Austro Hungarian Webbing

[aircav]

Does any one know what the webbing looks like from the back?

Is it a 'Y' the same as German webbing?

[Ray Earle]

Could be. 

In general I don't think the A/H bothered much with webbing prefering to wear the ammunition pouches on the belt.

Most of the time I've seen any in webbing it's in conjunction with wearing a pack, so the back is covered. However I think (if I remember) that some A/H troops were equipped by the Germans, so it wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility.

[Plynkes]

It was generally leather rather than webbing, though I have seen a few pictures where webbing shoulder straps are attached to the leather belt (I think those are part of the late-war backpack when leather was getting scarce).

I may be wrong but I don't think either the Germans or Austrians had the Y arrangement at this time (or if they did it was uncommon, like in the different equipment ski troops had for example). I believe any shoulder straps you see are part of the backpack arrangement. Almost always on photos when there is no backpack there are no shoulder straps.

[aircav]

As far as I Know Germans did where the Y strap in WW1, Thats what they fit the assault pack to if i remember right, I've seen a picture somewhere. 

I know that Schipperfabrik sells them to re-enactors (not that that is proof) & has an explaination but nothing on the Austrians 

http://www.schipperfabrik.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=117_118_128&products_id=294

Thanks for the replies 

[Plynkes]

Thanks for the link. "Worn by pioneers, storm troopers and assault troops." So I was right in thinking they weren't worn by everybody as a matter of course, at least.

[Plynkes]

Not sure how useful this is to you but I'll post it anyway on the offchance.



Late war the Austrian backpack is rather different. A big baggy canvas rucksack-like thing.

[aircav]

Cheers for that 

[Helen]

Looking through my book "La Guerra Italo Austriaca 1915-1918" covering uniforms equipment etc I found a picture of the webbing. There is a Y strap at the back. It looks similar to the Germans, but I don't see the ring that supports the back strap connecting to the two shoulder straps. From the many photos of AH troops they seem to despense with the harness. The bread bag can be supported by the belt or flung over the shoulder with its own shoulder strap. The canteen has a shoulder strap too.

Cheers,

Helen

[al will]

I reenact late WWI (1916-1918) as a German soldier. The German infantry soldier was not issued Y strap in the First World War, only Calvary units issued Y straps. The front straps seen on German soldiers are the leather straps of a backpack which hook onto a brass ring on the back of the ammo pouches wore on the belt. If the backpack is not being worn the German infantryman looped the heavy cloth strap from the bread bag behind the neck and hooked onto the ammo pouches to support the weight of the ammo pouches. The Austro-Hungarian infantry soldier wore a backpack which attached to the ammo pouches like the Germans. When not wearing the backpack the ammo pouches just hung on the belt.

For photo references I recommend http://www.great-war-assoc.org/ and click on the GWA UNITS link. Most of the units post reenactment photos on our unit sites and we of the GWA pride ourself in being as accurate in uniform and equipment as possible. Be sure to check out the 63. K.u.K. Infanterie-Regiment site for Austro-Hungarian info.

Hope this helps