Mess Tin & Canteen.

[Time Bandit]

I recently pulled these two out of the boxes they have been in for the last few years and put them out on a shelf in a sort of display.
When I got them out I took some pictures and I thought I'd show them as there may be a couple of 'issues' with them?



First up - the Mess Tin. This as far as the tin goes is fine and I don't see any problems with it, the strap however I'm not sure about - kinda have that post war feeling about it...in fact I'm pretty sure it's post war...?

It's marked MKL 44 on both of the handle fittings.


The top is also marked MKL 44


As you can see I don't think that there is much wrong with that - it's a quite good tin with plenty of paint left on it still but has that nice used feel about it.


The mess tin strap however...





Just don't seem 'right'...? Post war Bundeswehr maybe?

[Time Bandit]

The Canteen...

Right, this is the canteen & cup...


Cup - marked AEMA 42



Canteen lid, clip and strap. Strap is marked R.K.W.42



The lid - marked (I think - it's difficult to make out) with a funny circle type shaped thing which is sort of divided into quarters with one on the quarters removed. There is an S in one of the quarters and an FC in the removed part...difficult to explain really and the pic ain't that clear...



Metal fitting on the end of the webbing strap - marked SHB

[Time Bandit]

Canteen again...

Some more pics...

Buckle on the webbing strap - marked C.A. & S.



Water bottle itself - made of aluminium, no markings at all on it. The bottle is well battered and dented. Did the come unmarked during WWII or is the marked that it's unmarked likely to point to a post war bottle?



The Cover - this is marked along the edge of the flap as per the usual wartime ones but it's difficult to make out the markings. The marking to the right of the second press stud says 43 so maybe this is a date? The marking to the left of the stud is pretty hard to see - The bit I can read would appear to be /16 , before that is either three letters or numbers which are no long legible unfortunately - though the first one may be a W...? The press studs are marked on the female part with G U R A *4*



Finally a picture of the bottle and cup together. One other thing I've noticed is that the cover doesn't have the little leather tab on the front of it for the strap to go through? I've looked both inside and outside of the cover and can't see any evidence of there ever being one fitted?



So, what do you think? Is the bottle and cover etc wartime or is it a bit of a mix and match set of both wartime and post war?

[zeugmeister]

Hi Mike, everthing is
The Cover is pre `45 " Civilian " Typ , i `ve never seen that on a Wehrmachtsbootle, but why not, everthing is possible !
So, very nice Items in fine condition,

Regards

Dirk

[JPhilip]

Hello Mike,
great stuff shown here....
Items are very nice, especially the cup with enamelling inside and gasmask canister. Thanks for sharing !
ciao!

(don't know about the strap, could be postwar made)

[zeugmeister]

Mess tin strap is 100% pre`45.

Dirk

[JPhilip]

some features including painted green aluminum buckle remind me some postwar made straps

[reidmuller]

I love the messtin!! if you dont feel happy about it i certanly will its a nice example
Dirk what makes the cover civilian?

[JPhilip]

that kind of shiny treatment of leather and ink stamp don't make me confortable as well. Too much for a simple strap !

[IanC]

Hi Mike,

Like others have said the water bottle and mess tin are fine.

Interestingly my water bottle has some similar characteristics with yours, namely the same unknown maker mark on the cap, it has the web harness, although mine is unmarked and didn't have the metal end and finally the bottle itself is also made of aluminium and has no markings.

Cheers

Ian

[Time Bandit]

Cheers folks - thanks for the replies!

I was fairly certain most of the stuff was okay just bits and pieces like the mess tin strap and maybe the unmarked water bottle that I had doubts about? I guess the water bottle seems okay now but I'm still leaning towards post war with the strap?
My reasons for thinking the strap is possibly post war are pretty much as mentioned - it looks too well made for a war time strap...looks more like the leather off a fancy pair of shoes when it should be - like someone said - a simple strap, the marking I'm also thinking is modern too - doesn't seem like a typical wartime German marking? The final, and perhaps conclusive reason for thinking the strap is Bundeswehr is that I have another Zeltbahn/utility type strap which is made with the same type of finish etc and has the same buckle, this strap also has the same marking on it - albeit very faded and hard to make out but there is enough to know it's the same mark or very similar....this strap has 18 holes....which I believe is a giveaway sign of it being post war as the war time version of this strap had only 17 holes...?

[JPhilip]

....this strap has 18 holes....which I believe is a giveaway sign of it being post war as the war time version of this strap had only 17 holes...?

Hello,
Nice one about holes.....
On the canteen's cap, the circle and inner symbols are the Bakelite maker's mark showing with what kind of Bakelite the cap is made of...
ciao!

[IanC]

Hello,
Nice one about holes.....
On the canteen's cap, the circle and inner symbols are the Bakelite maker's mark showing with what kind of Bakelite the cap is made of...
ciao!

wow! thanks for that information JPhillip

Cheers

Ian