Holster, C, No. 2, Mk 2
General Information
Name: Holster, C, No. 2, Mk 2.
Country of Origin: Canada.
Date of Production: 1945.
Manufacturer: Zephyr Loom and Textile Limited
(ZT & L).
Colour: Khaki.
Equipment Family: Pattern 37 Web Equipment.
Number Of compartments: Two.
Weight:
Dimensions (cm): 23.5 (H) × 18.5 (W) × 3 (D).
Waterproof: No.
Draw side: Right-handed.
History
The Holster, C, No.2, Mk II was designed to carry the Inglis 9 mm Browning Hi-Power pistol, along with a cleaning rod and spare magazine. It was developed and produced by Canada in the closing years of the Second World War in response to shortcomings identified in the earlier Holster, C, No.1, Mk I—a Chinese-designed holster pattern originally produced for Chinese forces.
The No.1, Mk I holster was found to be excessively tight in use, often requiring the pistol to be forced into the body of the holster. This made drawing difficult and led to wear and damage to the trigger guard. Canadian service feedback highlighted these issues, prompting a redesign.
The resulting No.2, Mk II holster featured a looser, more practical fit, allowing the pistol to be inserted and withdrawn without excessive force. While retaining key elements of the earlier design—such as the internal cleaning rod sleeve and spare magazine container—the layout was improved to better protect the pistol in service.
A simple webbing cover was introduced over the opening to shield the trigger guard from contact with the exposed edges of the internal metal magazine case. This refinement reduced wear on the pistol while maintaining the holster’s ability to carry both cleaning equipment and a spare magazine.
By the early 1950s, the holster was largely replaced in service by the Pattern 51 holster, though it continued to be worn by Military Police personnel for a number of years thereafter.
The design concept, however, persisted, influencing later developments such as the British Army Pattern 1958 web equipment holster, which remained in service into the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Description
The holster is fabricated from thick, densely woven tan cotton webbing and is configured for right-hand use. The lid is cut wide at the top to fully cover the pistol grip and closes by means of a webbing pull-tab fitted with a metal D-ring, which engages with a metal staple mounted to the front of the holster body.
When opened, the holster reveals a large internal webbing panel that folds inward over the pistol, helping to retain and stabilize it within the main compartment. Sewn against the rear of the holster is a leather sleeve designed to hold a metal cleaning rod. In front of this is an internal pocket intended to house a small metal magazine container for carrying and protecting a spare magazine.
The rear of the holster is fitted with a wide webbing belt loop. On either side are brass double hooks (C-hooks) for direct attachment to the web belt. A 50 mm webbing loop is positioned between these hooks, allowing the holster to be worn on the belt with some positional adjustment for comfort, particularly when seated.
Examples
Example One
Object Number: 2442-124-46100.
