Behind the Times:
As the stalemate on the Western Front continued, the various nations involved attempted to break the stalemate in any way possible. The ongoing arms race that occurred from 1914 to the Armistice in 1918 provided wonders such as armored tanks and aeronautical combat. One of the more overlooked advancements were the improvements upon the single shot, bolt action rifles that were utilized by every nation.
When the United States declared war on the Central Powers in 1917, the Allied Nations looked forward to the fresh troops and supplies that would be arriving to the beleaguered soldiers that had been serving on Western Front. American troops were rushed into combat with any supplies that could be salvaged from existing British and French forces. To fill the crew served weapons role, many American units were supplied the French Chauchat machine gun. The Chauchat had an abysmal combat record and was not well received by US troops.
American Expeditionary Force Soldier demonstrating the new Browning Automatic Rifle and specialized belt for “walking fire”. Circa Nov. 1918. (Images courtesy of the Imperial War Museum).
Out with the Old in with the New:
At this same time, renowned American firearms designer John Moses Browning began work on an Automatic Rifle, chambered in .30-06, the same standardized round as the 1903 Springfield. This design was intended to replace the Chauchat and the M1909 Benet-Mercie machine guns. The new Browning Automatic Rifle was designed to provide a more maneuverable “walking field of fire”. This new premise required specialized equipment to assist the gunner in this task. To support this new concept the canvas webbed belt was modified to hold the enclosed magazines, as well as a leather and metal cup on the firing side of the gunner, to support the buttstock of the BAR. Multiple models of the BAR belts were produced but were not widely distributed before the Armistice in 1918. This was based on the fear that fielding the BAR too soon might result in a better, more efficient version being produced by the German military. By the end of the war, 75% of United States Divisions were still using the Chauchat. The first BAR saw combat issuance in September of 1918, and by the war’s end 85,000 BARs would be constructed.
M-1918 BAR Gunner's Belt
The standard BAR gunner team was equipped with different webbed belts to assist in their specific task. The Model 1918 gunner belt had the specialized metal cup along with ammunition pouches, and a two magazine pouch for the Colt 1911 sidearm. The assistant gunner’s belt had four BAR ammo pouches, along with four pouches for the 1903 Springfield (the inside would be stenciled 2nd Assistant). The rifleman would typically carry a bandoleer of additional magazines along with their standard issue belt.
American Militaria Reference
Disclaimer
All material on this Website, including design, text, images, and logos, are owned by AMR, either through copyright or trademark, unless otherwise indicated. All rights are reserved by AMR. Content may not be copied, reproduced, transmitted, distributed, downloaded or transferred in any form or by any means without AMR’s prior written consent, and with express attribution to AMR. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law subject to criminal and civil penalties.