Here is a really nice Boyt 41 M1928 Pack all assembled with all recommended components (except the C rations). This includes the wool overcoat, raincoat and complete blanket roll down to the underwear and socks. It is a bear to lug to shows because of it's weight, but it is a big khaki attention getter once there. I have suspender pads installed and the shoulder straps adjusted down real tight for easier transport. The pack is filled with clothes, while the manual says it would really be filled with C rations in two rows. But who can afford that many C rats to be buried inside a pack.

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Thanks, now I finally know how to pack my haversack. Does anyone know the purpose is of the 2 D-rings attached to the tail?

These pictures have been taken out of FM21-15, look closely at the fig 10 in pic 3, pack carier suspension D rings are for attachment of the pack suspenders when pack TAIL is used.

The offical line when attaching the overcoat is to use the shelter rope,but a switched on GI may have aquired some straps same as you for ease of attachment.

3rd pic.

In my collection I have a 1941 dated M1928 Haversack manufactured by BOYT.
Intrestingly, it's missing the big U.S. Stencil on the outer flap. How about that?
Could it be USMC? Curious what you have to say about it.

Is the Boyt maked on the back? I think the USMC ones are maked as so inside. I had this conversation with a mate and best we could come up with is they were supplied to pro US countries like the Philippines, etc early in WW2.

There is no USMC stamp inside. On the back of the pack it is dated BOYT 41. Could this gear also have been issued to US troops going abroad?

Boyt Harness Co., Des Moines, Iowa had two Army QMC contracts in 1941 for haversacks:

W-431 QM-05098 $537k July 41 completed Oct 41
W-431 QM-00075 $529k Aug 41 completed Jan 42

The Army got alot of haversacks, marked U.S. or not, for 1.66 million dollars. There was also two contracts for pack carriers totaling $136,000.

In 1942 Boyt had contracts for haversacks totaling 1.548 million dollars.

Note that contracts intended for lend lease had an "L" suffix and it is known some of these items were marked "U.S."

Is there any evidence of British Made M1928 Haversacks being used frequently in the ETO ?

As with any of the British-made gear, it was specifically made for use in the ETO, judging by the fact that you can find them in used condition, then they were used for definite.

Ah, but the usual question then applies, how early were they seen?

From what I've seen on period photographs and battlefield picked up items I would say that the BM items were used in the ETO from D-Day onwards. They were probably issued to US troops in preparation for D-Day and used throughout the remainder of WW2. I have yet to see evidence of its use 'en masse' by troops in Italy or Southern France.

One thing about British-made gear obviously the "6-month rule" doesn't apply when talking about production to reaching the front lines, since it wasn't being shipped across the Atlantic.

There's plenty of British-made equipment dated 1943, so it shouldn't be an issue to assume that some units had it prior to D-Day. The 82nd are certainly seen with British-made equipment in Normandy.

Do you have any evidence of its use by the 82AB in Italy?

I think it was mainly issued to troops training for the invasion during winter 43-44 in Britain.

It would make sense for it to be mainly used by units who were stationed in Britain before going to the continent, rather than those shipped straight from the US.

I would think that you're quite correct in that assumption Johan.

This guy is wearing a Brit-made M1928 haversack. I can also post a picture of a paratrooper inside a C-47 with a Brit-made musette bag.

Took me a little bit of close peering at that photo to work out how you knew that!

British-made M36 Suspenders and Musette Bags are quite common in the 82nd and 101st. They then to be the most obvious British-made items that you can spot in photos as well. It's harder to spot Brit-made First Aid Pouches with the Newey-studded flap, but they are there.

The Special Warfare Museum in Fayettesville, NC (just outside Ft Bragg) has the British made Musette bag carried by CAPT - COL (later GEN) William P. Yarborough. There is a better than even chance this one was in Italy or Southern France.

Sunday afternoon produced this set of field gear from my box of Pandora in the attic. Items I bought as a boy from Dutch surplus stores in the late 70´s for very little money. Not hampered by any knowledge I bought and assembled pieces of field gear with a nice "US" stamp on them. All very lightly used, if at all.

My research has identified the items as being:

Belt, Cartridge, Cal .30, Dismounted, M-1923
By Boyt. Can´t read the year of manufacture.

Haversack, M-1928
Boyt 1941

Pouch, Meatcan, M-1928.
Can´t find maker or date.

Carrier, Pack, M-1928
Pack tail by American Leather Products Corp 1941

I would be interested to know if there is a way to date the cartidge belt and to identify the maker and date of the meatcan pouch.

Is there any other information on the items that you would like to share?

By the way: it will go back in Pandora´s box and won´t be on eBay next week.

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Your cartridge belt looks OD3 colour so you can have an idea of the year looking at buckle material, brass until mid 1942 about and light alloy after. In late 1943 they shifted to OD7 colour.