1882 Pattern (Mark III) Valise Equipment waist belt : New South Wales Military Forces

Buff leather waist belt, 1882 Pattern (Mark III) Valise Equipment (described in List of Changes 3994 13 January 1882) with NSW silver (solid or plated on brass) union locket buckle. The belt is made of one piece of leather (1 6/8 inches wide) with an adjustable billet and silver buckle at each end so that the length can be adjusted while keeping the loops in their proper positions for braces when worn. Two retractable brass wire 'D' loops lie either side of the centre back of the belt to pass the ends of the braces through when a valise is not worn. The locket (tongue) of the buckle depicts the cross of St George with a lion in the centre and four eight-pointed stars at each corner representing the Southern Cross. The circular surround has the words 'NEW SOUTH WALES MILITARY FORCES'. A running loop lies at each end of the belt in front of the buckle. A retangular leather safe with a rectangular hole is stitched to the proper left running loop. On the reverse the belt is stamped with the following:'N S W' (indicating it was the property of the NSW Government), the numbers '2' and '3', 'W D 3' and two facing broad arrows.

The 1882 Pattern Valise Equipment replaced the 1871 pattern. It ws used well into the 1890s and was in service for some years after the introduction of the 1888 Pattern (Slade-Wallace) equipment. The complete equipment consisted of a waist belt, two ammunition pouches, a case and a strap for the Italian water bottle, a pair of braces, two straps for the valise or mess-tin, two straps for the mess-tin or great coat and a valise to hold clothing and personal equipment. 1882 Pattern equipment was reported as having been issued to all members of the infantry in NSW in 1884. It can be seen in photographs of NSW soldiers serving with the Sudan Contingent in 1885.