Lewis Gun Pouches

[rpbcps]

Since my interest in Thompson guns began, around 1995, I have looked at dozens of photos of British soldiers armed with Thompson guns which were fitted with L drums, all with no apparent means of carrying the drums on their webbing, no drum magazine pouches.

A while back I made a note that Lewis gun magazine pouches were possibly used to carry Thompson L drums after reading the following:

"Some of the paperwork that we had relating to the formatting of the Infantry Training pamphlets in respect to the Thompson gun, it stated quite clearly words to the effect that '...........there is no anticipated demand at present or in the future for a drum pouch as this is being catered for by the plentiful Lewis Gun drum pouch of which there are ample stocks'. "

Quoted from Peter Laidlers post dated 01.06.18 on https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=60129&p=421082

(Capt. Peter Laidler was the senior Armourer in the UK Military, now retired, but based as a Technical Officer at the UK Military Small Arms School).

However, I am yet to find a picture showing a British or Commonwealth soldier armed with a TSMG, with a L Drum, who has Lewis gun mag pouches on their webbing.

Since then I have been looking for a reasonably priced Lewis gun pouch, so I could see if the Thompson L drums fitted in them OK, as the diameter of a Lewis gun magazine is about 4 cms, ( 1½“), wider than a Thompson L drums, I thought they may be a bit loose inside the pouch.

Last week I came across someone selling some Lewis gun mag pouches for a reasonable price, which were in remarkably good condition, so I decided to splash out of one in the interest of research. When the pouch arrived, the stamps on it show it was produced for / by the Union of South Africa (marked with ‘U’) by the Mills Equipment Company. It also has the British/ Commonwealth ‘Broad arrow’ on it. The pouch is dated 1940, so that puts it in right time frame for the first TSMG drum mags arriving in UK service too!

So I then put two L drums, both Crosby’s, into the pouch and they fit perfectly.

So my search now continues, for photographic evidence of the Lewis mag pouches being used to carry Thompson L Drums.

Stay safe

Richard

[Ron Mills]

Well a fellow can learn something dang near every day. Very interesting. Just another example of the war effort where countries get involved helping each other to outfit the good guys! I wonder how many of those I passed over at guns shows through the years.

[John Dillinger]

Great find Richard, nice clear stamps and yes dont they fit nicely 👌

As a comparison heres two Lewis gun pan mags in a similar pouch.

Photo source internet.

UKs number 1 Thompson collector Sir!

 

[Mike Hammer]

Some British Thompson Drum pouches from my collection. If the brits used any pouches they probably used these type. I would bet dollars to doughnuts some of these were used on 6-6-44 on Gold and Sword beaches. Just because they were stamped US would not necessarily preclude them from Limey usage. We were all one big happy family on that day.

 

[rpbcps]

Some British Thompson Drum pouches from my collection. If the brits used any pouches they probably used these type. I would bet dollars to doughnuts some of these were used on 6-6-44 on Gold and Sword beaches. Just because they were stamped US would not necessarily preclude them from Limey usage. We were all one big happy family on that day.

The British Armed forces were considering replacement of drum magazines, as early as April 1941 and we know that Britain stopped ordering the drums in May of 1941.

So I doubt there would have been many, if any, British soldiers using drum magazines on the 6-6-44.

[APEXgunparts]

Early in WWII my Father served in the "LDV" (Local Defense Volunteers) which later transitioned into the "Home Guard".
He also had a full time job (night shift) running heavy equipment on civil engineering projects (airfileds, fuel bunkers, etc)
They trained on every type of weapon the British military had in service at that time.
The LDV members pulled watch out on the Yorkshire moors as there was a fear of German glider or paratroops landing there.
They were armed with Canadian ROSS rifles.
He didn't ever talk of those times too much, but I do remember his saying the assistant Thompson gunner wore a vest with pouches front and back for the loaded drums.

He further remarked that you didn't want to be the assistant as the loaded drums were quite heavy plus you still had to carry your rifle, ammo and kit and you never got to shoot the Thompson!

Apparently at least early in the war the Thompson was fielded with a team of Soldiers, like a BREN gun, with the assistant carry the magazines and changing them as they ran empty.

 

Richard

[rpbcps]

Richard,

That is interesting information, "Vest with pouches at the front and back", sounds like the Lewis gun pouch set up, two at the front and two at the rear...that'd be very heavy, if there were two drums in each pouch, as was the idea with the Lewis gun, see below.

 

 

I believe soldiers carrying the Lewis gun mag pouches, wore them over their regular webbing, SMLE ammo pouches etc., so they were worn as a 'vest', as such.

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

The Aussies had pouches for the Thompson drums I have two different types used by them.

[rpbcps]

Any chance of posting photos of them?

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

Here is a pic of two different drum pouches and also stick mag pouch and 28A1 carry bag

[rpbcps]

Those are nice, be great if we could find a photo of them in actual use during WW2.

[Roland the Thompsongunner]

I have seen pics of the Aussie 5 cell pouch in use but never the drum bag or gun bag. Both of mine definitely had use as they are faded and worn a bit

[rpbcps]

On 7/19/2022 at 8:27 PM, rpbcps said:

Richard,

That is interesting information, "Vest with pouches at the front and back", sounds like the Lewis gun pouch set up, two at the front and two at the rear...that'd be very heavy, if there were two drums in each pouch, as was the idea with the Lewis gun, see below.

 

 

I believe soldiers carrying the Lewis gun mag pouches, wore them over their regular webbing, SMLE ammo pouches etc., so they were worn as a 'vest', as such.

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

Patience has paid off, looking at a photo, that I have seen many times before, but that is the difference between seeing and observing. The sailor, 2nd left (as you look at the picture), is wearing a Lewis gun pouch on his web equipment! 
Makes sense, as the attachment buckle on the Lewis pouches are wider than the ones used on the Pattern 37 web equipment used by teh British army, but the Royal Navy were still using Pattern 08 web equipment at the time. 

[TD.]

2 years later....

+1 to Richard. Great research.

[rpbcps]

1 hour ago, TD. said:

2 years later....

+1 to Richard. Great research.

Cheers Tom,

The answer was staring me in the face, I've had that photo on file for years and often looked at it. Obviously not closely enough 🥸