Gents,
A word from our sponsors (i.e. yours truly) on the Ritter Pattern Canteen. At least three different models were used in the post-war era, one by the BGS, and two by the Bundeswehr. The below blurb focuses on the Bundeswehr models. One had the wood laminate (resin) bottle covered in an olive drab coating; the other was plain. The picture illustrating the blurb appears to be of the coated variety.
By all means, please correct any errors you find.
Many thanks, TJ
The Ritter Pattern canteen was based on the tropical canteen designed for the Afrika Korps during World War II. It was made by the same wartime manufacturer, Heinrich Ritter of Essinglen. The aluminum body was covered in wood laminate, which was in turn coated with a rubberized olive drab finish. This design was originally conceived to prevent thirsty Afrika Korps soldiers from burning their hands when reaching for a drink in the North African Desert. There is a running gunfight over on the Wehrmacht Equipment Forum with many forum members contending it never made to Africa during the war. German soldiers issued with this type canteen in other tropical climes were said to have knick-named it the “coconut” (Kokonuss). A massive aluminum cup with a straight handle sat atop the water bottle. The bottle had “cross” style green leather straps like the M1931. The vertical strap served to keep the cup firmly attached to the top of the canteen. The horizontal strap provided additional support and stability. The metal pressure clip was sewn near the top of the vertical strap. An example that I recently examined was manufactured in 1958. It is stamped “H.R.E. 58” on the cap and at the base of the cap handle. The Heinrich Ritter company engineered the method to wrap metal with synthetic resin in the late 1930's and the patent was filed in 1940. It appears however that the patent wasn't granted until after the war in 1954.
A word from our sponsors (i.e. yours truly) on the Ritter Pattern Canteen. At least three different models were used in the post-war era, one by the BGS, and two by the Bundeswehr. The below blurb focuses on the Bundeswehr models. One had the wood laminate (resin) bottle covered in an olive drab coating; the other was plain. The picture illustrating the blurb appears to be of the coated variety.
By all means, please correct any errors you find.
Many thanks, TJ
The Ritter Pattern canteen was based on the tropical canteen designed for the Afrika Korps during World War II. It was made by the same wartime manufacturer, Heinrich Ritter of Essinglen. The aluminum body was covered in wood laminate, which was in turn coated with a rubberized olive drab finish. This design was originally conceived to prevent thirsty Afrika Korps soldiers from burning their hands when reaching for a drink in the North African Desert. There is a running gunfight over on the Wehrmacht Equipment Forum with many forum members contending it never made to Africa during the war. German soldiers issued with this type canteen in other tropical climes were said to have knick-named it the “coconut” (Kokonuss). A massive aluminum cup with a straight handle sat atop the water bottle. The bottle had “cross” style green leather straps like the M1931. The vertical strap served to keep the cup firmly attached to the top of the canteen. The horizontal strap provided additional support and stability. The metal pressure clip was sewn near the top of the vertical strap. An example that I recently examined was manufactured in 1958. It is stamped “H.R.E. 58” on the cap and at the base of the cap handle. The Heinrich Ritter company engineered the method to wrap metal with synthetic resin in the late 1930's and the patent was filed in 1940. It appears however that the patent wasn't granted until after the war in 1954.
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