Steel kitbag lock

Atypical steel kitbag lock consisting of a main U-shaped bar with squared-off corners. A separate bar is pin-hinged to one end; the bar pivots down into a Y-shaped yoke at the other end of the main bar. The yoke is drilled on both its arms to allow a lock to be fastened, thus locking the bar. There are remains of a thick black paint finish.

Kitbag lock designed to pass through the eyelets of a closed kitbag and be secured with a padlock. Such locks normally follow a standard pattern and are fashioned from brass. This example, along with REL37395, REL37397 and REL37398, are all variants of the standard, either because of material employed or the design. This example varies on both counts; it is larger and heavier than the standard and the shape is far more squared off than the standard. The use of steel is likely to be due to the wartime rationing of brass.