Original German WWII 1943 Dated Left Side MP 40 Tropical Afrika Korps Triple Magazine Pouch by Ernst Melzig Original Items

Original Items: Only One Pair Available. Here we have a very good condition highly desirable German WWII MP 40 left side triple magazine pouch with attached magazine loader pouch, showing signs of light use during the war. Constructed from tan blended webbing material as seen on other period German WW2 field gear used in North Africa and Italy (although used everywhere the Wehrmacht fought during WWII). The rectangular stitching on the bottom of the pockets is a known feature for the maker Ernst Melzig of Liegnitz. The leather belt loops on the back of the pouch are well marked with the maker, date, and model of magazine it was designed for:

clg 43

MP 38 u. 40

There is also a Waffenamt WaAB66 inspection stamp next to the maker code, which records indicate is the correct code for this maker. The leather components show minor deterioration commensurate with age, showing surface cracking to the finish, but no major tears or other issues. The canvas shows speckled staining in areas on the rear, probably from resting on other pouches. We can still see the orange lines between the individual pouches from original manufacture. There is just a bit of light oxidation on the steel fittings from age.

A very good lightly used example, ready to be a part of any Afrikakorps display!

NOTE: THE PICTURED MAGAZINES ARE NOT INCLUDED. We use them for photography purposes only.

History of the German Africa Corps

The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (German: Deutsches Afrikakorps, DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of their African colonies, the formation fought on in Africa, under various appellations, from March 1941 until its surrender in May 1943. The unit’s best known commander was Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

The dry climate of Africa proved to be an issue with much of the standard leather field gear that the German Army usually used. It would dry out and crack quickly, and become unusable. To deal with this, the standard field gear such as belts, Y-straps, A-frames, bayonet frogs, and other items, were issued in special tropical web versions.

History of the MP40

The Maschinenpistole 40 (“Machine pistol 40”) descended from its predecessor the MP 38, which was in turn based on the MP 36, a prototype made of machined steel. The MP 36 was developed independently by Erma Werke’s Berthold Geipel with funding from the German Army. It took design elements from Heinrich Vollmer’s VPM 1930 and EMP. Vollmer then worked on Berthold Geipel’s MP 36 and in 1938 submitted a prototype to answer a request from the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office) for a new submachine gun, which was adopted as MP 38. The MP 38 was a simplification of the MP 36, and the MP 40 was a further simplification of the MP 38, with certain cost-saving alterations, most notably in the more extensive use of stamped steel rather than machined parts.

It was heavily used by infantrymen (particularly platoon and squad leaders), and by paratroopers, on the Eastern and Western Fronts. Its advanced and modern features made it a favorite among soldiers and popular in countries from various parts of the world after the war. It was often erroneously called “Schmeisser” by the Allies, despite Hugo Schmeisser’s non-involvement in the weapon’s design and production. From 1940 to 1945, an estimated 1.1 million were produced by Erma Werke.