Other Ranks 1882 Pattern (Mark III) Valise Equipment waist belt : 2nd New South Wales Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Buff leather waist belt, 1882 Pattern (Mark III) Valise Equipment (described in List of Changes 3994 13 January 1882) with NSW Other Ranks cast brass union locket buckle. The belt is made of one piece of leather (1 6/8 inches wide) with an adjustable billet and brass buckle at each end so 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 (indistinctly cast) in the centre and four five-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. The belt has no stamped markings or other inscriptions.

The 2nd Regiment of the NSW Volunteer Infantry was formed in 1878 as a partially paid militia and consisted of four companies of 60 men in each with its headquarters in Sydney. In 1901 the regiment became part of the Commonwealth Military Forces. However until 1 March 1904 when the unit became the 1st Australian Infantry Regiment they were administered under the old system. The 1882 Pattern Valise Equipment replaced the 1871 pattern. It was 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. In 1884 the NSW commandant reported that all the infantry in NSW had been supplied with the 1882 pattern modified valise equipment. Prior to this brown leather belts had been worn by the NSW infantry. 1882 Pattern equipment can be seen in photographs of NSW soldiers serving with the Sudan Contingent in 1885.