MN44 mess tins & Canteens

[Danmark]

Hi Guys,
I collected a lot of field gear back in the 1980's only to sell it all 10 years later ( bills, mortgage, that sort of dumb stuff ). Anyway, here I go starting again! A question for the experts out there is " who was manufacturer MN ( or DMN ) and why did they chop & change with materials and stamps?" I have a MN44 mess tin made from aluminium ( 1st photo ) and I've seen steel ones from '44 from the same maker turn up too - if the aluminium needs of the armed forces dictated steel why the alternating materials in the same or even next year? Also the canteens - while I haven't seen a MN44 aluminium one, there are several stamping styles - the other photo shows the MN1944 in a circle, I have another stamped in a line at the neck and I've seen yet others on the forum stamped differently?? so much for Teutonic standardization! .... any thoughts?

[JPhilip]

Hello,
Is the messkit body marked with MN44 ?
I highly doubt it is....
Instead of aluminium molded pieces to hold the wire handle, it should be flat iron pieces. These aluminium molded piece denote an early production and the paint reminds me some 1941 to 1943 messkits. Too bad the handle on the lid has lost the strap loop.
Aluminium was used to produce messkits from the beginning to the end, with a production made from steel in 1942, 43 and 44.
During the first two years (42 and 43), the production of aluminium messkits didn't stop, but was slowed down to promote steel ones. In 1944 and 45, most of the messkits made were in aluminium. Personaly i have never seen a steel messkit 1945 dated.
Thanks

[Danmark]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Yes, it is a pity the loop is gone - as well as the handle becoming thinner ( my 1941 VAL kit handle is made of thicker metal ), the quality of the riveting is poor and the loop has pulled away and the rivets remain. The handle pivots are aluminium without date but the body matches the top - even the soldier's name 'Meier' is scratched into both halves. This is why I bought it, for the personality it has in being named...

[pereto]

there supouse to be another stamp for produser ot the main body of the mess kit ,
My mess kit has diferent produsers marks - one MN 43 for the top and ZP St7 41 for the main body.. but is in much worse shape than yours...
But I'm keeping it as it is, becouse it is artefact left from my grandfather's miitary service - he has once brought it from the front as a trophy - he took part in the fighting in Ygoslavia and Hungary, where Bulgarians were attached to the USSR's Ucrainian front and figth against Germans( Drava Sobolch operation and so on..)

[Danmark]

Hello Pereto, A nice mess kit with good history. It shows it was well used - and looks like the top loop of the handle broke off with much use!
I read ( maybe on this forum ) that only the bottoms were taken back to the field kitchen for food and then if the soldat did not mark his name on it, then this is why many are mismatched ..... and then he HAD to mark his name to stop it happening next time! War does not keep everything all neat and in order!

There are collectors of mint equipment and collectors of used ones, sometimes WELL USED! .....these are what I like, I think maybe you also!
Cheers, Dan

[mauser98k]

Hi Danmark
I share your feelings on collecting equipment that has been used if not well used I am not a fan of anything that is in perfect un-issued condition.

Martin

[pereto]

Danmark, at my mess tin cover are some traces from inscriptions ...some latters - "R S" and "p"?? look at the picture ..is this what you were tolking about? they look like scratched upon the paint (but in very precised manner)...I was always wondering what they could mean....