Peacetime Luxury

Samuel James Browne entered Britain's Indian Army in 1840 as a 16-year-old ensign. He soldiered for his Queen through the next 39 years. In the Sepoy Mutiny he led a desperate charge against rebel artillery at Sirpura, lost his left arm and won the cherished Victoria Cross. Later campaigns earned him fame, knighthood, full general's rank, honorable retirement.

Soldiers knew the name of Sir Samuel James Browne, not for any of these solid accomplishments, but for his casual invention, some time in the 1870s, of a handy leather uniform belt. As a one-armed man, Sir Samuel had trouble managing the dangling saber at his left side. To solve the problem he hooked the saber up to his waist belt within easy reach, then designed a cross-belt running over the right shoulder to carry part of the weight. Two-armed officers liked the belt as much as Sir Samuel did. The Sam Browne belt became standard throughout the British Army, later spread to other countries. The U.S. Army adopted it during World War I.

But in modern war the Sam Browne is as nonfunctional as the saber. Soon after the outbreak of World War II, both Britain and the U.S. made cloth belts regulation. Officers who had Sam Brownes could wear them, but only for dress occasions, unarmed. Later the U.S. barred the use of leather or brass for belts. Last week London followed suit: the Minister of Supply ruled out for the duration Sir Samuel's shiny military harness.

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