Equipment of basic Finnish infantryman

[Mangrove]

Due to shortages of materials there were also changes of materials that happened during the war. What I remember reading originally underwear was made from cotton, but due to shortage of cotton around 1942 viscose fiber became the material used instead of cotton. There were somewhat similar development with other clothes as well - due to wool and cotton not being available in such extent as needed, recycled rags and artificial fabrics were added as materials used for making cloths

Earlier discussion on the forum: The Deterioration of the Quality of the Uniforms

[Seppo Koivisto]

Between the leather mittens and the rucksack could be a scarf. Right from the gun cleaning kit is a small gun oil bottle. Did the full battle kit include matches? Could the box below the gas mask be a water tight box for matches?

[JTV]

Between the leather mittens and the rucksack could be a scarf. Right from the gun cleaning kit is a small gun oil bottle. Did the full battle kit include matches? Could the box below the gas mask be a water tight box for matches?

As far as I know matches were not part of official issued kit. They were one of the items that soldiers were expected to buy on their own and keep track of resupply on their own when needed.

Gas masks were issued with some related stuff and the particular box seems to be one of them. The gas mask shown in photo is Finnish m/30 with filter m/34. According this page the substance inside it would be "cleaning substance", but I am not sure about that. I do not have this particular gas mask setup, but I do have full Finnish gas mask m/38 set, which contains small container of "glass grease". According instructions thin coat of "glass grease" was to be spread on inside surfaces of lenses, presumably to make sure that lenses did not fog-up during use of mask. According that same source tubular containers next to gas mask contained cotton - the instructions on "glass grease" container instruct to use piece of paper or fabric to spread the grease on lenses.

Source: http://yukio.kapsi.fi/projektit/kaasunaamari.php

Jarkko

[JTV]

Bit more stuff for this subject.

Photo showing contents of pre-war equipment cabinet of Finnish Army recruit (presumably photographed in 1930's, since hats shown in it are m/27):
http://www.pkymasehist.fi/phpBB2/viewto ... 11&t=16754

SA-photo archive photos number 66035 - 66038 photographed in December of 1941 show how whole equipment kit (täyspakkaus) was supposed to be carried back then. Rucksack (reppu) on back, gas mask bag (kaasunaamarilaukku) on left side and breadbag (leipälaukku) on right side. It seems that in reality entrenching tool was usually tucked under belt to make carrying it bit easier, I doubt that many soldiers got two pairs of boots issued to them (as in pre-war era) and there doesn't seem to have been wool blankets (attached under rucksack in these photos) for many (most?) of them either. Canteen (kenttäpullo) has been strapped to breadbag and mess kit (pakki) attached to rucksack, which seems to be pretty common way of doing things and they way that I would have done it as well.

Small version of photos number 66036 and 66037 attached.

Jarkko