunition Vest

[Ed Storey]

Does anyone know when this Ammunition Vest was used with the Q.F. 25-Pdr?

[rob love]

When they needed ammo brought up to the gun?

Ed, you find the neatest things.

[rnixartillery]

The Ammunition carrier during World War two was a basic continuation from the type used during WWI to carry ammunition to 13/18 pounder gun positions on the front line where access is hindered for limbers and other wheeled transport.
Most WWII ammunition carriers I have seen including the ones in my collection are very early dated so I think it was quite early on in WWII that it was realised the type of front line was going to be very different to that of WWI due to a mechanised force. With this in mind it was apparent there was no need or use for this type of garment rendering obsolete by 1942.

They are a rare find these days

Rob....................rnixartillery.

[Tim Bell]

I have one of those for the 13/18pdr - think 1916 dated, would have to dig it out to be sure.

Tim

[maple_leaf_eh]

God bless the staff officer who thought that one up. However, at least someone was thinking about getting shells from the closest delivery point up to the guns.

[lynx42]

Great find Ed. Next question, Is it available? It would make a great addition to my 25pdr. Please PM me if you decide you do not want it.

Regards Rick.

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

God bless the staff officer who thought that one up. However, at least someone was thinking about getting shells from the closest delivery point up to the guns.

They were lucky a Sapper didn't design it

[David Dunlop]

Wouldn't want to be spotted by a sniper grunting one of those to the guns.

[rob love]

If a gun is within range of a sniper, everyone is already in serious trouble. There is a reason why the artillery is called the 7 mile snipers.

Personally, I think I would rather have had a wagon than that vest. When I used to have to drag batteries or heaters up to the gun line in the winter, I used to use on of the old 100 pound toboggans. It was perfect for that use.

[Tim Bell]

Pic of my ammo vest... 1918 dated... for 13 and 18 pdr



Tim

[Ed Storey]

Here are the other two that I own, both are 1918 dated. The first is for the B.L. 4.5in Howitzer.



The second is for the Q.F. 13 or 18-Pdr.

[Jordan Baker]

Thought I would post up a related item. Picked up a couple of them the other year when they were being disposed of.

I think it is Korean war era up into Vietnam and into the 90's. But I stand to be better educated by those that know more. The markings on it "Bag Ammunition, M2A1 D34951"

[Bob Carriere]

They are for 6 packs.....

Ebay as a few for sale..... St Albert surplus in Alta.

Bob C

[rob love]

I opened up a chest with the 60mm mortar and it's checklist EIS the other day, and it included 3 of those vests, along with one set of the shoulder pads.

[Koos Rauws]

Hallo,
I have never seen these ammunition vests at the battle field. Nor someone who is walking with this vest. The oldest photo I have is from spring1915. I think the vest was very impractical. On film I saw 2 or 4 cartridges carried from the wooden boxes to the limber. The limber had a matrix of cartridge baskets.

On the 1st WW battle field the 18 pdr cartridges were carried by using the ribbons on the clips, fixed on the bottom of the shell casing. Also 4 were fixed on the back of the carrier. see: (sorry, I hope the reference is working this way)

http://www.europeana1914-1918.eu/nl/contributions/15572/attachments/164609?layout=0

Questions:
1 Do anyone have a photo of these vests in use at the front?
2 I am looking for documentatiom to improve my research on this subjet.

When you know someone who wants to sell such a vest (13 & 18 or 25 Pdr), please let me know mail koos.rauws@gmail.com I will be very thankfull!

With kind regards,
Jac. E. Rauws
Berg en Dal
Nederland

[Koos Rauws]

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des photos[/IMG]

Her we see a demo with carriers walking.

[Ed Storey]

Here is an image of one of the statues on the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner in London that I photographed in the spring of 2009.

[Koos Rauws]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

Here is an image of one of the statues on the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner in London that I photographed in the spring of 2009.

Nice photo Ed!
In march 2016 you find my four page article about “De munitiedrager en The Royal Artillery Memorial” in the magazine De Grote Oorlog of the WFA-Nederland, in Dutch, but with many photo’s!

Do you see clear what he is doing with the gasmask bag in alert position?

[Robert Bergeron]

Amazing Ed !