The A.F.0210. strap was used by the British Military in the Radfan Campaign in 1963-6, some 20 years after its introduction in 1945.
AF0210 STRAP USED ON WATCHES FOR MORTAR OBSERVATIONS, 1965. THE A41 LARKSPUR RADIO IS SHOWN IN THE FOREGROUND.
The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against British crown forces in what is now the Yemen. It lasted from 10 December 1963 when a “State of Emergency” was declared until 30 November 1967 when British forces left. The emergency began when members of the National Liberation Front (NLF) carried out a grenade attack against the British High Commission. This attack killed one person, injured fifty, and caused the British Government to declare a “state of emergency”.
In January 1964, the British moved into the Radfan hills in the border region to confront Egyptian-backed guerrillas, later reinforced by the NLF. This operation was code-named “Nutcracker.” In April, a second operation called “Cap Badge” had the overall political objective of reasserting Federal Authority and making the Dhala Road safe for traffic. By October the insurgents had largely been suppressed, and the NLF switched to grenade attacks against off-duty military personnel and police officers elsewhere in the Aden Colony.
The British forces used 44 Pattern webbing as seen on this patrol by the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in Aden, circa 1965-66.
The picture shows 44 Pattern webbing, smoke grenades, and an A.F.0210. strap on a watch.
Below is the Manpack, and other 44 Pattern webbing. The complete frame was stores number AF0034, Carrier, Manpack, General Service, and weighed 1.7kg.
When the 44 Pattern jungle system was introduced, a lightweight aluminium frame that could be configured to carry various loads was one of the many new innovations. Here a Larkspur A41 radio is carried, with an overall weight of 16kg.
BRITISH FORCES IN ADEN, 1960 – 1967 (ADN 65-355-64) A COMPANY COMMANDER OF THE 1ST BATTALION THE ROYAL SUSSEX REGIMENT RECEIVES INFORMATION ON AN INFANTRY WIRELESS SET FROM ONE OF HIS FORWARD PATROLS DURING AN OPERATION IN THE RADFAN MOUNTAINS OF THE SOUTH ARABIAN FEDERATION. COPYRIGHT: © IWM. ORIGINAL SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.IWM.ORG.UK/COLLECTIONS/ITEM/OBJECT/205215603
One component of the 44 Pattern webbing is the A.F.0210. strap. This is seen in use in the photos below.
Firstly, observers of the Royal Anglian Regiment with A.F.0210. straps on their watches are shown below, observing mortar fire.
AF0210 straps on observers watches. Photo IWM TR 24796
Then, under fire, a pull through A.F.0210. strap can be seen on the left wrist below.
