Let's Talk About The Sam Browne Belt

First, for those who may have never heard of it, a "Sam Browne" belt is a leather belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder. It is worn by military organizations and police departments around the world. 

As a U.S. Marine, I always enjoyed seeing our Marine officers in full dress blues wearing their Sam Browne belts. It just looks sharp and always reminds me of the wonderful history of the Marine Corps. In fact, for Marine Officers, the Sam Browne belt goes back to World War I. 

It's true. During World War I, General Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) approved the Sam Browne Belt. The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) was a formation of the United States armed forces on the Western Front during World War I. The AEF was established on July 5, 1917, under the command of then-Major General John J. Pershing. It was composed mostly of units from the U.S. Army. 

U.S. Marines fought in World War I as part of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France. U.S. Marines were actually part of the U.S. Army's Second Division in France. The Marine units in the AEF were the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments and the 4th Marine Brigade. Marines of the 5th Marines were the first Marines to arrive in Europe in June 1917. The 6th Marine Regiment arrived seven months later in February 1918. And yes, the 4th Marine Brigade also served in the AEF. The 4th Marine Brigade was made up of Marines from the 5th and 6th Regiments, and the Sixth Machine Gun Battalion. 

As for the AEF, Americans of the AEF fought alongside the French Army, British Army, Canadian Army, British Indian Army, New Zealand Army, and Australian Army units against the Imperial German Army. Small units of American AEF troops also fought alongside Italian Army units in 1918 against the Austro-Hungarian Army. 

U.S. Marine Major General John A. Lejeune wearing a Sam Browne belt without a sword.

In 1918, U.S. Marine Major General John A. Lejeune assumed command of the 2d Division, U.S. Army, in France, and remained in that capacity until August 1919 when the unit was demobilized. He was the first U.S. Marine Corps officer to hold an Army Divisional Command in combat, and following the Armistice, he led his division in the march into Germany. ⁠

The AEF helped the French Army on the Western Front during the Aisne Offensive which included the Battle of Belleau Wood in the summer of 1918. It was in that battle that U.S. Marines were called "Devil Dogs" by German troops. It's a moniker that has stayed with Marines ever since.

General Pershing authorized the Sam Browne belt for wear by American officers as a rank distinction. During World War I, the U.S. Army didn't accept the Sam Browne belt. In fact, there is a legend of how U.S. Army Military Police (MP) were stationed at the docks to meet the returning troopships. Their orders were to search the duffle bags of the returning Army officers and confiscate their Sam Browne belts so that the belts wouldn't be seen in the states. The returning officers who refused faced disciplinary charges. 

In 1918, the U.S. Army ordered that the Sam Browne belt was to be worn by Army officers only when overseas. The Army called the Sam Browne belt the "Liberty Belt". Then in 1921, the Army changed their mind and ordered that all troops wear it. And yes, the Army changed from calling them "Liberty Belt" to the accepted name "Sam Browne belt". It was discontinued as a standard part of the Army uniform in 1940 when the Army stopped issuing sabers. The Sam Browne belt for the Army was replaced with a cloth waistbelt sewn to the officer's jacket.

As for the Marine Corps, the Corps totaled 13,725 officers and enlisted men at the start of World War I. During the war, the Corps would expand to 75,101 Marines. The Corps adopted a brown leather Sam Browne Belt -- but then changed it to a black leather belt instead of the brown leather belt. The reason for that was that black is actually the official color of all U.S. Navy and Marine Corps leather gear. 

Even today, the Marine Corps black leather version of the Sam Browne belt is worn as part of the Marine Officer Dress Blue A & B uniform and the Class A uniform by Commissioned and Warrant Officers. The Sam Browne Belt is a 2-piece, waist and shoulder belt. And yes, Marine Officers today have the option of wearing the Sam Browne belt with their uniforms even if not wearing a sword. Of course, if Marine Officers are wearing a Sam Browne belt -- they do not need to wear any other belts.

As for other nations, the "Sam Browne" or "Sam Browne belt" has been adopted for military and police use all over the world since World War I. In some cases, it has been modified as a weight-bearing tool to help police officers carry their sidearms and gear. In other cases, it took on a ceremonial use that may or may not have anything to do with sword-bearing. 

So now, let's talk about Sam Browne the man.

British Army General Sir Samuel Browne

Let's talk about General Sir Samuel James Browne, who the "Sam Browne" belt is named after. He came up with the idea of using a supplementary belt that hooked into a waist belt with D-rings and went over his right shoulder to steady a sword scabbard.

He devised the waist belt to securely carry a pistol in a flap holster on his right hip, as well as a binocular case with a neck strap. Other officers saw it and began wearing a similar rig. Eventually, it became part of the standard British officer's uniform. It's said that other troops copied it, and it eventually became standard issue. British Infantry officers wore a variant of it. Their "Sam Browne" belts used two suspender-like straps instead of the cross belt.

So what made General Sir Samuel James Browne see the necessity of having a supplementary belt that hooked into a waist belt with D-rings and went over his right shoulder to steady a sword scabbard? 

Well, believe it or not, this has to do with when General Samuel Browne was a young British Indian Army officer. Samuel James Browne was born in Barrackpore, India, on October 3, 1824. His father was Dr. John Browne, a surgeon of the Bengal Medical Service. Young Samuel was educated in England and returned to India in 1840. 

As most young men did at the time, especially if they had an education, he joined the British Army as an officer. In fact, he joined the 46th Bengal Native Infantry as an Ensign -- which would have been the equivalent of an American Army 2nd Lieutenant. 

During the Second Anglo-Sikh War, he saw action in several engagements at Ramnuggar, Sadulpur, Chillianwalla and Gujrat. Then in 1849, after being promoted to Lieutenant, he was assigned the task of raising a cavalry force. He did as ordered and the unit was designated the 2nd Punjab Irregular Cavalry. The unit would later become a regular force. In 1904, the unit would be re-designated as the 22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry in his honor.

He started out as the unit's adjutant when it was formed in 1851 and then commanded the unit until 1863. During his time as its commanding officer, Sam Browne commanded the 2nd Punjab in several engagements. He was soon promoted to the rank of Captain. And yes, he was decorated with the highest award that the British government can bestow someone who performed above and beyond the call of duty. 

Yes, Capt. Samuel Browne was awarded the Victoria Cross for actions on August 31,1858 at Seerporah, Rohilkhand, Uttar Pradesh, India, during what was part of the Bozdar Expedition of 1857. His citation for heroism reads:

For having at Seerporah, in an engagement with the Rebel Forces under Khan Allie Khan, on 31 August 1858, whilst advancing upon the Enemy's position, at daybreak, pushed on with one orderly Sowar upon a nine-pounder gun that was commanding one of the approaches to the enemy's position, and attacked the gunners, thereby preventing them from re-loading, and firing upon the Infantry, who were advancing to the attack. 

In doing this, a personal conflict ensued, in which Captain, now Lieutenant-Colonel, Samuel James Browne, Commandant of the 2nd Punjab Cavalry, received a severe sword-cut wound on the left knee, and shortly afterwards another sword-cut wound, which severed the left arm at the shoulder, not, however, before Lieutenant-Colonel Browne had succeeded in cutting down one of his assailants. The gun was prevented from being re-loaded, and was eventually captured by the Infantry, and the gunner slain. ( as printed in the London Gazette). 

A "Sam Browne" belt is a wide belt, usually leather, supported by a narrower strap passing diagonally over the right shoulder. The diagonal strap stabilizes the scabbard of a sword when worn. General Sir Samuel James Browne's Victoria Cross medal (the equivalent to our Medal of Honor) and his original "Sam Browne" belt are on display at the British National Army Museum.

So let's think about this for a moment. Sometime after losing his arm in that battle, he began to wear the piece of equipment which now bears his name. He created it to compensate for the difficulty that his disability caused him when wearing his officer's sword. If that doesn't sound like a big deal, think about it. British Army Captain Sam Browne lost his left arm when he was hit with a sword cut that severed his left arm at the shoulder. The loss of his left arm, and hand, which he needed to steady his scabbard, made it difficult for him to draw his sword.

Because he still wanted to lead his men into battle, he created what became known as the Sam Browne belt just so he would still be able to draw his sword in battle. Imagine that for a moment. Imagine what sort of a person does that just to keep leading his men into battle. I find that absolutely incredible!

He needed to find something to help him steady his sword scabbard if he wanted to lead his men into battle, so he created what is known today as the Sam Browne belt. Friends, no matter what folks say, when you are concerned about finding a way for you to still lead your troops into battle, and that's your incentive to invent a piece of equipment to do so after you've lost your arm at the shoulder, you definitely qualify as a hard-charger. You're definitely a great example of how not to feel sorry for yourself.  

Tom Correa