Frag Out! Magazine

loving rear echelon's requirements. Among these obsolete elements there were dedicated ammo pouches (right and left) and metal C-hooks used to attach the pouches to the belt. The belt itself wasn't much improved, with just a plastic buckle and a piece of tape sewn in. A great step forward was made by using ultramodern (for the British at least) materials such as nylon instead of canvas (coloured nutria brown), mesh textile and plastic sliders for regulating length of straps. The idea was noble – to make a webbing as universal, light, adjustable and soldier-friendly as possible. The execution wasn't unfortunately that brilliant, although soldiers received new equipment with moderate enthusiasm and photos of Tommies wearing Trial PLCE adorned all regulations and "Soldiers Pocket Book". PLCE Pattern one/Pattern Two By the end of the 80's MoD started to gradually substitute Trial PLCE with a first mass produced Pattern One, although even during the Gulf War and in Balkans some British soldiers could be seen wearing trial webbing or a mix of aforementioned two. The new webbing is better known as PLCE Olive, thanks to its colour, but few people know that this greenish stuff appeared in two variants, later called Pattern One and Pattern Two for easier recognition. Pattern One was designed more conscientiously than Trial PLCE, using better materials and with more attention to details. Nylon was replaced with Cordura, a new belt main was introduced, yokes were refined as well as the appearance of individual pouches, which undertook the biggest, however incomplete revolution. Citek fasteners – aka "Spanish" buckles – successfully took place of snap fasteners on pouches' flaps (save canteen pouch) but ridiculous C-rings and dedicated ammo pouches remained intact. One can get under impression that each element was designed by a different team of specialists who all knew better that their version is superior to any other. Before soldiers could get used to the Pattern One, MoD was ready to issue its descendant – Pattern Two – an even finer, nevertheless also only a test version of webbing. That was because the evolution of British military equipment approached another milestone – introducing a new system of personal clothing called Combat Soldier 95. Webbing designers were doing their best to add a modernized PLCE to a brand new set of uniforms. But in the meantime, let us return to the Pattern Two. This model had at last the fastening chaos www.fragoutmag.com

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