From the very creation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army — since January 1918 — a brown leather belt has become an indispensable part of the soldier’s equipment. It had a smooth outer side and a rough inner side so as not to slip on clothes. The Red Army soldiers were issued a belt with a single-pin (single-toothed) buckle made of white metal, that could also be black or galvanized.
On December 3, 1935, a new uniform was introduced for military personnel. The belt, among other things, underwent a number of modifications: for example, privates and junior officers were henceforth to wear a one-piece stamped buckle without a prong, made of brass and featuring a star.
During the war, it became widespread among the cadets of some military schools. The young men wore belts not in everyday life, but in combination with the dress uniform. Such buckles were also used by young commanders at the front immediately after completing the basic officer courses.
The same order introduced a prongless buckle of a more complex design as part of regular equipment of senior officers. It was made of sheet and wire brass and comprised a frame and a stamped five-pointed star with the image of a hammer and a sickle crossed.
In 1943, uniforms were introduced for cadets of Suvorov military schools, which included a black leather belt with a brass uniform buckle, also without a prong.
For generals, back in 1940, a leather waist belt was authorized, which had a kind of decoration: parallel lines at a distance of 3 mm from the edges and ornamental stitching in the middle. A gilded brass loop was attached to the left end of the belt. The left end featured a prongless buckle with a five-pointed star.
In the course of service, the waist belt could perform a variety of functions. The first was to hold the uniform and render a neat appearance to the soldier. The second, just as important, was to serve as the basis for attaching a holster with a pistol, a scabbard, a gas mask, a flask, a field bag or other equipment. Besides, in hand-to-hand combat, a belt with a heavy buckle was a weapon. Finally, it could be used as a tourniquet for wound dressing.
The belt width (5 cm) was chosen for a reason — a wide belt is more resistant to various loads, and more durable.
On December 3, 1935, a new uniform was introduced for military personnel. The belt, among other things, underwent a number of modifications: for example, privates and junior officers were henceforth to wear a one-piece stamped buckle without a prong, made of brass and featuring a star.
During the war, it became widespread among the cadets of some military schools. The young men wore belts not in everyday life, but in combination with the dress uniform. Such buckles were also used by young commanders at the front immediately after completing the basic officer courses.
The same order introduced a prongless buckle of a more complex design as part of regular equipment of senior officers. It was made of sheet and wire brass and comprised a frame and a stamped five-pointed star with the image of a hammer and a sickle crossed.
In 1943, uniforms were introduced for cadets of Suvorov military schools, which included a black leather belt with a brass uniform buckle, also without a prong.
For generals, back in 1940, a leather waist belt was authorized, which had a kind of decoration: parallel lines at a distance of 3 mm from the edges and ornamental stitching in the middle. A gilded brass loop was attached to the left end of the belt. The left end featured a prongless buckle with a five-pointed star.
In the course of service, the waist belt could perform a variety of functions. The first was to hold the uniform and render a neat appearance to the soldier. The second, just as important, was to serve as the basis for attaching a holster with a pistol, a scabbard, a gas mask, a flask, a field bag or other equipment. Besides, in hand-to-hand combat, a belt with a heavy buckle was a weapon. Finally, it could be used as a tourniquet for wound dressing.
The belt width (5 cm) was chosen for a reason — a wide belt is more resistant to various loads, and more durable.
