The 1937 pattern small pack and it's contents.

[Aave Johns]

Nice

I am always fasinated by these types of collections. I remember when this sort of kit was cheaply available from disposal stores enmasse.
I still have bits and pieces that I was issued with, including uniform items. My housewife still travels with me on postings, and the design has changed little in 60 odd years !!

Regards;
Johnsy

[Lone Pine]

I remember about 2 years ago at a Sydney arms fair, a bloke selling ww2 Australian army tooth brushes. $5.00 AUD each. Should have grabbed one.
Regards Bruce

[lnijherald]

Early war these were tinned steel with an impressed rib to the sides of the tin. Later in the war by 1944, the mess tin was design was altered; the rib was done away with and the metal was changed to alluminium.

Ade, I picked up a set yesterday at a local flea market, they are made by regico and dated 1943. They have no rib and appear to be tinned, that makes them a mix of the two types you describe!

[lnijherald]

Detail of date and manufacturer:

[mietek]

These knives were general issue to all branches of the British Forces, everyone had one.

Hi Adrian

I have quesiton related to knives.

There are also other versions :
- with 2 blades only, war dated, an military issue, when they were introduced:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mietek...e2.jpg&.src=ph

A- full metal. Are they Navy, or were used by RAF too?

B - larger version with pressed wood(?), handle, my is with ARP and WD markings. What model it is?

A and B together with typical one:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mietek...e2.jpg&.src=ph

How long were produced large ww1 models? I had one made in 1938:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mietek...e2.jpg&.src=ph

Till now I did not see smaller ww2 models,made before 1940. When they were introduced?

Postwar "ww2-like" knives are also with bottle opener added to the tin oppener. When bottle openner was added? During or after ww2?

Dear Fellow Collectors,
It is a common misconseption that the first rectangular mess tins were tin plated. This is incorrect.

The List of changes B 2537 of April 1939 introduce a
'Tins, Mess, Rectangular, aluminium, complete.
which consisted of Bodies, inner and outer.

These mess tins replace the dismounted and mounted service mess tins.

Due to the war effort a tin plated rectangular mess tin was later introduced to save aluminium. Near the end of the war aluminium was reintroduced to make mess tins.
Barry

The easiest way to see diffrence between early and late alu tins it is to look at number of rivets.

Early one have 3 rivets, and irregular shape of the metal plate:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mietek...e2.jpg&.src=ph

Late have 4 rivets ane simetric shape, easier for mass production. Also they have fixed wire handle. In earlier version was easy to remove handle. So in the middle of the plate, where is end of the wire, plate looks thicker (New Zealand use different solution, but I don't know science when). 4 rivets in alu tins were used from 1945? till now.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mietek...e2.jpg&.src=ph

I could see also difference in the handle: early versions have steel wire, late is from alu.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mietek, the subject of jack knives is a study in it's own right.

The large pattern "6353" knife used in WW1 was still being made as late as 1938.

The earliest known date for a WW2 style knife, like I show, is 1939.

The bottle opener (on the can opener blade) was first introduced in 1945.

All metal knives were first produced in 1939/40 but only for a very short production run. They reappeared in 1944.

The Air Raid Precautions (ARP) also used all metal knives.

The Royal Navy had all metal knives. Same as in your photo.

Cheers, Ade.

[mietek]

Thank you for information,

So looks that 1939 it was transition period from large to small version.

I asked about usage of Nayv knives in RAF because I have seen on TV a programme where they used items from RAF museum and there was shown Navy model.

Regards

mietek

[Akina]

Hello Ade

Very good !!

I have a question for you , are you sure for bottle opener ?was first introduced in 1945 ? you have a bottle opener pic ? my british knife is dated 1943..
My knife:
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=181347

And the knife have a little violin on the bottle opener , what is this ?

Thanks you so much
Eric

[JONNY P]

Yours seems to be the same as mine, mines marked on the can/bottle opener Taylor, Sheffield 1944 and has a weird Eye-witness mark (an Eye with 'witness' below it?).

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Eric, that is not the bottle opener. It is the can opener. I will post a pic of knife with the bottle opener for you to see.

The violin is the "trade mark" (logo) for the company, who's name is also on the blade of your jack knife.

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, here is a knife with the bottle opener.

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

I promised Marcus I would post this a while ago. Here is an RAF marked mess tin for you. 1951 dated and RAF marked on both halves.

Cheers, Ade.

[Akina]

Hi Eric, that is not the bottle opener. It is the can opener. I will post a pic of knife with the bottle opener for you to see.

The violin is the "trade mark" (logo) for the company, who's name is also on the blade of your jack knife.

Cheers, Ade.

oh ! i see , thanks you !

[mietek]

I promised Marcus I would post this a while ago. Here is an RAF marked mess tin for you. 1951 dated and RAF marked on both halves.

Cheers, Ade.

Looks same as mine, I have mix of 1950 and 1951 sets, except RAF markings on the bottom they also have code close to the handles.

I have also one some questions about torches/flash lights:
- what models/types were issued (any pics)?
- did soldiers/officers use private purchase torches (similar as during ww1)? If yes what company was most popular?
- where they carried torches? In the pocket? In small pack?

Not related to small pack content, but I know that according to medical publications from ww2 in the medical bag was also a torch. Do you know what type it could be?

Regards

mietek

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mietek, the most widely used torch / flashlight was the "Lamp, electric, No.1". These were similar to the bicycle lamp of the time. The lens could be covered or changed to green.

The US made TL122 A, B or C series were popular too.

Officers most likely had access to private purchase stuff.

All would be carried either in the pockets or clipped to the belt.

Sorry I cannot help on the one mentioned in the Medical manual.

Cheers, Ade.