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At the beginning of the independence Finland adopted a lot from
German so base of the eating equipment are German or same style as
German ones. At 1930's there were more Finnish design but the old items
were still in use during wars.
In picture beside a Finnish soldier is filling his WW1 German
canteen during Continuation War.
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All medical canteens were German origins in both Finnish Army and Civil
Guard organization almost without exceptions. The canteen in the picture
is marked "W.M.E 15" and it misses the cover.
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German breadbag "Brotbeutel m/1887".
This was the main style that was used until the Continuation War.
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German canteen m/1910.
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German messkit m/1908. This was the main model that was
used in Finland at the beginning. In addition there was also a little amount
of Swedish messkits.
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Later style breadbag.
This breadbag is totally Finnish design. It has three leather straps: one
horizontal to hold canteen and two vertical to hold messkit. The color of
the leather parts varies from dark brown to almost white. Also the color of
the canvas can be from light brown to bluish. The clips are made from wire.
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Later style breadbag with Finnish canteen and messkit.
Now the messkit is attached outside the breadbag. Earlier it was carried
attached to the Tornister back pack or rucksack. This breadbag has straps
that are designed for Finnish messkit and the taller German style messkit doesn't
fit properly to these straps.
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Finnish messkit.
This messkit was made by Oy Alumiinitehdas Ab and Teijon Tehtaat Oy. The
manufacturers stamped messkits the same way, the name made a circle. Inside the
circle was INT if it was made for the Army or SKY if it was made for Civil
Guard and the two numbers stated the year. During the Continuation War these kits
were made about 100 000 pieces.
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Finnish fork-spoon combo.
The Finnish fork-spoon combo was made from steel by Hackman, Kellokosken
metallitehdas, OY sahanterä(this firm marked fork-spoon compos with
letters OSY and is often thought as a SKY marking) and other smaller
companies. It had stamp INT or SKY and the
year that it was made by two numbers. It was designed to be carried like
the way shown in the picture beside, but normally it was kept in pocket.
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Finnish canteens.
The canteen in the left is the earlier Finnish made model that reminds
the German one. It has leather parts made by Friitala and a wire
clip. The canteen in the right became common during the Continuation War.
The attaching clip was German style and it was on the bottle. The Finnish
canteens were made by Wärtsilä Yhtymä Oy Kone ja Silta and
Peltiteos Oy.
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Finland had a great shortage of aluminum during the Continuation War.
That is why Riihimäen Lasi Oy made canteens from glass. Civil Guard had also green glass
canteens in 1920's. Story tells that they were kept as pocket-flask. The
glass canteens were made 100 000 pieces. In Finland during the Continuation War
canteens were made totally 385 000 pieces.
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Early canteen.
This model had wire carrying clip attached to
the leather strap that goes vertically round the bottle like in German one. |
Modified early canteen.
The carrying clip was attached to the
collar that was added later using rivets. |
Later canteen.
This canteen had the loop for
carrying clip already when it was manufactured. When the loop was made this
way they saved valuable leather and time. |
Later canteen.
This canteen is a little bit
different to the one in left and it is made by another factory. |
Maker's markings in the cap of canteens
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Finnish
PELTITEOS OY, INT/40 |
Finnish
WÄRTSILÄ-YHTYMÄ
OY KONE JA SILTA, -INT42 |
German
DMN 41 |
German
Blank. |
Finnish
Int/43 |
Finnish
Blank. |
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Canteen covers are made with snaps or shoelace. The color of the wool
cover varied in wartime from green to gray. Sometimes can be found covers
made from colorful wool. Some have been made from thick army blankets.
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During the Continuation War Finland got 252 200 foreign messkits and in
addition they captured 3 000 Russian messkits. Foreign messkits were
British and German m/31 messkits that is in the picture in right.
Finland got also 100 000 canteens from Germany during the Continuation
War.
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In the picture in left is a Finnish pioneer with British messkit attached to his
back. The messkit in the right is marked "N.C.J Ltd" and year 1939.
Any British messkit that I have found hasn't got Finnish Army property markings.
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Some examples of the mugs that Finnish Army used.
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A: Aluminum, maker is o/y
F.L Wihurin Metallitehdas a/b
that is stamped to the bottom with marking "INT/22". There is also similar
model with metal handle.
B: Aluminum, Finnish version of German Trinkbecher M1897. It has either
INT or Sk.y with year (by two numbers) stamped in side of the mug.
C: Enameled tin cup, SA marked on the bottom. Colors are white/blue and
green with either green or white inside. Russian captures are similar to
the green ones except the Cyrillic markings on the bottom.
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