The 1937 pattern small pack and it's contents.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Peter, you are very welcome and thank you for asking.

Cheers, Ade.

[peter monahan]

Thanks Ade! I always ask and you're a gentleman to agree. Great thread!

Peter

[Wouter J]

Hi Adrian, first of all, very nice and informative thread.
But I'm wondering about the canteen. Was it more often carried in the smallpack or in it's carrier on the belt?

Wouter

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Wouter, it was designed to be carried in the pack, but it is mostly seen in wartime photos worn from the cross straps at waist level (so not actually on the belt itself )

Cheers, Ade.

[Husky]

Hello Ade

For your excellent post , i sent 2 groundsheet pic:

first
Canadian groundsheet , before war


two
British groundsheet basic ww2.

[lnijherald]

The US TL122C.

The earlier "A" version was brass bodied.

I just picked up this TL-122-A made by Eveready, it has a plated iron body and zinc top.

Luc

[PeterPaul]

Small pack

Hi guys I just found this thread and thought I might add some photos of my small pack content.

Here goes:

[PeterPaul]

Small pack1

Contents are a full pack of smokes, marked "HMF" his Majestys Armed Forces, shaving kit personel buys, the razoe blade is as much as a 100 years old. And of English make. Extra safety razors, KFS set all 1945 dated, and the soap tin 45 dated as Adrian stated, foot powder, issued early 1941 dated mess tins.

[PeterPaul]

Small pack2

The snipers vail, this particular colour is contributed to Canadian make I think, a 1945 dated Jack knife and a water bottle marked 43.

[PeterPaul]

Small pack3

2 tea mucks, one is 1945 dated and WD arrow, a small but very round model.

And a unmarked white emal with blue lining. Honost Im not sure about that one, I think the handle sit a bit off ?

[PeterPaul]

Small pack4

All comes in a nice 1941 dated small pack, with a nice matching set of L-straps.

[peter monahan]

A very nice kit set up indeed. Thanks for sharing!

[PeterPaul]

Only happy to share, its great


So do you have an opinion on the white mug ?

[peter monahan]

We use them in my WWI re-enactment unit and they seem to have been standard issue for a good long while, though I don't have the sources in front of me to cite dates. The received wisdom seems to be that they were not actually issue items but private purchase - from the NAAFI? - and they certainly show up in WWI photos. The top of the mess tin was the official drinking vessel but that's even clumsier than a tin mug which chars your lips as you use it to sip hot tea!

The brown mug seems ot have been the [official] WWII replacement.

[PeterPaul]

Yes I think you are right. A private purchase is also a very good possibelity.

I could use a brown emael cup with a war time stamp but I cant seem to find any original ?