WWI M1910 Cartridge Belt, Dismounted ("MILLS, May 1918") EXC+++

Description: WWI M1910 Cartridge Belt, Dismounted, 10-pocket ("MILLS, May 1918") EXC+++ Not sure that this piece of gear was ever used! the Connecting Strap appears to have been adjusted, but otherwise the ONLY evidence of use/age consists of (1) a certain dustiness/dinginess to the Mustard-Khaki webbing and (2) a 1/8" inch dot of white paint on the reverse side of the left section! That's it. This is the 'woven' 10-pocket M1910 Cartridge Belt with the correct features of a "MILLS" Belt with the "pre-December-1918" woven pocket construction and the "Lift-the-Dot" Fasteners which replaced the "Eagle" Snaps, indicative of "post-March-1917" manufacture. The canvas used for the Flaps is a slightly lighter shade than the woven Pockets themselves. This is the Belt that would have issued to"Blackjack" Pershing's A.E.F. and to troops during the inter-war period of the Banana Wars, as well as to mobilized State Guard units in the early months of WWII (despite the introduction of the newer M1923 Cartridge Belt in the Light Shade OD#3 canvas web). In fact, boldly and legibly stamped on the underside of the first Pocket Flaps of both the Right section and the Left section is a "MAY, 1918" date which reads,MAY, 1918 MILLS (inside the 'Bullet' outline logos)PAT. JULY 16 '07MAY 18 1915The 2-1/4 inch web Connecting Strap with the blackened brass End Tips with the 'claws' is also stamped, vertically, with same date and the MILLS 'Bullet' outline logos:MAY, 1918 MILLS (inside the 'Bullet' outline logos)+ ZERO problems to note regarding the finish on the large blackened bronze 'T-Buckle' the blackened brass "Lift-the-Dot" Fasteners, Eyelets, and the two Adjustable 'Ladder' Buckles (for the Connecting Strap), and the blackened brass End Tips with the 'claws,' are each in NEAR PERFECT condition.+ ZERO fraying, "creasing" of the pocket flaps, significant soiling, rifle grease/rust stains, sun-fading, mildew-spotting, loose stitching, personalized markings or stenciling of names or unit designation! + This belt was manufactured with NO interior web-tape Retention Straps for the 5-round ammunition clips for the 1903 Springfield service rifle. *****Time-frame of this Belt's manufacture: The U.S. Army participated in several campaigns in May 1918 during World War I, including the: Battle of CantignyOn May 28, 1918, the 28th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 1st Division attacked the German-held French village of Cantigny, about 70 miles north of Paris. The battle was a carefully planned assault that lasted for an hour, with American and French artillery bombarding German positions before French tanks moved through the smoke. The victory at Cantigny was the first major American battle and offensive of the war, and it helped boost morale among the Allies and regain the initiative from the German Ludendorff Offensive. Aisne campaignFrom May 27–June 5, 1918, the Germans launched a major attack on the Chemin des Dames, a stretch of land along the Aisne River that was difficult but well-defended. The Germans hoped to draw Allied reserves away from the British sector in preparation for a final attempt to destroy the British Army. The French and British defenders were caught off guard and their positions were quickly overrun along a 40-mile front. *****The U.S. Army M1910 Pattern Combat Equipment Web BeltThe M1910 Web Belt is more than 100 years old. If it was well done, why change it?This article appears in: Warfare History Network, August 2012By Peter SuciuThe American combat soldier today looks quite a bit different from his ancestor of 100 years ago. Besides the style of uniform, which now features a digital camouflage pattern to blend into desert surroundings, the fabrics today are far more breathable than the heavy wool that was worn when American soldiers went “Over There” in World War I. Helmets, boots, and small arms have also evolved. But one piece of gear has remained unchanged into the modern day—the combat equipment, or web, gear. Modern combat equipment is still very much a direct descendant of the M1910 pattern that was worn into the trenches and beyond.Most nations in the 19th century issued leather belts, leather cartridge pouches, and leather packs to their soldiers. This was expensive to produce and, worse yet for the soldier, heavy and stiff. The leather had to be polished regularly because it was prone to drying out and cracking. It also tended to cause brass cartridges to corrode after prolonged contact, which was good for neither the ammunition nor the cartridge pouches. As the Germans discovered during the Allied blockade of World War I, such equipment required a steady supply of raw leather to produce. Given the demand for leather boots, belts, and gear, the Germans resorted to creating ersatz materials, notably when it came to the leather pickelhaubes, or spiked helmets.While the Germans were facing leather shortages, the U.S. Army was already outfitted with canvas web gear. Partly because of the harsh terrain of the American West and partly as a money-saving effort, the Army had looked for a replacement for leather pouches. The first result was the adoption of the Mills cartridge belt in 1880, which was made of dark-blue machine-woven web. This was followed by the addition of the M1885 equipment, which included a khaki canvas haversack and a round, stamped-metal, cloth-covered canteen. This was the beginning of the American combat equipment that we know today.The Mills belt remained in service during the Spanish-American War, and it was in the tropical climates of Cuba and the Philippines that the need heightened for a new combat gear system. Instead of a whole new system being devised and introduced, what followed was a series of slow improvements, most of them piecemeal. “The 1903 system is really the birth of the modern combat system,” says Scott Kraska of Bay State Militaria. “This follows with the M1910, when it was expanded and becomes a full set as opposed to pieces of equipment.”The big change came not only because of a call for new material but also because the United States military had adopted a new rifle, the Model 1903 Springfield, which was fed with stripper clips of five rounds, where previous rifles were loaded a single bullet at a time. The need for a new belt was partly because of a new rifle. “In essence the United States Army needed equipment that was more practical,” adds Kraska. “The earlier belts had no flaps and the ammunition could fall out, and since the bullets were individual loops in the heat or dryness, it could be hard to get the bullets in and they often stuck when you were trying to get them out.” About that time, the Army conducted studies on the equipment load its soldiers carried. One important consideration was the energy required for soldiers to carry their loads and how many calories were burned on a daily basis as a result. By lessening the burden, the Army determined, it would increase the greater fighting potential of the average soldier. Efforts were made to make his load as light as possible.The resultant 1910 Infantry System would come into use for the next 50 years. The new M1910 cartridge belt featured 10 pouches for the Springfield .30-caliber ammunition. A variation of the belt was produced with stacked two-cell pockets for pistol cartridges, while another version was produced for revolver cartridges. The belts were made almost entirely of khaki webbing, with the few leather items produced in russet brown. The early M1910 pattern features snap fasteners bearing in relief the U.S. coat of arms, as did uniform buttons. All items were designated M1910.The first major addition to the M1910 system was new equipment for mounted troops. Introduced in 1913 as the M1912, the equipment featured items carried specifically on the saddle. The infantry’s equipment was introduced a year later as the M1914; together these were known as the M1912/14 Cavalry Equipment. The biggest notable difference between the infantry version and the cavalry model was that the infantry’s cartridge belt was split at the back with a gap between the cartridge pouches. Five were worn on each side around the hips. The cavalry model featured nine cartridge pouches running from the middle of the back to the front, along with an additional two pistol-specific pouches on the left side. Additionally, the standard-issue leather pistol holster remained in use throughout both world wars.To collectors today the webbing system is universally known as the M1910, but the true 1910 pattern is a little different from what followed. “To a casual observer and even to the Army at the time it was the same,” says Jeff Shrader of Advanced Guard Militaria. But collectors note the subtle differences with the M1910 and the World War I-era M1917/18 equipment. “This was a time of great change in color, construction details, and hardware fittings,” notes Shrader. “Basically, as we geared up for the AEF, contractors went to simplified and more robust fittings and heavier material in some cases.”Shrader points out that the U.S. Army did not hesitate, however, to continue use of the older equipment, and this has led to some confusion today. “You see plenty of period photos of doughboys in France wearing the early ‘eagle snap’ gear,” Shrader says, noting the significant difference between the M1910 and the improved 1917 version. The 1910 version did feature the eagle snaps, but this was expensive to produce and resulted in the snaps corroding and tearing off. The new M1917/18 system utilized a “lift-the-dot” fastener, a large egg-shaped “doughnut” snap that fastened to a metal stud and was less prone to jamming by mud. It replaced the smaller snap fastener on most items manufactured after March 1917.This has led to confusion about what truly constitutes the M1910 belt. “Generally, the M1910 belt is what it is called,” says Kraska, “at least by collectors. It was used throughout World War II. There are plenty of differences over the years.” Experts agree that this was the first truly practical equipment. “It used wire loops to affix things to, so the belts have plenty of holes to attach equipment,” notes Kraska, “and this meant soldiers could wear it in many configurations.”...One of the more subtle changes to the various belts over the years was the buckle system. The original system had larger openings and featured curves with a “T” closure system. Gradually this changed to a tighter bend in the metal, and finally to more a reinforced metal buckle in 1936. Interestingly, the color of the belts also changed over time. The original belts were produced in a khaki color that faded to a light tan, but when American forces arrived in France in 1917 they wore green belts, although many earlier tan belts were issued as well. In the postwar years the belts went back to khaki and then back to green in 1943....

Price: 187.5 USD

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-10-01T22:39:06.000Z

Shipping Cost: 15.85 USD