Trying to figure out if it is a blue, white or khaki holster and lanyard. It's a nice one that has not been shaved and needs one for display. Thanks
Trying to figure out if it is a blue, white or khaki holster and lanyard. It's a nice one that has not been shaved and needs one for display. Thanks
The Navy had a penchant for whitening all of their webbing for some reason. Even on the RN/RAN/RNZN officered inshore/coastal patrol boats that used to patrol the straits of Malacca and right up into the S-China sea had white webbing. Not whitened as in whitened of course but just left to bleach in the sea water and sun. So I'd say it'd be like that in real life on the ships. Mind you, if your man was the Orderly Officer, who'd just fallen out of the Officers Mess at 5 to 10 to inspect the night guard before retiring - back to the Officers Mess bar - it'd be gleaming white!
Thanks Peter have seen several movies where they were wearing RAF blue. So the white is bleached not painted? Any idea if actual white holsters and webbing were actually made?
I have a 1952 Canadian made Inglis Hi-Power 2nd pattern holster in new condition. It's white. Made for MP use I think. I've never seen any other white web gear that's not blanco'd or painted. I was under the impression the RN used regular khaki webbing.
Go to karkeeweb site and enter undyed in search box. Shows P1919 Naval web gear undyed.
All this different colour webbing nonsense ended in the early 70's when Sir Derek Rayner got to grips with the stupidity of the RAF having a blue/grey colour webbing. I mean, whatever were they thinking.......? Did they think that they'd have to use their webbing in the sky? They even used to purchase vehicles in the same colour........... to use on the land! Defies belief doesn't it. Same as the Navy. Whjte webbing that would stand out anywhere except perhaps in the North Atlantic around Greenland. Their vehicles were dark blue so that they would be camouflaged in a typically dark blue landscape found around the dockyards of Portsmouth and Plymouth! Nope, he said that webbing was webbing and that it'd all be khaki. Same as vehicles...... khaki and any vehicle that was unlikely to go to war, such as mini-vans and cars etc etc wouldcome in the usual commercial colours.
Our too when we went to unification. Unfortunately, it was taken a bit too far but eventually we swam out of it. It was just as silly here...Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
FWIW, this USN experience, not RAN, Vietnam era, Master At Arms pistol belts on board ship were bleached by scrubbing with galley scouring powder and sea water. The GI scouring powder had an oxygen bleach in it to kill mold and was low abrasive feldspar, so as to be non-scratching on brass hardware, similar to the civilian product Bon Ami