Mess kits

[erad67]

Last year I got some elements of the Swedish mess kit. The burner, windshield and fuel bottle. But now I can't find a Swedish mess tin to complete the set. I had some cheap mess tins from Japan that looked the same (like the German one pictured already), but it was a bit too big to fit inside the windshield. Does anyone know where I can find the Swedish mess tins or if the German (or other) ones will fit?

[britman]

Sorry I can't help you there mate.

But I just wanted to revive the mess kit thread by saying that my mess kit is

http://www.calormarineshop.co.uk/focus- ... -600px.jpg

with

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6pViEz94Tuo/SpLvP ... G_0500.jpg

plus hexy cooker as backup, and a lovely ornate metal spoon i found to wolf it all down with!

However, since getting away to someplace pretty remote this summer and living off, amongst other things, locally-caught fish and berries (I didn't have enough luck to catch a fish but others did!) I also now pack a mess tin (Dutch I think, aluminium but sturdier than the Brit one) in my bergen someplace. Takes up no room since you just pack other items inside it, and really increases your options I guess.

I mean Jetboils etc are all well and good as long as you got rations issued to you but they would be no good for cooking up a stew or soup in, need something that you can use local ingredients in and cook over a fire if you have to be able to sustain yourselves with what you find around you. Hence mess-tin retroness!

[Richard w.]

I was 10 years in the US Army and I only recall using my issued mess kit once, in Basic Training. I think it was only to teach us how to clean it in the hot water cans.

The US kept the same style of two-piece kit and folding handle for a long time, only the pans gradually got bigger and they changed the metal and finish.

I borrowed these photos from the U.S. Militaria Forum. They're not mine. They are the U.S. M1874, M1910 (early), M1910 (late), WWI theater-made (France) M1910, M1932, and M1942.

[DangerousDave]

Nice pics. The key was, how to keep the knife,fork and spoon, from rattling around inside. Even if the kit was deep inside your alice pack, the enemy could here you coming, 300 meters away. Another thing, you had to have the complete kit in your ruck, for the EIB 12 miler. When you got back, even in less than 3.0 hours, and you forgot the spoon, your a "No-Go", for the EIB. What a hoot.

[Richard w.]

Yeah, and it was part of the TA-50 so it had to be included every time you laid out your gear, too.

I thought it was kind of neat to have one because I grew up with pictures and movies of GIs in WWII and Korea using the mess kits. Still a PITA, though.

[DangerousDave]

Is the chow that good, that they need a guy to guard it, with a BAR? The third guy in line is like, Momma, I wanna gome home. I miss your cooking.

[Richard w.]

Yeah, looks like they're having lots of fun. I'll bet hot coffee was a big hit that morning.

The caption said that it was taken in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. Tactical feed. I think the BAR guy is a server and there's some kind of can at his feet. The guy at the far right with the frag is passing out what looks like bread.

[Richard w.]

I like to collect photos of US soldiers eating in the field whenever I find them. Here are some more that show use of the issued mess kit.

The caption said that these soldiers are making "fudge" on Guadalcanal. A melted D Bar, maybe?



Soldiers lined up to clean their mess kits in Sicily. The official caption mentions that despite efforts such as these, "dysentery was rampant during the campaign".



Army Air Force base in Algeria.



Christmas dinner on the hood of a jeep, 1944, "somewhere in Italy".

[Bypah]

I still have the complete mess kit my grandfather used in his tour back in WWII.He used to call hthe spoon his " E-tool".He used to tell stories of the many uses for spoons, forks, etc. He used to say that back then every piece of military equipement the US army had could be used against the enemy...
I have also some bakelite cups, tumblers and bowls used in the mess halls back then....

[mreheater72]

I like to collect photos of US soldiers eating in the field whenever I find them.

Very interesting photos, thanks for sharing!

I have also some bakelite cups, tumblers and bowls used in the mess halls back then....

Here is a photo of my complete bakelite flatware:


So long mreheater72