The 1903 Suspenders
The suspenders were originally introduced in 1903 to help offset the heavy load of a cartridge belt with accoutrements. They are made of cotton webbing and featured a somewhat complex design, with one long strap split at both ends with adjusting buckles and a hook on the end of each split. A metal bracket in the middle of the strap accommodate a separate strap which also had an adjusting buckle and a strap on each end. Although the pair shown is not marked, the manufacturer would usually stamp the suspenders with their name and date. Mills and Russell are the most common makers of these suspenders. These suspenders were replaced by the 1907 suspenders but this design most likely saw service into WWI.
Photos courtesy of Jacob Benicewicz
American Militaria Reference
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