Post your "Hate Belts"

[JustinG]

Greetings, I acquired a nice one a couple of years ago. Here is my example.



Looking forward to seeing your additions.

Best Regards,
JustinG

 

[Bobted]

Thats a nicely filled out belt! Rob

 

[911car]

Those show up occasionally. Some historical reminders might be useful, at least for me. Who made such trophies, where friends and fiends are mixed? Who hated whom? Intuitively, I assumed US soldiers and Brits made those belts. I could only find one French item on the one shown here that could also be Belgian, but perhaps I missed others. Did Germans also craft hate belts, or any other hate items?...
Thank you to anybody in the know...

 

[seagull]

That's one super example Justin, well done for getting it but I am more than a little confused by the use of the term "hate" belt.
I have been around militaria for over fifty years and never heard it used. Most that I saw were regarded as souvenirs of someone's service. Back in the fifties I remember seeing guys delivering coal who wore them every day for work, same for dock labourers.
Steve

 

[911car]

That's one super example Justin, well done for getting it but I am more than a little confused by the use of the term "hate" belt.
I have been around militaria for over fifty years and never heard it used. Most that I saw were regarded as souvenirs of someone's service. Back in the fifties I remember seeing guys delivering coal who wore them every day for work, same for dock labourers.
Steve

How strange, Steve. I have seen those pictured from time to time, and always referred to as "hate belts"...

 

[JustinG]

I too have always wondered about these and why they were termed "hate belts". But, this is the word that seems to depict these items. I like mine because it has both Allied and German insignia.

Best Regards,
JustinG

 

[seagull]

Curious indeed Bruno, maybe because all the belts I (vaguely) remember from that time were pretty much all composed of uk/us/nz/Australian regimental cap badges so, all allied emblems- perhaps swaps with other units they met with, hence more 'souvenirs' than 'hate' ? Or maybe I just wasn't paying proper attention!

 

[Bobted]

I have only known them as Hate belts, supposedly the soldiers who buried the bodies took various souvenirs, likewise soldiers guarding prisoners, then again the French civilians could have made them for battlefield tourists just after WW1. Rob

 

[Bobted]

Pics

 

[Bobted]

More

 

[Helmetz]

I've also long known them as Hate Belts. Have also heard them referred to as Grave Digger Belts and Souvenir Belts over the last few decades.

 

[Steve Nick]

Justin:

I've always referred to these as :Hate Belts" and this one is the busiest one I've ever seen. It's a great piece.

Just a note on the "Canadian Scottish" shoulder title. The unit was listed as the 16th Battalion C.E.F. It was a 1st Division unit and was home to some very distinguished members. It's original O.C. was Arthur Currie who went on to command The Canadian Corps as Sir Arthur Currie, Lt. Col. "Cy" Peck and Piper James Richardson V.C.

 

[John Josef]

I've always heard dealers refer to these items as "hate belts" not sure where that all got started but I love them. Pretty cool IMO I've seen some nice ones with really rare insignia on them over the years

 

[Helmetz]

I've always found them somewhat fascinating. Some incredibly full examples already posted. Here's a hate belt I found among the group of bring back items of U.S. Marine Col James H. Johnston.

 

[Helmetz]

I lent it to a local museum, among several groups of other items, for a year during their End of WWI Anniversary exhibit a while back.

 

[Bobted]

Nice helmets! Rob