Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

Sam Browne shoulder belt worn by Lt William Herbert KENDALL

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DOMO MAKE

Overview

Brown leather belt with a supporting shoulder strap, brass buckles and studs worn by military officers. This belt was worn by Lieutenant William Herbert KENDALL, who enlisted in June 1945 and served in Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces (BCOF).

Historical information

The Sam Browne Belt was named after Sir Samuel James Browne (VC) and is worn by officers and Warrant Officers (Class One) in the Australian Army on ceremonial occasions. Browne devised the belt during his time in India, serving from 1848 as the Second in Command of the Second Regiment of the Punjab Cavalry, which later became Sam Browne’s Cavalry. He was wounded on 31 August 1858 while ‘single-handedly” silencing a field gun that was blocking the advance. He suffered two sword cuts; one to his knee, the other to his left shoulder that cut off his arm.
As an officer, Browne was required to wear a waist belt underneath his tunic, which he found difficult and so he devised an external belt to be worn over the tunic. The belt was supported on the left-hand side by a shoulder strap that passed diagonally over the right shoulder, allowing him to draw his sword with his right hand.
The black Sam Browne belt is worn by Armoured, Aviation, Nursing Corps and Warrant Officers while a brown version is worn by other Corps.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2008.8.1

Item type

Accessories

Clothing

Themes

Buildings > Military
Defence > Army
War and Conflict > World War 2

Material

Brass

Leather

Width

50 mm

Height or length

1940 mm

Weight

1040 g

Inscriptions and markings

On rear side of belt:
"DONATED BY / 67 Btn 34 Bde B.C.O.F. JAPAN"
"WH KENDALL VX97850"
DOMO MAKE (front facing buckle end of belt)

Contextual Information

This belt was worn by William Herbert KENDALL during his service in World War 2 as a member of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. KENDALL served in Kaitachi, 7 miles from Hiroshima on the West coat of Honshu; the Otake submarine base South of Hiroshima; Okayama (NE of Hiroshima) before being seconded by the US Cavalry. He returned to Sydney in 1947 and was discharged with the rank of Lieutenant.

Keywords

Sam Browne Belt

Lieutenant William Herbert Kendall

Australian Army WW2

Sir Samuel James Browne

British Commonwealth Occupation Force

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Scientific or research significance

Comparative significance criteria

Well provenanced

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