What's new

What so ever happened to the Sam Browne Belt in the Pakistan Army

GHOST RIDER

SENIOR MEMBER
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
3,039
Reaction score
0
Country
Pakistan
Location
Pakistan
A short history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Browne_belt

I'll get straight to the point, why is that we don't see officers wearing sam browne belts on their service dress and ceremonial uniforms nowdays in the army.The British Army officers still wear sam browne belts relative to their regiments/fighting arms.

Service Dress with Sam Browne belts

3558_1203369759677363_5894660896456851284_n.jpg


Ayub Khan wearing Sam Browne on his service dress
7027341327_ac2776dc1d_b.jpg


7027341131_4b171972e9_b.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/syedalihamid/7027341131

12295242_1186699084677764_3205328555984507713_n.jpg


Another observation,
Officers fold sleeves of there khaki shirts
 
Sam Browne belt on ceremonial uniform

12439070_1211654388848900_586870624137567746_n.jpg


General Tikka wearing sam browne on ceremonial uniform with service ribbon (not medals)
General.TikkaKhan.jpg


Ayub-khan-with-naheed-mirza.jpg


5dbe8213d69cc7f56864491f1c5b2821.jpg


4244030813_feb4b9a8a1.jpg


4244030813_feb4b9a8a1.jpg


2864624821_fedb66ec96_z.jpg
 
Ayub Khan wearing Sam Browne on his service dress
7027341327_ac2776dc1d_b.jpg


7027341131_4b171972e9_b.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/syedalihamid/7027341131



Another observation,
Officers fold sleeves of there khaki shirts

The uniform worn by Ayub is not a Service Dress. Its a summer uniform with a Sam Browne . SD is a formal winter wear as shown in Post No 2.

I didnt know that PA too has stopped using the Sam Browne Belt. In India its only worn by the Police now.

I wonder if people are aware of the origin of this design of belt ?

Sam_Browne_Large.jpg

General Sir Sam Browne, VC, GCB, KCSI, 1897.

Sam Browne was a British army officer serving in India in the 19th century. In those days officers always carried a sword into battle. It hung from a small metal clip on the waistbelt, called a 'frog'. However, the scabbard tended to slide around a lot when they charged the enemy, meaning that it had to be steadied with the left hand before being drawn.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in India, Captain Sam Browne was serving with the 2nd Punjab Irregular Cavalry. On 31 August 1858, Captain Browne was involved in the fighting near Seerporah. As he charged a cannon being reloaded, he was attacked by one of its crew. Browne received two sword cuts, one on the left knee and one which severed his left arm at the shoulder.He survived the injuries but, without a left hand, he found that he was now unable to control or draw his sword.

Browne came up with the idea of wearing a second belt which went over his right shoulder and held the scabbard in just the spot he wanted. This would hook into a heavy leather belt with "D-rings" for attaching accessories. It also securely carried a pistol in a flap-holster on his right hip and included a binocular case with a neck-strap. Other cavalry officers in the Indian Army began wearing a similar rig and soon it became part of the standard uniform. During the Boer War, the rig was copied by Imperial and Commonwealth troops and eventually became standard issue.

Infantry officers wore a variant that used two suspender-like straps instead of the cross-belt. It was supposedly invented in 1878 by Lieutenant Sir Basil Templer Graham-Montgomery, 5th Baronet of the 60th Rifles while serving in India. There has been a great deal of discussion as to whether Browne modified Graham-Montgomery's design or vice-versa. Since there were no patents issued for either design and both camps have accounts backing up their claims, it may never be decided.
 
The uniform worn by Ayub is not a Service Dress. Its a summer uniform with a Sam Browne . SD is a formal winter wear as shown in Post No 2.

I didnt know that PA too has stopped using the Sam Browne Belt. In India its only worn by the Police.

I wonder if people are aware of the origin of this design of belt ?

Sam_Browne_Large.jpg

General Sir Sam Browne, VC, GCB, KCSI, 1897.

Sam Browne was a British army officer serving in India in the 19th century. In those days officers always carried a sword into battle. It hung from a small metal clip on the waistbelt, called a 'frog'. However, the scabbard tended to slide around a lot when they charged the enemy, meaning that it had to be steadied with the left hand before being drawn.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in India, Captain Sam Browne was serving with the 2nd Punjab Irregular Cavalry. On 31 August 1858, Captain Browne was involved in the fighting near Seerporah. As he charged a cannon being reloaded, he was attacked by one of its crew. Browne received two sword cuts, one on the left knee and one which severed his left arm at the shoulder.He survived the injuries but, without a left hand, he found that he was now unable to control or draw his sword.

Browne came up with the idea of wearing a second belt which went over his right shoulder and held the scabbard in just the spot he wanted. This would hook into a heavy leather belt with "D-rings" for attaching accessories. It also securely carried a pistol in a flap-holster on his right hip and included a binocular case with a neck-strap. Other cavalry officers in the Indian Army began wearing a similar rig and soon it became part of the standard uniform. During the Boer War, the rig was copied by Imperial and Commonwealth troops and eventually became standard issue.

Infantry officers wore a variant that used two suspender-like straps instead of the cross-belt. It was supposedly invented in 1878 by Lieutenant Sir Basil Templer Graham-Montgomery, 5th Baronet of the 60th Rifles while serving in India. There has been a great deal of discussion as to whether Browne modified Graham-Montgomery's design or vice-versa. Since there were no patents issued for either design and both camps have accounts backing up their claims, it may never be decided.

Uniform in post number 2 is Pakistan Army ceremonial uniform
Uniform in post 1 are service uniform (summers)
Dark brown version of ceremonial uniform was for winters
 
Uniform in post number 2 is Pakistan Army ceremonial uniform
Uniform in post 1 are service uniform (summers)
Dark brown version of ceremonial uniform was for winters

What you call Ceremonial uniform in military parlance is Service Dress ( SD).
 
What you call Ceremonial uniform in military parlance is Service Dress ( SD).

I understand what you are trying to say
But what I am calling a ceremonial dress is termed a ceremonial dress by our Army
 
I'll get straight to the point, why is that we don't see officers wearing sam browne belts on their service dress and ceremonial uniforms nowdays in the army.The British Army officers still wear sam browne belts relative to their regiments/fighting arms.
i think cadets at PMA still wear those belts
 
Sam browne's belt is a legacy of the past - the British colonial rule and it is better if PA losses it totally.
You have to drop the whole uniform then and almost one hundred traditions within the army ...!
 
I say they should bring back the Sam Browne Belt; Just look at Gen. Ayub Khan and Gen. Raheel Shariff!
 
The uniform worn by Ayub is not a Service Dress. Its a summer uniform with a Sam Browne . SD is a formal winter wear as shown in Post No 2.

I didnt know that PA too has stopped using the Sam Browne Belt. In India its only worn by the Police now.

I wonder if people are aware of the origin of this design of belt ?

Sam_Browne_Large.jpg

General Sir Sam Browne, VC, GCB, KCSI, 1897.

Sam Browne was a British army officer serving in India in the 19th century. In those days officers always carried a sword into battle. It hung from a small metal clip on the waistbelt, called a 'frog'. However, the scabbard tended to slide around a lot when they charged the enemy, meaning that it had to be steadied with the left hand before being drawn.

During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in India, Captain Sam Browne was serving with the 2nd Punjab Irregular Cavalry. On 31 August 1858, Captain Browne was involved in the fighting near Seerporah. As he charged a cannon being reloaded, he was attacked by one of its crew. Browne received two sword cuts, one on the left knee and one which severed his left arm at the shoulder.He survived the injuries but, without a left hand, he found that he was now unable to control or draw his sword.

Browne came up with the idea of wearing a second belt which went over his right shoulder and held the scabbard in just the spot he wanted. This would hook into a heavy leather belt with "D-rings" for attaching accessories. It also securely carried a pistol in a flap-holster on his right hip and included a binocular case with a neck-strap. Other cavalry officers in the Indian Army began wearing a similar rig and soon it became part of the standard uniform. During the Boer War, the rig was copied by Imperial and Commonwealth troops and eventually became standard issue.

Infantry officers wore a variant that used two suspender-like straps instead of the cross-belt. It was supposedly invented in 1878 by Lieutenant Sir Basil Templer Graham-Montgomery, 5th Baronet of the 60th Rifles while serving in India. There has been a great deal of discussion as to whether Browne modified Graham-Montgomery's design or vice-versa. Since there were no patents issued for either design and both camps have accounts backing up their claims, it may never be decided.

You ought to be an old soldier. You identified the SD correctly. Sadly the cross belt seems to have gone off all armies. But it is necessary when carrying a sword - as the Under Officers and Adjutants of military academies have to. And in recent past a soldier's belt was taken off indicating he was under arrest. Now there is no web belt.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top Bottom