WW1 British 1916 Mills Cavalry Webbing Equipment Set

A very rare set of the 1916 Mills Cavalry Web Equipment an almost experimental set of equipment designed for use by Britains cavalry but , due to the commitments of the Great War , never officially issued until it became the Web Equipment cavalry Pattern in 1940.
Trials for a Webbing equipment set for the cavalry were taking place as early as 1913 with , at their succesful conclusion , recommendation for adoption given by General Sir John French . Due to the onset of war in 1914 this never happened however Mills (MECo) continued with a programme of development from 1911 right up until 1925.
The 1916 design was manufactured by U.S. Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, (M.W.C.B. Co.) & is believed to have been done so to satisfy a European contract. Some belief exists that this was Belgian or Portugal with it being known that Britain did supply her oldest ally , Portugal , with webbing equipment or components of , in the first world war. In support of this theory , it is of note that when recently discovered in non collector hands this webbing set still had on it a black leather frog for the Portuguese 1904 pattern Mauser.
All the components of the set are Mills marked with the date 1916 being clear .
A totally homogenous straight out of the loft & the only one I have seen outside of the Brussels Army Museum. ( More information can be found on the excellent equipment website 'Karkee Web' ) .

Code: 7858