Two 40s era army blankets once used by my granddad in north africa/italy.
How cold is cold for a wrapped blanket? I am rather taken with the idea of seeing how he managed!
Just inherited...
Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew
Re: Just inherited...
What did he do in North Africa/ Italy?
My grandad went that way until he lost an arm at Rimini airfield by a German 88.
My grandad went that way until he lost an arm at Rimini airfield by a German 88.
Re: Just inherited...
He was a major in the signals I think so quite safe story he tells is he wasnt allowed to jump out of planes and took signals over tanks. Not sure how accurate that is but he certainly isnt one for embellishing.
I really meant given as he is still very much alive and planning his 100th!
I really meant given as he is still very much alive and planning his 100th!
Re: Just inherited...
My grandad was a driver of a Churchill in 12 RTR.
Died in the late 70's so I never got to find out much but there's a Canadian guy writing a book about the Canadian infantry that supported them through Italy.
I've been scanning him letters and pictures of my grandads travels in '44.
He sent me a PDF draft of his book if that's of any interest?
Died in the late 70's so I never got to find out much but there's a Canadian guy writing a book about the Canadian infantry that supported them through Italy.
I've been scanning him letters and pictures of my grandads travels in '44.
He sent me a PDF draft of his book if that's of any interest?
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Just inherited...
I've a WW1 cavalry sword and a flare pistol from the Boer war ... both of which I'm sure will come in handy on the 'odd' overnighter 
May the bridges you burn light your way
Re: Just inherited...
I had a French bayonet from 1887 inherited from my grandfather until some pondlife burgled me.
I nursed a really nice gentle man once who was suffering from dementia. He was involved in both world wars, merchant navy in the first and army in the second. One of only a few patients to whom I grew emotionally attached to in a long nursing career.
I nursed a really nice gentle man once who was suffering from dementia. He was involved in both world wars, merchant navy in the first and army in the second. One of only a few patients to whom I grew emotionally attached to in a long nursing career.
Re: Just inherited...
Back in 1965 I was a boy soldier and we went on camp to Monmouth. It was probably Summer because in those days Summer started at the end of March and finished at the end of October.
There was a shortage of sleeping bags and because the CSM was like a mum to me I was the one who got issued two blankets. I scrounged or stole a third. They were probably 1940's issue because we boy soldiers were still wearing WW2 BD's in the 1960's.
Having formerly Cubbed and Boy Scouted from the age of 7, and never been able to afford a sleeping bag, I did the normal double fold and safety pin to make a bag with a fold over foot and more layers under than over. Greatcoat underneath for a mattress between me and the groundsheet (WW2 cape cum groundsheet which did neither well) and I slept wonderfully. I told everybody, very loudly, how wonderful army blankets and Boy Scout training were.
Otoh, I'd have never admitted being cold just in case it got back to the CSM (Rossiter, Coldstream Guards) and encouraged him to smile. Bless him.
There was a shortage of sleeping bags and because the CSM was like a mum to me I was the one who got issued two blankets. I scrounged or stole a third. They were probably 1940's issue because we boy soldiers were still wearing WW2 BD's in the 1960's.
Having formerly Cubbed and Boy Scouted from the age of 7, and never been able to afford a sleeping bag, I did the normal double fold and safety pin to make a bag with a fold over foot and more layers under than over. Greatcoat underneath for a mattress between me and the groundsheet (WW2 cape cum groundsheet which did neither well) and I slept wonderfully. I told everybody, very loudly, how wonderful army blankets and Boy Scout training were.
Otoh, I'd have never admitted being cold just in case it got back to the CSM (Rossiter, Coldstream Guards) and encouraged him to smile. Bless him.
"What doesn't kill us makes us stranger." - The Joker
Re: Just inherited...
JoshVegas
have a read of "Destiny in the Desert" by Jonathan Dimbleby. It's the full account of the desert war in North Africa and does show the difficulties the guys went through. It also shows how strategic that part of the war was, even though Hitler may not have realised it at the time.
(There was some action by some of the Signals guys also - capturing Germans etc as the front lines were a little blurred at times)
have a read of "Destiny in the Desert" by Jonathan Dimbleby. It's the full account of the desert war in North Africa and does show the difficulties the guys went through. It also shows how strategic that part of the war was, even though Hitler may not have realised it at the time.
(There was some action by some of the Signals guys also - capturing Germans etc as the front lines were a little blurred at times)
Re: Just inherited...
Interesting Flatfish that would be great!
Slarge I will check that out too cheers!
Nobby, you are a little unclear.. will I freeze or were you actually warm?
I have an old primus and a hurricane lamp aswell I could go full old school bike packing I might have to get a contemporary bike though.... http://visualcollector.com/OBLI/BSA1.jpg
Slarge I will check that out too cheers!
Nobby, you are a little unclear.. will I freeze or were you actually warm?
I have an old primus and a hurricane lamp aswell I could go full old school bike packing I might have to get a contemporary bike though.... http://visualcollector.com/OBLI/BSA1.jpg
Re: Just inherited...
A standard bit of kit in the desert was a Benghazi Burner and while it's probably not the sort of thing you want to take bikepacking it's still pretty good in a static camp.
Take two biscuit tins (square are best). Punch some holes around one tin just under the rim on one and half fill with sand. Pour in about a pint of petrol, distributing it evenly, leave for a few moments and chuck in a match. The petrol evaporates slowly and burns evenly across the top of the sand. There's your cooker. Take the second tin and punch a couple of hole opposite each other, use this to bicycle up a handle (welding rod works very well). Fill with water and place on the cooker. Because the pot has a large surface area the water boils quite quickly.
To make the brew: chuck in a couple of handfuls of compo tea when the water is boiling nicely and leave to stew. Then chuck in some condensed milk, the resulting mixture should be a dark brown. Anything milky will upset the Troop Sergeant and result in ammo fatigues for the guilty party :) Before pouring, tap the sides of the pot several times with your spoon, this will help the leaves to sink to the bottom. Serve!
Top tip: if the flame goes out DO NOT pour it more petrol!!! the hot sand will ignite the petrol being poured and result in the loss of eyebrows :( Chuck the sand away and refill or leave it until the sand is cold!
Smaller models can also be made from 7lb bean tins etc.
Take two biscuit tins (square are best). Punch some holes around one tin just under the rim on one and half fill with sand. Pour in about a pint of petrol, distributing it evenly, leave for a few moments and chuck in a match. The petrol evaporates slowly and burns evenly across the top of the sand. There's your cooker. Take the second tin and punch a couple of hole opposite each other, use this to bicycle up a handle (welding rod works very well). Fill with water and place on the cooker. Because the pot has a large surface area the water boils quite quickly.
To make the brew: chuck in a couple of handfuls of compo tea when the water is boiling nicely and leave to stew. Then chuck in some condensed milk, the resulting mixture should be a dark brown. Anything milky will upset the Troop Sergeant and result in ammo fatigues for the guilty party :) Before pouring, tap the sides of the pot several times with your spoon, this will help the leaves to sink to the bottom. Serve!
Top tip: if the flame goes out DO NOT pour it more petrol!!! the hot sand will ignite the petrol being poured and result in the loss of eyebrows :( Chuck the sand away and refill or leave it until the sand is cold!
Smaller models can also be made from 7lb bean tins etc.
Re: Just inherited...
Joshvegas wrote:Interesting Flatfish that would be great!
Slarge I will check that out too cheers!
Nobby, you are a little unclear.. will I freeze or were you actually warm?
I have an old primus and a hurricane lamp aswell I could go full old school bike packing I might have to get a contemporary bike though.... http://visualcollector.com/OBLI/BSA1.jpg
I remember it as being warm but I wouldn't rely on my memory
If blankets were good why was the sleeping bag invented?"What doesn't kill us makes us stranger." - The Joker
Re: Just inherited...
Oh don't get me wrong I have down bags etc just purely interested in how warm I'd be. naturally I have to try it out!
Re: Just inherited...
I'm sure you will be warmer than in a desert night, but I'd take a light bag as wellJoshvegas wrote:Oh don't get me wrong I have down bags etc just purely interested in how warm I'd be. naturally I have to try it out!
"What doesn't kill us makes us stranger." - The Joker