All original WW2 German and GI Mess Kit and Canteen. Figured I would just show rather than tell for this one. German M31 Mess Kit and M31 Canteen GI M1942 Mess Kit and M1910 Canteen
its interesting to me that the germans decided to wrap the canteen with a felt or wool liner, seems like a luxury, also its interesting that the germans uses what looks like rubber for the cap seal, and the americans used cork. i thought rubber was a very rare and highly rationed material for the germans.
@@High-Speed-Historythey did arrive at the western front of ww1 with all the best kit. Sure the Germans knew they had lost once they saw the quality of leather but they did give all the guys the right kit but what they did do is learn very quickly and fix it quickly. Just like the US army did not really "get" machine guns going into ww1 but they learned very quick and the Browing 30 and 50 cals and their mass production for ww2 showed this long term learning
In addition to protecting the canteens from wear and tear, the covers acted as insulation for warm/hot liquids and, when soaked, cooled the liquid inside through evaporation. Cloth canteen coverings are not unheard of outside the German Military for the same reason, either. I once owned an old canteen with a felt cover.
Remember that American G.I. mess tin was designed to be used with a giant field kitchen actually cooking the meals. This was really only designed as something to eat out of not necessarily to cook meals on.
The hell you say, my dad kept his from 1943 to 1987 when he died my uncle George had his from 1942 until he died in 2004 and they both use them regularly in the field every time there was a field kitchen because that’s the only way they could eat. How else do you expect them to eat? 😂😂😂😂 That is a plate for an American G.I. At a field Kitchen during the war
Yeah I’m sure they did, there are a lot of guys who would throw them out and just use the canteen cup though. I would have, if I was living out of my pockets and a musette bag and mostly eating K rations.
I’m a back country hunter, I still carry the WW2 canteen and cup my grandfather gave me. I know there’s lighter stuff on the market but for me it works great
As someone else pointed out the US GI canteen is the best designed canteen kit...I use the Dutch Army version of this, the bottle is plastic, and the cup is stainless steel and apparently sturdier than the US one. However as to the mess kit the German one is definitely better and has stood the test of time, it's still issued to a number of central European armies. Unfortunately it's aluminium. Not only is it better for cooking in but it's also better for field kitchens. One soldier in the section could be sent with his entire sections mess kits to the Gulaschkanone (goulash cannon - old slang for field kitchen). Indeed there is a scene in the German WW2 miniseries Generation War which shows one guy coming back to his section in their forward position, carrying their mess kits full of hot food, when the Russians suddenly attack. More modern versions of this mess kit include a third kidney shaped shallow container which nests inside the deep pot, so 2 different components could be carried in it, with the lid on. Or if going to a field kitchen, a soldier can hold all 3 together in one hand - the shallow pans clip together and the deep pot has a bale handle.
Usually I've prefered German designs, but the US (and UK) is much better. The layout of the utilities just makes sense. I will say though, the spoon/fork, and removable case for keeping heat are smart choices.
I use the U.S. version for camping a lot of times, it’s solid but cheap$, did they have the metal stoves that fits around the canteen cup for the G.Is in ww2? I didn’t see one in your kit
Two different philosophies . The only thing the American mess kit is really good for , is for recieving food in a chow line . Pretty much all it was intended for . If they actually did do any cooking , they used the canteen cup , more often , than not . The Germans on the other hand , were expected to forrage , much more than their American counterparts . So the mess kit was designed for cooking . We had the best logistics for feeding troops , with the British coming in close behind .
the only smart thing in German Kit is their "folding spork" the rest is definitely kind of a useless joke as all the mess kits are made in a similar manner. This days an efficient mess kit. is mostly cylindrical. Cylindric stainless bottle, at least 1 cylindrical mug. Like Decathlon. 1.5liters non insulated inox canteen + 0.400ml inox mug. But GI mess kit seems also a better valid integration as plate/pan... but again... if you have to pack stuffs... it is better to get a Filippino AFP or PNP in stainless. It is similar to GI but squared so it is a protective shell to transport delicate things in the backpack, more capable than GI, moreover, having corners it makes easier to decant liquids in other containers. About utensils nothing beat a Victorinox Huntsman or Outrider and a Chinese Stainless spork combo 3 in 1.
@@High-Speed-History they have ripped me off so many times it's unbelievable and I'm 65 field jacket waterproof matches fold-up bucksaw in a polishing Stone to sharpen your blades your knives you're still anything
