Quote:
Originally Posted by Lang
In keeping with the British having the worst webbing of the mid-20th Century we have this "How to wear your equipment" official photo.
What idiot came up with this idea? What numerous idiots allowed it to become official? The soldier would have to remove his pack and shovel every time he sat down. Every time he climbed a fence the handle would catch on the wire and send him A over T. Who will clean the handle after he dropped his trousers and squatted? Every time he lay down the shovel would smack him on the back of the head. The shovel would prevent him craning his neck to observe his front properly while laying down. The jingle of his helmet against the shovel (that cover would be lost in 5 minutes) would delight the enemy. You can imagine how uncomfortable it would be with the pack pushing the handle into your shoulder blades.
Other photos are how the soldiers improvised some sensible way to carry a shovel without any help from the Army Research Establishment.
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I suspect these comments are your personal opinion and not based on any research given that the British influenced the design and evolution of load carrying equipment for the first half of the twentith century. While no particular webbing set was or is perfect, there has been a continual evaluation of webbing with a look at finding the best fit/balance to meet the needs of the military.
Finding a workable, lightweight infantry shovel has always been a challenge, and while I will agree that the entreching tool adapted by the British for the 1908 and 1937 Patterns was not the best; even the U.S. M1943 folding shovel (which was copied from the Germans) considered to be the superior design, had its limitations. I recall from my time in the army that as good as the current folding shovels were, nothing could top a full-size shovel for digging.
I offer this up for discussion, if the British did have the worst webbing of the mid-twentith century; then I suggest you have a look at the 1942 Pattern Battle Jerkin which is considered to be the predecessor of the modern tactical vest.