Ersatz Ammunition Pouch
(Ersatz Patronentaschen)
Ersatz Patronentaschen (substitute Amunition Pouch) were made in Germany during 1914 and 1915 during the Great War. This was due to there not enough regulation ammunition pouches to equip the rapidly expanding army. The ersatz pouches were manufactured by various local workshops throughout Germany, resulting in a wide variety ersatz variants!
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The pouches were crudely made with leather, rivets, and a great amount of variety. The only regulations for these that seemed to be observed was the need to hold some capacity of rifle ammunition. Some were observed with Rings to hold the pouches up on the belt while others did not!
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As these pouches were produced, they were issued to none front line units in order to free up more substantially superior pouches for use at the western front. This was a method that they did early on with the Ersatz Bayonets and reissuing of Mosin Nagants to these rear line troops. There was even a case where the Kriegmarine turned over their Gew98s for Imperial Russian Mosin Nagants!
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Ultimately, by freeing up the regulation equipment (including pouches), it allowed the front line troops to have 'superior' equipment! While the landsturm, reserve, prison camp guards, and other rear line troops made do with what they were provided.
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By 1916 though, the main manufacturers were able to supplement and supply all parts of the German war machine with regulatory pouches, thus retiring these unique pouches.
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Curators Notes: If anyone wishes to provide additional information, it would be great. Sadly though, I spent many months trying to glean a good bit of information from collectors, reference books, and reenactors with only limited success. However, as always I am attempting to put together a better picture whenever possible. Please enjoy the exhibit samples.
14th Landsturm with reissued Imperial Mosin Nagant. Notice the riveted ersatz pouch as well!
German with Ersatz Pouches and a Gew98.
German posing in a trench with Ersazt pouch visible and a Mosin Nagant.
Ersatz Pouch 1 (EP1)
Etienne F. Collection
This example was made by Paul Beil & Co G.M.B.H. in Berlin of the year 1914. It appears to have a darkened brass D-Ring used on the 1909 ammunition pouches. The rivets are all steel, minus the two copper rivets on the D Ring leather tab. The leather D-Ring tab appears to be left over surplus for the 1909 pouches, as observed with the pebbled leather versus the rest of the pouch which is of smooth cow hide. The flap is held down by a blackened brass rivet. The inside has an absence of dividers.
The size is approximately 13.3cm long, 5.2cm wide, and 9.1cm tall.
Ersatz Pouch 2 (EP2)
E.B. Collection
Ersatz sample was made by A.Wunderlich NF in Berlin.S.W. It is made out of a brown cow hide leather that is sewn and riveted together. The D-Ring is same as the 1909 D-Rings, and is held in place by a leather tab with four steel rivets. The flap is held down by a forward facing brass stud. There are dividers on the inside, allowing it to hold 45 rounds.
Ersatz Pouch 3 (EP3)
E.B. Collection
This is truly a unique version of Ersatz pouch produced by what I would describe as binocular case manufacturers. It seems to have no maker marks, but is sewn together. Additionally the leather flap is held down by a binocular style T-stud. It had no rear D-Ring, and is made entirely of cow hide. The pouch was designed to hold 20 rounds in total.
More to come!
