These pannier bag Y straps are unusual in that they have steel buckles and ends instead of the usual brass ends and buckles,a wartime effort to save brass?

Webbing went to black fittings after the war....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

'Sheradised' steel first appeared on 1944-dated '37 pattern webbing - I have no idea about pannier bags, but given lead-in times and the quantity in stores, it's probably unlikely that much saw wartime service.