Australian M56 type webbing and Vietnam related uniform stuff

Lately I've been slowly making an ANZAC loadout for the Vietnam War, and I've acquired quite some stuff already, so here's
what I already have.

First the uniform bits, the later type tropical uniform sometimes referred to as the pixie suit. Does anyone know if these have a model and year number?
The shirt is dated 1971, and the pants from the 80's.





I also have the older crossover type pants which came with a loose factory tag. I sold one of these pants later on.





Then the webbing equipment. Not sure again what model/year number these are, I just call them Australian M56, though I
have no idea when this stuff was first made or issued.

First there's 2 magazine pouches, 1 of which has the top strap but no buckle and clip on it, the other has no strap at all,
and I can't even see traces where it would have been anymore.
Then there's the bandage pouch, belt, and a short rope.
Does anyone have a good photo of the missing hardware from my strap, so I can see if I have replacements?





Here's the buttpack and H-suspenders, the only visible markings are the broad arrows on some buckles.





Same with the belt.




Then 2 canteens.





And the last I have already are some Vulseal boots.







I also have a bandoleer and bayonet frog on the way, so the only parts I think I need are the bayonet and a boonie hat, and then maybe I'd
like to add a camo raincoat sometime.
If anyone knows where I can get an original hat, I would appreciate a hint.

And I could also add a pack, I've seen old P37 type large packs worn with this webbing, the L-straps' buckle hooks not being attached to anything,
just worn as regular packs.
I do already have this large pack, and could just add some supportstraps and L-straps to finish it.

Pretty sure those Ammo pouches are 80s issue and not Vietnam era.

Aren't the 80's ones smaller?

michelwijnand wrote:Aren't the 80's ones smaller?

Identical I believe apart from the rear strap/buckle.

All my stuff has been stored away for years as gave up trying to finish my set up as Aussie Vietnam era gear is near impossible to find here in the UK and around 7-8 years ago when I was trying to find bits,even in Australia it wasnt that common and what was,the postage prices were shy high so gave up.

Dont tell me you are finding that stuff locally(as you do with a load of rare Brit kit you keep finding).

Nah I bought this from an Italian collector, apart from the large pack and crossover pants which I did found in person in Belgium and here in Holland respectively.

I don't know much about Aussie gear, and sources of info are not easy to find, I just know the type of pouches I have here, and another smaller type (looks to be the same size as US M56 pouches).
Many photos from the time seem to show this size in use, and I think I remember some website saying the smaller ones are a later type

Back then I saved this pic from said website, I reverse image searched it just now, but couldn't find it anymore.
The left is the wide type P37 basic pouch, which was also still being used together with M56 type gear.

michelwijnand wrote:Back then I saved this pic from said website, I reverse image searched it just now, but couldn't find it anymore.
The left is the wide type P37 basic pouch, which was also still being used together with M56 type gear.

Not the thinner strap on the one in the photo(a Nam era one).

Also,but again not 100% sure that your canteen is a modern US produced one(with Aussie DD stamp) and am sure that the Aussie made Nam era ones were a differennt colour to the US made ones but going from stuff I havent bothered with for many years Im afraid.

Ah that's what you mean, I didn't even bother to look at the difference in strap widths.
Never ever found any mention to that at all.

Canteens could be US made, no idea how they should be marked as Australian.
They came with the set, I can always just replace them and put the US ones on one of my US loadouts if needed.

If I knew where my Aussie bits were I would dig them out but have no idea Im afraid.

I do have on my FB group have a very nice Vietnam era(NOT an 80s one) Aussie made,folding E tool with pick for sale,not cheap but nothing Vietnam Aussie is unfortunately.

michelwijnand wrote:Ah that's what you mean, I didn't even bother to look at the difference in strap widths.
Never ever found any mention to that at all.

Canteens could be US made, no idea how they should be marked as Australian.
They came with the set, I can always just replace them and put the US ones on one of my US loadouts if needed.

Thanks for posting. I finished a 1990s East Timor Aussie loadout which wasnt easy. Starting on a Vietnam one now.

Here is some of my aussie Vietnam kit.
Sorry for the quality of the photos, the sun made it difficult to get a good shot which is not something I have to say that often in Northern Ireland!
I included a comparison of Australian and US manufactured canteens, the giveaway is the colour, aussie ones are green (left of pic) whereas the American ones are more brown in colour.
I also included a couple of photos of the different types of canteen covers I have come across. I believe the one on the left is the wartime issue one with the stitching down the front, I have only ever seen this type in wartime photos. The other two are later manufactured, they both have three drainage holes on the bottom and have a more robust patch of webbing for the wire hanger. The extreme right one also has a webbing tab to hang a first aid/compass pouch.
Hope this is of help to you.

ok, Australian issue webbing during the Vietnam war up until 1975 was; canteen covers with stitching down the centre of the front, canteens were dark green up until about 1990, they are dated on the bottom, we made or issued  both type of butt packs (1956 & 1961), web belts were horizontal ribbing along the length, ammo pouch large was with the same type of snap-clip that was on the M56 universal pouch, compass pouches were made from cotton duck & cotton canvas, toggle ropes were night shiney, H suspenders had extra padding on the wide shoulder sections without the US model snap hooks on the rear, large packs did not have the webbing on the outside, from early on diggers used both the large BREN P43 basic pouches & P37 basic pouches, also P44 ammo pouches, P08 (ww2 issue) large packs alongside p44 haversacks/packs, and p44 canteens and covers, many ww2 items uch as the machette and SMLE slings were widely used as was the tents they slept inside, Rick Landers book SADDLE UP has a lot of this info inside it. also Kevin Llyles OSPREY book VIETNAM ANZACS is a great reference. most of the gear in the last post is correct (well done that man)
On uniforms up until 1967 uniforms were crossover pants, an open front button up shirt with double button cuffs, giggle hats were the British style as worn in malaya, after 67 we started to wear the double map pocket pants (map pockets were situated on the fronts of the legs), pixie shirts with slant pockets and an Aussie made giggle hat with small vent holes. GP boots had either the SEALS brand (VULSEAL) down the centre of the sole or a straight DUNLOP sole. (Dunlop made) but we also issued a short AB boot similar to that in ww2 with p43 black canvas gaiters. some diggers wore the jungle boots as per Malaya. but not popular as they had no alluminium shank down the inside of the boot to protect against pungi sticks as the other two had.

Thanks, good info. If the magpouches were postwar I could replace them with some P44 basic pouches I also have, but I have no way to get the Australian canteen pouches with the seams down the center to replace the ones I have.
What year were the seam-less ones actually introduced?
I could probably make it more of a postwar loadout if that's more doable for me.

And Gulf, I saw that one, sadly it is both too expensive for my taste, doesn't have the Australian pouch, and I consider the shovel as very optional, and won't add it to my loadout.

No wonder its impossible to find any Aussie Vietnam era gear,its all gone to reape35

Haha and that is only the stuff I could fit on the hoochie!
Luckily I managed to get this a few years back when there seemed to be more of it about and no one was that interested in it!
Auscams post was spot on and good shout on those two books but Saddle Up was pretty hard to track down over here.

Replaced the 2 magazine pouches with P44 ones, also added this bandoleer today

Caught a frog

Just some reference pics for your enjoyment.

That's definately a nice load of cool stuff!!

THANKS MICHAEL. THE SECOND PIC IS THE PIECES ON THE END OF THE HANGING STRAP, U.S. STYLE.

Got some more stuff in today, webbing is pretty much fixed now, canteen pouches are wartime model, 1 canteen is wartime dated (1971), the other
isn't but it's good enough for me.
The hat is a repro, the straps are for my large pack and the buttons for my pants, which is missing many buttons.

And thanks for the pic of the clip, I'll see if I can dig up a spare somewhere!

All good gear there Michel, considering it's 50 years old.

Thanks! Finally got most things in order now, the hat being a placeholder until I find an original whenever.
Still have to sew on 14 buttons to the pants, and possibly find an L1A2 bayonet.

Were those actually routinely carried though? I can't really find them in any old pics

Camo-collector1951 wrote:All good gear there Michel, considering it's 50 years old.

So what is the difference between the Vietnam war and post war ammo pouches?

I think it's the top strap width, if I read it correctly before. Postwar ones being wider