Haversack Mk.I

Dimensions (mm): Width: 260 Depth: 70 Height: 215

The Mk.I Haversack was originally issued in 1916 for use with the Small Box Respirator.

It consisted of two compartments, the right hand one for the respirator container, the left one for the facepeiece and the anti-dim, which was carried loose. Sewn to the bottom of the right compartment was a wire platform that prevented the air inlet of the container from becoming shut off. (Shown below).

In the centre of the shoulder sling was a brass stud, which could be engaged with a hole in a leather tab on the left side of the haversack. This enabled the sling to be shortened rapidly to allow the haversack to be worn high up on the chest in the "alert" position.

A pair of square D-rings and a length of whipcord allowed the haversack to be secured to the body.

The haversack was altered slightly for mounted troops; the leather tab was removed and sewn halfway along the sling. The left hand end of the sling was also unstitched and reattached just above the left D-ring, the brass stud being removed from the sling altogether. The left hand end-flap was sewn over the left end of the main flap. These modifications allowed the haversack to be worn at an angle on the back, with the leather tab engaging a button on the jacket to keep the respirator in place.

The Mk.I haversack remained in service well into the 1930's; it is shown being used with the Mk.IV General Service Respirator in the 1935 edition of Air Raid Precautions Handbook No.2, and is also described as late as 1939 in the amended reprint of Defence Against Gas 1935 .

Haversack Mk.V

Dimensions (mm): W: 290 D: 90 H: 230

(Note: Mills gives dimensions of 240, 80 and 210 mm - why this example is larger is not known.)

With the introduction of the General Service Respirator (designed to meet the needs of all the fighting services), a universal haversack was also required.

The Mk.V was of the same format as the Mk.I but allowed for different methods of wearing without modification such as was previously required for mounted troops. The Mk.V was also larger (to accommodate the larger General Service Respirator and container) and had an extra pocket at the rear, which was intended to contain anti-gas gloves. The wire platform from the Mk.I was retained for use with the Type 'A' training container, and removed upon mobilisation and issue of the Type 'E' container. The addition of a small fabric loop in the facepiece compartment prevented the cylindrical anti-dim tube from rattling loose in the haversack.

British military drill had two basic methods of carrying the respirator: worn on the hip in the "slung" position (haversack put on over field equipment), or high up on the chest in the "alert" position.

The shoulder sling was adjusted for length for the "slung" position using two sliding buckles, making sure that the eyeletted tab was equally placed between them.

When using the "alert" position before a gas alarm was given, the haversack was held up on the chest and the sling allowed to drop down the back. The whipcord was then passed through the right hand loop, up through the sling, then down through the left loop and tied. This pulled the long sling down the back, effectively shortening it. This "alert" position was used when the haversack was worn underneath the field equipment.

If the haversack was in the "slung" position when the gas alarm was given, to save having to shorten the sling or attempt the 'leisurely' "alert" position, the eyelet in the tab was engaged with the hook to shorten the sling, and the whipcord simply tied around the body. This was known as the "alternative alert" position.

For mounted troops (whose "slung" position was to carry the haversack on the back) there was a small loop of cord sewn to the sling, and the left end of the shoulder sling could be unhooked from its D-ring and fitted to the left hand whipcord D-ring. With the haversack then worn at an angle on the back, the cord loop could then be fitted over any convenient jacket button to stop the respirator from sliding off the back and to the side.

Haversack Mk.VI

Dimensions (mm): W: 260 D: 85 H: 250

The Mk.VI haversack came into being following the introduction of extra items of equipment such as anti-gas eyeshields and ointment that were intended to be carried with the respirator. The haversack therefore needed extra pockets to stow them properly where they would not interfere with respirator drill or become lost or damaged.

Using the Mk.V as the basis for the new design, the location of the new pockets proved problematic, as all three services could not completely agree on the best configuration.

Porton Down produced four prototype designs and displayed them at a meeting of representatives from all three services in January 1939.

One design had an ointment/eyeshield pocket on the side of the haversack, and while this was preferred by the Navy and RAF, the Army objected because it made the haversack too deep when worn in the "alert" position.

The next two designs involved an external double pocket on the front of the haversack, with and without the Mk.V's internal glove pocket respectively.

The Navy and RAF objected to the omission of the glove pocket, as it was universally used to stow the extra long hoses of the Mk.IVa/Mk.Va Respirators, which otherwise would not fit into the haversack. The final design put forward was 2.5cm higher in order to accommodate the longer hoses, and though both the Navy and RAF accepted this solution, the design was scuppered because again, the Army rejected it.

It came down to the Army's acceptance of the third design, which had double external pockets and retained the glove pocket. The other services declared the design as "possible but not altogether favoured", but faced with the choice of forcing two seperate designs into production, they relented and accepted what became the Haversack Mk.VI.

When worn, the new pockets were on the outside of the haversack under a seperate flap, and allowed quick and easy access to the eyeshields (wearer's left pocket) and ointment (right). Both pockets ran the full height of the haversack, that for the ointment able to hold either a 2-oz jar or tubes carried in a flat tin. However, the ointment pocket was too deep, but this minor problem was solved with the Mk.VII haversack. (See below).

The Mk.VI was essentially identical to the Mk.V, but the sling was fully detachable, probably allowing easy conversion to the Mk.VIa configuration (see below). The methods of carriage were otherwise identical.

There seem to be several minor variations of the Mk.VI; it appears that three vents were to be fitted into the floor of the haversack, but as the photo shows, single- and double-vented configurations exist.

Colours vary from khaki to olive green, and later production examples have non-detachable slings and use alloy rings as used with the Mk.VII haversack, and may indicate production cross-over between the two types.

Haversack Mk.Vc

Dimensions (mm): W: 255 H: 245

Once the design of the Mk.VI haversack had been agreed upon, it was decided to modify existing Mk.V haversacks to basic Mk.VI standard. It was not deemed worth trying to undertake similar retrospective modifications to the earlier haversacks, and so these were finally withdrawn.

The modification simply entailed sewing an extra pair of pockets (shown at right, unused) for the anti-gas eyeshields and ointment onto the front of the Mk.V haversack, the modified haversack being known as the Mk.Vc. Confusingly, this set of pockets is narrower and shorter than the Mk.V haversack shown above - see the note concerning the dimensions.

Haversack Mk.VIa

The Mk.VIa haversack was for use with the General Service Respirators with extra long hoses.

The only difference between the Mk.VIa and ordinary Mk.VI haversack was the placement of the S-hook on the sling slide and the use of a belt instead of the whipcord. The whipcord was still fitted as standard, however.

The S-hook's new position on the sling enabled it to engage an eyeletted tab fitted to the hose, keeping it close to the body and reducing the hose's pull on the facepiece, as seen at left.

The photo at right shows an RAF haversack, showing how the glove pocket was used to stow the extra-long hose. This haversack is actually marked 'VIa'.

The belt was of sling material, fitted with a standard 1937 pattern belt buckle and hooked to the whipcord D-rings.

There was a corresponding version of the Mk.V haversack, known as the Mk.Va.

Haversack Mk.VII

Dimensions (mm): W: 270 D: 85 H: 250

The Mk.VII haversack was introduced in 1940 to simplify the design and economise on materials and production processes. Despite being slightly wider than the Mk.VI (to accommodate facepieces fitted with microphones), the Mk.VII used less fabric and fewer metal fittings.

The green fabric was stiffer than that previously used, and helped the haversack to retain a more uniform box-shape. Some examples of the Mk.VII have been seen in the khaki fabric used for the MK.VI, though.

The shoulder sling was permanently fixed at both ends to the haversack using light alloy rings. The two adjustable slides and whipcord loop were retained, but the eyeletted tab and S-hook were discarded. It appears that the hook was originally intended to be fitted to the slide for all services to use, but it seems that in the event, no hooks were fitted. It's not certain if S-hooks were fitted to the slide for use with Mk.IVa/Mk.Va respirators, however.

The whipcord arrangement was also simplified; the cord was now replaceable, and stowed in a small pocket on the left side of the haversack. The D-rings were replaced by a simple whipcord loop on the left, and a large alloy button around which the cord could be wound to secure the haversack against the body. The button system was still being used on S6 Respirator haversacks well into the 1990's. The belt issued with the Mk.Va/Mk.VIa Haversacks for Navy/RAF use was discontinued and the whipcord used as the sole means of securing the haversack.

The pocket arrangement was revised; those for the anti-gas eyeshields and ointment were now inside the main haversack under one flap. This modification saved the material and production time used for a second flap as well as two brass snap-fasteners. The ointment pocket was reduced in depth by sewing across it, thereby preventing the tin slipping to the bottom of the haversack, making it harder to remove. The glove pocket was retained next to the wearer's body, seen at left with a gas detector arm brassard in it.

An extra pocket was included to accommodate the new Mk.VI anti-dim, issued in a circular tin. The pocket was situated at the top of the haversack between the respirator compartments and the eyeshield/ointment pockets, making it easier to locate the anti-dim. A length of cord was supplied to tie to a metal loop in the tin lid to prevent loss and facilitate quick removal from the haversack.

One final modification concerned the brass vents in the haversack floor; the Mk.VI used between one and three (see above), and although it was originally intended that the Mk.VII should have none, two were incorporated into the final design.

References

• Mills, J. British Gas Masks, 1939-45 part 2 pp44-48 in Militaria Magazine (English) No.8 September 1994
• WO 188/415 - Development of Respirator Haversacks