According to Sawney Beane :
"Norman D. Crow" wrote:


563 Can't definitely state M-1 ammo pouches, but somewhere in the thread
there was discussion about what they connected to, and that would definitely
be the standard military web-belt.

In the photo, one end has a buckle and the other has a loop for a
web belt to pass through. I've found a picture of an M1 rifle belt.
On each side it had a section with five pouches. They were
connected by a length of plain web in back. I've read that the M1
cartridge was about 3", so at 17", the piece in the picture looks
right for the right side of an M1 belt.

I wonder. If each piece with pouches was 17" and there was a
length of web behind, the belt must have been several inches longer
than 34. Wasn't it too big for a lot of soldiers?

I suspect that it was used with a plain web belt (which hooked
into the paired holes on the back), and things like bayonet scabbard and
canteen were slung from that half.

But also, the belt would go outside other garments for quick
access, so in cold weather, the belt would be adjusted significantly
larger.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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