M42 Messkit – WJ43
The M31 messkit or “Kochgeschirre M 31 (Alum.)” was a 1.6 liter capacity cooking pot carried on the left side of the breadbag. The messkit was a clever engineered piece of equipment capable of serving as a cooking or eating pot. The early models also had indicating marks on the front, under the handle on which could measure the size of the contents. It had a cleverly placed wire handle on which the messkit could be hung above a fire. The messkits came in a big variety of colours and materials. At first the messkits where nearly completely made out of aluminium except the wire handle. From around 1940 onwards the handle on the lid was made from steel. In 1942 the simplified steel model “Kochgeschirre M 42 (Eis.)” was introduced. It had less and less well crafted details and the production became a hurry. I found the designation “M42” in the production numbers of the German Industry.
Model: M42 in brown paint
Marking: WJ43
Maker: –
Material: Steel painted in a red primer with the outside overpainted in brown.
Colour: This messkit was first primed in red, overpainted in brown externally.
Notes: This is the first time I’ve encountered one of these messkits in brown paint. The paint is the same colour as the late war AEMA canteen cups.
