Davor wrote:which is the use for the gas cape bag? wouldn't be better carrying your socks inside the bread bag instead of inside the gas mask container? are you supposed to carry only bread and biscuits inside it? and I suppose that the bayonet must be with the entrenching tool
Gas cape bag- obviously contains the gas cape, a large chemicaly treated sheet of paper meant to cover the soldier in the unlikely event of a chemical weapons attack.
The gas mask cannister was meant to carry the gas mask, but after about 1941, the soldiers wised up to the fact that they wouldnt see any of the WWI style gas attacks. As a result, most of the personal level anti-gas equipment ended up being used for everything but their intended use. Luftwaffe troops used the decontamination tablets to bleach out their caps and the little plastic containers to keep their cigarettes dry. Anyway, a lot of the soldiers began stowing their gas masks in their rucks (not water proof) and used the cannisters to protect more "important" items. I've heard of them being used to carry everything from beer bottles to sweaters to chicken eggs. Dry socks are important to a soldier and a couple pair will fit in the cannister, even with the mask inside.
The bread bag is an all purpose bag a lot like the US mussette bag. On the outer flap the soldier strapped on his canteen and mess tin (ideally containing whatever had been ladled out of the field kitchen that morning). The inside held the emergency half ration and rifle cleaning kit if he wasn't issued an assult frame/bag. Other likely items could include the butter dish and othe cooking/eating items, foraged food items, toiletries, extra ammunition, etc.... essentially anything needed on a regular basis, as opposed to the rucksack, meant to contain extra clothing, a blanket, etc...
The proscribed position for the bayonet for a standard rifleman is over and through the spade carrier. Period photos show that a lot of mechanized infantry as well as artillery/flak crewman went without the spades as these were easily accessable from the trucks if needed.