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Water bottles and canteens of WWI

80K views 60 replies 21 participants last post by  toot 
#1 · (Edited)
I will start this off with a few photos of some of my water bottles and canteens, as well as issue cups.
First off is the American M1910 canteen, cup and carrier. This one is interesting to me as it is marked to Company A of the 101st Infantry, part of the 26th Division. This is the Company that my grandfather served with in France as a replacement when he was wounded. It is difficult to get 101 A marked items, and some of the people who collect 101st Airborne tend to run them up in price.


Next are Austrian water bottles, the one on the left is the standard late war enameled bottle, next to it is the nesting cup, these were carried in the pocket in the haversack, the aluminum bottle is the prewar M1909 water bottle, and to the right is an enameled version in a cavalry model carrying harness that was carried by a soldier in the Mounted Tiroliean Kaisersschützen. The Austrian water bottles are the smallest issued canteens that I know of, a ¼liter is hardly enough to was the dust out of one's mouth.


Next is an aluminum German M1893 Feldflasche with M1893 Trinkbecher attached to an early war bread bag


Followed by an enameled steel M1915 Feldflasche and M1915 Becher attached to a late war Brotbeutel.


On the right is a M1907 Feldflasch with out a cover, and on the left is an unidentifyed bottle with a cup attached, it looks to be German construction, and I have found similar ones in the German Alfa catalogue, but this is still unknown.


on the left is a Portuguese water bottle with the Mills carrier, on the right is a Belgian water bottle


My two French Biddon, the early 1 liter modle and the 1877 2 liter modle with the Quart (drinking cup that holds a quarter liter), French soldiers would often carry two of the two liter canteens, I think the French were the only ones who realized that soldiers needed water to do their job.


Here are my Italian water bottles, the one on the left is the M1917 bottle made of tinned steel covered with wool, it has a strap to attach to the M1907 haversack. the center is the M1907 Guglielminetti wooden bottle of standard construction, note the stopper is threaded. And on the right is an unidentified wooden bottle, that I believe is Italian, the only markings on it are "AH" burned into the bottom, it is fixed with wire bails to carry it on a strap.


Next are my Russian water bottles, the upper left is a green glass bottle that holds about ½ liter, it is similar to the M1894 aluminum bottle and was made before and during the war. Below it is a clear glass bottle in wool cover, these are smaller than the post war brown or clear glass bottles. top right is a M1882 wooden water bottle made of alder wood, note the stopper in not threaded on this one, it is very nearly the same size and shape as the Italian one. lower right is a standard M1894 aluminum water bottle, made in St Petersburg in 1910, during the rebuilding of the Russian Army after the defeat by the Japanese in 1905


And last is a couple of poor examples of canteens, the one on the left is from a P1903 carrier, it is early production judging from the blue enamel construction, the one on the right is a post war made bottle in a P1908 Mills carrier


And last of all is a cartoon form that book Wally, by Private Albain Wallgren, USMC

Best
Gus
 
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#27 ·
Welcome to the forum Salvator,
Your post seems to back up my suspicion that these originated in Turkey, there is no positive reference that IDs them as Turkish. From the examples I have seen, there are no markings on the glass bottle. I have not yet seen a complete example as your four are. The one I have was acquired by a friend in the mid 1970s in Europe, and as such, pre-dates the current trend for fakes and reproductions. I would not try to take one apart, as I doubt there is enough chance to learn anything and the chance of damage is too great. I have seen several of these with out cover offered on the Turkish auction site GittiGidiyor,
Best
Gsu
 
#31 ·
Hello Gents,

While watching a documentary on the Gallipoli Campaign, in a discussion regarding artifacts recovered in recent years, they showed an example exactly the same size and shape of this water bottle alongside a British issue M1903 water bottle. While I had assumed that this might be a Turkish water bottle before based on the stars and crescent moon symbols, I am now certain that this is a Turkish water bottle.



More to follow as I have another British water bottle to post with a leather cover.

Warmest regards,

JPS
 
#34 ·
Hello Gents,

As was the case with the Adrian helmet in the other current thread, while packing it has been fun rediscovering items I have forgotten that I had! Here is another example. I had forgotten all about this M1893 Trinkbecher, i.e. German issue aluminum cup with folding handle.

A member of J.R. 56 "engraved" a free-hand motif consisting of an Imperial eagle with the motto "MIT GOTT ~ KOENIG ~ VATERLAND" on the banner over the eagles chest. Below the eagle is inscribed "J.R. 56" and last of all, below the regimental identification it is marked "Schlacht um Verdun". The manufacturers mark appears on the other side between the folding handle. It reads "GEBRUDER / 07 / CAMMERER".



I was rather pleasantly surprised to rediscover this cup. It was incorporated in the 178th Regt. Saxon display.

More to follow???......We'll see what else turns up?!?!?

Warmest regards,

JPS
 
#35 ·
Hello Gents,

In the process of packing, I've come across two additional water bottles that were tucked away behind the mannequin displays and rifles.

Here we have a rare British P14 leather covered water bottle, in this case carried in a harness with leather shoulder sling rather than attached to the P14 leather version of the belt carrier that was issued with the P14 leather belt with snake clasp.



The water bottle below is a variation of the German M1915 Medic issue water bottle with beaker.



Warmest regards,

JPS
 
#37 ·
Hi Joe,

Not a mark on the leather cover anywhere. The closest example I have seen is the leather covered example in Laurent Mirouze's "WWI Infantry in Color" (title from memory?). I picked this one up years ago at the Great Western show in Pomona, CA.

Thanks for the info.

Warmest regards,

John
 
#42 ·
I have been wanting to do a display on water bottles for some time, and did so at the UGCA gun show in Ogden, Utah over the week end, it included mess kits and eating utensils as well. I did not think I would do well in the judging, and was surprised when I took first place (I even beat my ambulance display with the canteens).

Notice the very nice burlap back ground:)
 
#44 ·
I was really surprised how much positive feed back I got from the canteen display, a number a Veterans had personal stories about their canteens. The center illustration was the cartoon from that book Wally, by Private Albain Wallgren, USMC

For those who speak English as a second language, or are English for that matter, the title "I hates to be thoisty" translates to "I hate to be thirsty" in a New York city accent accent.
 
#46 ·
I love the pictures of the 1915 pattern German artillery canteen. I've never seen one of those before. Initially, the cavalry were issued those but eventually were simply issued the infantry pattern. Believe it or not, canteens were not issued in the German Cavalry when the war started in 1914. Go figure.
 
#47 ·
Adam.I am not sure exactly which picture you are referring to. I am just following the thread and am interested in more carefully viewing the detail you call attention to. Canteens are my primary interest. Could you more specifically identify which post you are referring to? Thank you Max(CanteenmanUSA)
 
#51 ·
I know that Berndorfer made the same pattern canteen, but unfortunately, they didn't date them. Some people claim that this pattern was issued by Austria-Hungary during World War I, but I agree with Reibert, it's most likely 1st Austrian Republic (1930s).

-Devo
 
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