5thrangerson Posted November 14, 2019 Share #1 Posted November 14, 2019 Can't seem to find this exact style belt searching. Any help is appreciated. Has klick it style snaps and interior divider straps. No markings on it anywhere that I can see. Leather hanger is riveted. Nothing on the brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Victory Museum Posted November 15, 2019 Share #2 Posted November 15, 2019 You have a M1912 Cartridge Belt that was made by Russell c. 1917-1918. Your belt lacks the hardware for attaching to, and retaining a cavalryman's rifle. Early specimens, olive drab in color and having eagle snaps on its pockets, are very rare. The WWI types, like yours, produced by both Mills and Russell are relatively common. Because your belt is missing its hardware, it's not as desirable to a collector, but it is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thrangerson Posted November 15, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted November 15, 2019 Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberThe5thESB Posted November 15, 2019 Share #4 Posted November 15, 2019 You have a M1912 Cartridge Belt that was made by Russell c. 1917-1918. Your belt lacks the hardware for attaching to, and retaining a cavalryman's rifle. Early specimens, olive drab in color and having eagle snaps on its pockets, are very rare. The WWI types, like yours, produced by both Mills and Russell are relatively common. Because your belt is missing its hardware, it's not as desirable to a collector, but it is what it is. Do you know if these belts were ever used as normal cartridge belts or were they just stored, the unfinished ones anyway. Sent from my SM-J327V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Victory Museum Posted November 15, 2019 Share #5 Posted November 15, 2019 The M1912 cavalry rifle cartridge belt (Cartridge Belt, Caliber .30 Cavalry),like the cavalry M1912 ration bag, were ordered in quantity in anticipationof the eventual entry of the US into Europe's Great War. The equipment boardintended to standardize equipment across the US ground forces, so it made theseprior dedicated cavalry troop accouterments available to infantry regiments, aswell as to cavalry troops. Cavalry were suitable forces for use on the American western frontier; however,against the overlapping fields of fire of German machine guns behind walls ofbarbed wire on the European front, the cavalry were quickly becoming ananachronism. Cavalry troops of the AEF fought dismounted as infantry, so muchof the hastily ordered equipment was re-purposed. The ration bag M1912 wasused by the medical corps, and many can be found with F.H. (Field Hospital),A.C. (Ambulance Corps), or caduceus markings. Many of the WWI produced 1912cavalry cartridge belts, like yours, are found with the hardware removed or never attached, as these belts were likely re-purposed as suitable for training, or issuance to state guards. Do you know if these belts were ever used as normal cartridge belts or werethey just stored, the unfinished ones anyway.These belts were produced by Mills and Russell, and furnished to Rock IslandArsenal where the leather frog, hook component, and rifle ring were attached. A large number of these belts can be found that have never had their hardwareattached. (I have one of those too.) These belts were produced in quantitiesgreater than the number of cavalry troops; therefore, they were likely re-purposedfor training by removing their hardware. There was too much need for these tohave been stored when the equipping of the AEF was creating critical shortagesin domestic training camps.They would not have gone to Europe with the AEF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US Military Guy Posted November 16, 2019 Share #6 Posted November 16, 2019 I am absolutely amazed by the amount of information available here for US military equipment collectors! Thank you, everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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