P.08 Shoulder Holster

[John Winter]

Perhaps someone on the forum has encountered one of these, but this is one of only two marked WWII Luger shoulder holsters that I have owned. It came with a byf 41 that I purchased in 1996. I had two at the time, the other was black and had an RBN number impressed on the shoulder strap and I sold it to a dealer in the Chicago area. This holster has the usual shoulder and chest strap configuration with an aluminum roller buckle. The pistol retaining strap is secured with a brown snap and there is the usual extra mag pouch with a vertical pocket for the tool located beneath the forward pistol grip strap. The chest strap is made of the same stock as that of a K.98 rifle sling and like the shoulder strap, shows remnants of a gray coating on the underside. Color was originally a natural russet and has darkened. On the underside of the chest strap close to the holster body is a faint ink stamp reading VON WALDOW PRAG 1943. This was a known K.98 sling and holster manufacturer of that period. I can't find any other markings other than a handwritten R.S.M and the number 2317 at the top of the rear of the holster body. Overall, the holster was manufactured to very high standards. Does anyone have information as to what service these might have been issued? Thanks.