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  #1  
Old 13-07-19, 10:15 PM
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Default The Stable Belt in Canadian Use

Good day, this post is prompted by seeing young Richard Law's current endeavours with re-popularizing the Stable Belt (perhaps we can abbreviate to SB in this post) in the Canadian Army. As some of you know, the wear of these belts is not an army wide practice. Some regiments may still have some reference to Stable Belts (SB) in their Regimental Dress Instructions, catechisms and such but I believe that you, the forum-ites probably have as much corporate knowledge as exists anywhere.

I'll start off the discussion. During my 30 years in the Canadian Army 1979-2009 the only SB that I saw, were the REME one's in my father's collection, and anytime that I worked with the British Army or attended course in the UK. Beyond that, I have 2 REME Stable Belts in my collection.

My understanding is that Stable Belts did not appear as a cross Canadian Army piece of kit all at once. They came onto the scene in the WWI time period, their use migrating from the British Army to Canada. In Canadian service, it was introduced in a helter skelter manner, some officers and men acquired them as a privately obtained or purchased item; originally little rhyme or reason or rules surrounded wear of Stable Belts in the Canadian Army. And what about the RCAF and RCN......

Units and Corps adopted Stable Belts in the late 1940's to Korea possible even through to the early 1960's period. As quick as SB came onto the scene, they started to fade from use throughout the 1960's with a hard stop at Unification. Some belts may still have been worn in the early 1970's as there were still a few units, mostly Reserve that had the Bush Uniform and even a smattering of Battledress.

A comment I received from one friend is he knows that his father obtained his SB while serving in the Canadian Brigade in Northern Germany as part of British Army of the Rhine (BAOR).

A quick cursory google produced 4 Canadian hits on the open source internet: our esteemed Richard Law's Bespoke Stable Belts; "Regimental Manual" for the Lord Strathcona's Horse (RC); kitshops of The Black Watch and The Vancouver Gunners 15 Field Regiment (RCA).

My RCEME Blue Beret and Stable Belt below.

I'll throw this subject out there for discussion.....
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File Type: jpg RCEME Beret and Stable Belt.jpg (39.2 KB, 74 views)
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Old 14-07-19, 12:20 PM
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Steve, I have this HLI of C stable belt. It came from the estate of an officer and is attributed to the 1950's.

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Last edited by Bill A; 14-07-19 at 01:52 PM.
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Old 14-07-19, 01:13 PM
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Those posting in this thread are probably aware of the
"Stable Belts of The British Army" site, it shows a small selection of Canadian stable Belts:

http://www.stablebelts.co.uk/
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Old 14-07-19, 01:47 PM
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Thanks Leigh. I was not aware of that site.
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Old 16-07-19, 08:07 AM
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Default HLI of C Stable Belt

Bill, thank you for sharing the picture of your stable belt. It is especially good to have provenance for it.

The other interesting thing about provenance is you can track waist sizes from the past thru to today. I don't have a fighting chance of fitting into the REME/RCEME stable belt that was my fathers, I seem to have grown laterally since I retired from the Army, 32 waist to a variable 36 ish…..

By the number of views, but few responses, am I to take it the subject is out of most of the Canadian forum members field of interest? Maybe I can con Ed to get in on this subject at some point.
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Old 16-07-19, 08:14 AM
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Default "Stable Belts of The British Army"

Hi Leigh, thanks for posting that site, I should have thought of that for my original post. I have seen quite a few sites for current British manufacturers, some of whom have been in business for a long time. Amazing, family businesses doing the same thing since the 1800's....

I wouldn't dare ask any of these companies, but I imagine there are a lot of dust and cobweb covered invoices, contracts and the like, hidden in the dark recesses of their facilities...
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Old 16-07-19, 08:50 AM
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Default Irish Regiment of Canada

An Irish Regiment of Canada stable belt. Shown with a tie and another belt. I believe the earlier stable belts had leather buckles.
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Old 16-07-19, 10:26 AM
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Default Stable Belts

Steve, I don't currently have anything of value to add to this thread.
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Old 17-07-19, 12:16 AM
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Default Kings Own Calgary Regiment

Not the best pic, but a KOCR stable belt
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Old 17-07-19, 10:11 PM
RNeil RNeil is offline
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Default Stable Belt

I have a Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps Stable Belt in my collection. I am under the understanding that they were in use between 1953 and 1961.

RCOC.jpg

Last edited by RNeil; 18-07-19 at 06:04 AM.
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  #11  
Old 24-07-19, 06:40 PM
Young Law Young Law is offline
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What a thrill to see some interest in this topic. Perusing ACIMs I found a number of Regiments still mention stable belts in the Regimental Standing Orders. Among them are, in no particular order:
LdSH(RC)
Communications and Electronics Branch
RHFC
48th Highlanders
The Blackwatch (RHC)
KOCR
Lorne Scots

The LdSH, RHC, and RHFC actually include pictures of the belt in wear with various orders of dress, which I found interesting.

Further to this, The RCR used to mention them in the 1960's Regimental Standing Orders which prompted me to write a brief article about their usage in The Regiment's history. For those interested the article can be found here https://milart.blog/2018/06/10/stabl...dian-regiment/
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