Australian WWI Enfield Bandolier

WWI .303 Cloth Bandolier

This is an Australian-made cloth bandolier from the last year of the First World War, built to carry ready rifle ammunition for the .303 Lee-Enfield. It is a strip of khaki twill divided into five stitched pockets, slung across the body on a single fabric strap. A rifleman could load quickly from his chest without opening pouches on his belt. Collectors of Australian and Commonwealth militaria want these, and WWI reenactors use them to complete an Enfield-era kit.

Features

• Five-Pocket Layout — Vertical stitch lines divide the body into five pockets sized for .303 rounds held in chargers, the five-round metal clips used to load the Lee-Enfield's magazine.
• Khaki Twill Fabric — The bandolier is sewn from a tightly woven khaki cloth with a visible diagonal weave, the same type of material used on issue kit of the period.
• Integral Shoulder Strap — A long folded-and-stitched fabric strap runs from end to end, so the bandolier is worn diagonally over one shoulder.
• Melbourne Maker Stamp — Examples carry the stamp of E.O. Belyea, Melbourne, with the year 1918 and the word AUSTRALIA.
• Government Broad Arrow — The broad arrow mark, used to identify government property, appears among the stamps.
• Dated Inspection Mark — A small stamp along the top edge reads J.P. with a date of 11 6 18, placing manufacture in June 1918.
• Postwar Ammunition Stamps — Later ink stamps read 50 BALL .303 MARK VII with dates such as 16-12-46, showing these bandoliers were reused to pack Mark VII ball ammunition after the war.
• Wire Pocket Fastener — A small copper wire hook is fitted at the pocket line to hold the contents in place.

Melbourne-Made, 1918

Each bandolier was made in Australia in 1918 for the .303 British cartridge used in the Lee-Enfield rifle. Its second life is printed on the cloth: postwar stamps record it being refilled with 50 rounds of Mark VII ball for issue and storage. That layered history of wartime manufacture and later ammunition packing is what sets genuine issue apart from a modern copy. Stamp placement, ink colors and dates vary from one bandolier to the next.