German WW1 Model 1909 Ammo Pouch, Finnish Re-Issue, Winter War, Continuation War, Mosin Nagant M91/30, Gew 98 Mauser, SA Stamped

Here is another ammo pouch that I've been waiting to show off (I thought I had already posted on this some time back!).

This pouch is a WW1 German, Model 1909 ammo pouch for the Gewehr 98 Mauser.  It is also a Finland Mosin Nagant M91/30 ammo pouch from the Winter War, and Continuation War!

This pouch was originally issued to a German soldier, and carried in the trenches of WW1.  After the war, this pouch was sold as surplus to Finland, and re-issued to the Finnish troops, just in time for the Russian invasion of 1939.

Originally this pouch was manufactured, approximately, between 1914 and 1918 in Germany.  After Germany lost WW1, many of these pouches found their way to Finland via countries like France, after France had gathered them up off the battlefields of the Western Front and from the surrendering German soldiers.

Finland received these old WW1 pouches some time in the 1920's.  After receiving them, they were sent to the Finnish armory for repair and acceptance into the Finland Army inventory.

These old pouches had leather patches and reinforcements riveted and sewn in place, straps replaced, etc.  After they were deemed "ready to issue", they were stamped with the Finnish Army "SA" stamp and an ink stamp with the year of acceptance.

My pouch has the "SA" stamp in the leather on the top of one of the pouch lids, and inked stamps inside of two lids. 

One of the inked stamps is mostly legible, and has "SA", and the year of acceptance.  In this particular ammo pouch it appears to have been 1921(the "1" is not absolutely clear, so it may be a "4", or something similar, but definitely "192-").  In addition to the Finnish stamps, there are a couple of very "vintage" initials inside the third lid.

This pouch was the most common ammo pouch carried by the Finnish soldiers in the Winter War of 1939, for use with the Mosin Nagant M98/30 rifles.

On my pouch, you can see where rivets were used to secure a couple of corner patches, and to reinforce the lid straps.  

On the back, a new D-Ring hanger was riveted on as well.

In addition to the patches, there are two leather tabs with studs that are installed on the rear belt straps.  They appear to be original to the pouch, from the time Finland issued it out, but I have no idea what they would be for.  I have left them as-is / as-found.

These old Finnish re-issue pouches are absolutely fascinating and loaded with history!  Three wars: WW1, The Winter War, and the Continuation War!  I never get tired of adding them to the collection.

Let's take a closer look.  Here is the album.