Queen's Westminster & Civil Service Rifles Cross Belt

[orasot]

Good Evening All,
Does anyone happen to know when plastic was first used for cross belts? I recently won this lovely belt at auction & would like to know when it was first used if possible, many thanks in advance,
Wilf
P.S One worn in this photo by Major Knight

[Paul Spellman]

Hi Wilf,
I can't help with the date when this Belt was first worn but I can say that fake/faux leather type materials which could of been given a patent leather look have been around since the 1920's. Nitrocellulose (also used in bullets) (BANG!) was added to a material usually cotton to get the leather effect.
Paul

[Mike H]

Fantastic belt !!!

[grenadierguardsman]

Originally Posted by orasot

Good Evening All,
Does anyone happen to know when plastic was first used for cross belts? I recently won this lovely belt at auction & would like to know when it was first used if possible, many thanks in advance,
Wilf
P.S One worn in this photo by Major Knight

Lovely item, outstanding quality as expected.
Andy

[leigh kitchen]

I have a RMP white PVC crossbelt with black PVC pouch which was issued during the 1970's (I say pvc, they're of a thick "rubbery plastic".
White PVC waistbelts were on trial in the mid 1970's.

[Jelly Terror]

Lovely acquisition Wilf.

I wonder why/how it was decided that the PoW Feathers would constitute the pouch badge, as opposed to the portcullis or a combination of both, as per collars and central device of the amalgamated regiments’ badge?

9DF3D264-B792-49C8-98AA-6649E8FBB5C5.jpg

Thanks for posting,

JT

[leigh kitchen]

Could it be that officers of the constituent regiments were allowed to retain their old units insignia?
Or was a standard pattern adopted.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Could it be that officers of the constituent regiments were allowed to retain their old units insignia?
Or was a standard pattern adopted.

That thought crossed my mind, but I’ve not seen other examples. You worded it infinitely better than I would’ve been able to, Leigh.

JT

[magpie]

Perhaps the cap badge being of the Westminsters design played part in deciding to use the POF for the pouch to give some sort of balance to the two battalions/regiments past identities.
A very nice belt and badges you have

[orasot]

Thanks for the replies lads, I wondered if as the cap badge & the cross belt badge were more based on the cross like the original 16th badge that they gave 15th their fair share with the pouch badge? Never seen anything different either JT!!
Wilf

[orasot]

Posting at the same time Magpie !!!

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by magpie

Perhaps the cap badge being of the Westminsters design played part in deciding to use the POF for the pouch to give some sort of balance to the two battalions/regiments past identities.
A very nice belt and badges you have

Originally Posted by orasot

Thanks for the replies lads, I wondered if as the cap badge & the cross belt badge were more based on the cross like the original 16th badge that they gave 15th their fair share with the pouch badge? Never seen anything different either JT!!
Wilf

Also, the amalgamated unit was designated as the ‘16th’, which in itself might be considered a slight bias in favour of the Westminsters.

JT