When thinking about UKSF plate carriers, one usually pictures the well documented Paraclete SOHPC or the Crye Precision JPC. Be geeky enough, and you’ll have the Blackhawk helivest or the London Bridge Trading 6094A-RS that used to be spotted in use by the SBS. Aside from these is quite a list of lesser known carriers, and among them is the LBT 6094B. Most, if not all, reference photos showcasing it seem to be related to the SAS.
Let’s hop back to 2011 in a small French city. Airsofter and US Navy SEAL gear enthusiast Lonewoolf receives the package he ordered from London Bridge Trading. The freshly opened cardboard box finds him puzzled. Instead of his items are two 6094B paired with matching, three magazine inserts, IIIA inserts and LBT’s CASS (Comfort Armour Suspension System) belt. The American company totally mixed up his order with another. A quick look at the invoice will make his eyes go wide : the whole package was supposed to ship for Hereford in the UK.
Being the honest guy that he usually is, Lonewoolf got the package on its way to the original receiver. And that has been the end to the story for years. Or so it was until last year when ex- British special forces Jonathan Truett released a photo of his past serving time. The picture itself looks to have been taken either in Syria or Northern Iraq around 2016 during the fighting against ISIS.
I personally love learning the history behind specific pieces of gear. And this one makes me smile as for once, and thanks to Lonewoolf, we got to witness the beginning of said history.
As of posting, I sent a message to Jonathan Truett through Instagram to ask if he indeed was the receiver of a special package from France, and will be delighted if a reply comes through.