Is This An SS Pouch?

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 04 Jul 2002 23:14

I was given this pouch as a gift around 15 years ago, but am not certain as to its origins. One gentleman suggested it might be a pouch used by the SS, possibly assembled by ghetto laborers. It has no tags in it whatsoever, and you can judge for yourself about the workmanship from the photos below.

It measures approximately 22 x 30 centimeters. It has two large pockets inside and a narrow pocket on either side. Note that the leather straps are hard with age, and have a lot of cracking. The cover flap has the camouflage pattern.

Any comments about the origins of this pouch and what it was used for are very much welcome.

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 04 Jul 2002 23:18

Here are a few more views of the pouch. Above, I posted the camouflage cover flap, the reverse of the pouch, and a close up of the handle. Below, please find the interior of the pouch flap, a picture of one of the two narrow side pockets, and the bottom of the pouch. Thank you.

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 05 Jul 2002 15:29

Here are a few more pictures: Close ups of the fabric and leather so you can see the texture. Do you have any clues about this item?

Kurasier · Post by **Kurasier** » 05 Jul 2002 19:05

Hi,
this item was used by the austrian army in the sexties.
Its not a SS pouch.
Christoph

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 05 Jul 2002 19:12

Thanks for your reply. The camouflage pattern is unfamiliar to me, and it has been suggested to me it was an SS item but I never knew for certain.

As I wrote above, I received it as a gift, and didn't have anything invested in it, but I have long wondered about its origins. I trusted that someone in here would know. The pouch shows incredible wear and disintegration of the leather. I thought it would be at least from the early 1950s.

Can you tell me what this relatively small, multi-pocket item was used for, and if similar items were used by the military of the Third Reich? Thanks

Benjamin Fanjoy · Post by **Benjamin Fanjoy** » 05 Jul 2002 19:42

The material should be a dead give away, its way to "new" looking.

sylvieK4 · Post by **sylvieK4** » 05 Jul 2002 20:42

Well, there is a great deal of wear on the item, rusting marks on the cloth, frayed edgings, heavy corrosion on various gromets, age-hard and cracked leather straps and attachments, etc. It is certainly not something from recent decades (i.e. it was likely not constructed within at least the last 30 years or so). For the past 15 years I've kept it in a box among moth balls and such where it has been protected from insects and elements. The camouflage pattern, however, was always a puzzle to me.

Thank you for your comment.

Kurasier · Post by **Kurasier** » 06 Jul 2002 12:51

HI,
I`'m sorry but i don't know what the soldiers put in it.
But I will ask my father, who was at this time in the army
Christoph

Kurasier · Post by **Kurasier** » 07 Jul 2002 17:11

So I just asked my father and he said, that they put the bread and other little things in it, when they went on a patrol.

Christoph

Kent Berg · Post by **Kent Berg** » 07 Jul 2002 17:12

It is indeed an Austrian camo, backpack, made postwar. They used, and somewhat copied the SS pattern, as there use right after the war, most likely its a very late 50's, early 60's made, it might has a number stamp somewhere with the date.

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Is This An SS Pouch?

Is This An SS Pouch?

Austrian Camo