ORIGINAL WW2 German Canteen Mess Tin Army Kochgeschirr M31 WEHRMACHT GK & F make

The mess kit is for 90% covered in its original colour. The top part is maker marked GK & F maker marked by'Gebrüder Kugel & Fink' from'Lüdenscheid' with the other mark clearly visible if you look for it. However these where usually issued in black.

Soldiers had to be able to cook their food during periods of rest and lightweight individual boilers were issued in most European countries, although France, Austria and Norway were using larger collective boilers. The disadvantages were that if the soldier carrying the larger boiler got lost, a small group of soldiers had no cooking boiler to use.

The Kochgeschirr, which was used prior to 1910, was made of aluminum and had a capacity of 2 1/2 liters. It was blackened for foot troops and left in aluminum finish for mounted units. The handle could be attached or detached from the lid of the canteen. Detached, it was carried in the backpack.

It contained an opening to insert a wooden stick in case the handle became too hot when the contents were heated. The weight of the canteen was 380g for foot troops and 400g for mounted troops who had a version made of thicker aluminum. Markings on the outside/inside of the mess kit divide it into five sections of 1/2 liters. The Kochgeschirr was always carried attached to the backpack. Last photo for reference only. Not easy to find and ideal for display. A very nice and rare original piece of kit & history.

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