Bedroll question

[rjhyden]

What do you guys take to events for a bedroll? Not a lot of info that I`ve found so far.

[Greaser]

Help me better understand your question.

 

Is it - What would the soldiers actually have had / carried?

 

Or - What do you use while camping out at reenactments?

[rjhyden]

Both , really. I don`t expect the bedding arrangement was much more than a blanket in a forward area. But , I suppose reenactors have different ideas when it comes to camping. Just curious what some of you do. I`m brand new.

[Airborne1944]

Well what I do is get one of those wool sleeping bag covers and then put a modern sleeping bag inside and then put a wool blanket on top or a great coat.

 

I know other reenactors use original sleeping bags.

 

[rjhyden]

Well what I do is get one of those wool sleeping bag covers and then put a modern sleeping bag inside and then put a wool blanket on top or a great coat.

 

I know other reenactors use original sleeping bags.

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks

[2ad82recon]

Hi Buddy in my M1935 i have a "Captured" German Zeltbahn as a moistureproof" base sheet then an original sleeping bag and 3 blankets and a shelter half....serves me well in the "field"

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

[m1ashooter]

Shelter half with blankets rolled in it. At least thats what I read many GI's carried.

[Airborne1944]

As shelter halves didn't come with a ground sheet, usually GI's padded the ground with hay or twigs.

[rjhyden]

I`m hip to the shelter halves, but for the most part , you never see the pack carriers containing that roll on the GIs in combat pics or footage. From what I`ve read they were carried whatever vehicles the units might have. and were kept for rear area bivouac. Do any of you actually share shelter tents and carry only one half? I haven`t slept in one since Boy Scouts. I`m sure i`m going to get the chance, but will probably take my own full tent and a wool sleeping bag and cover ww2 era, if i can find one. When you look at the FM 21-100 the set up shows nothing but one blanket. No ground cloth. Ive also seen where 3 blankets can be made in to sort of a bag. This is a good topic, keep it coming.

[rjhyden]

Hi Buddy in my M1935 i have a "Captured" German Zeltbahn as a moistureproof" base sheet then an original sleeping bag and 3 blankets and a shelter half....serves me well in the "field"

 

Regards

 

Lloyd

That`s quite a roll ! Like it.

[rjhyden]

As shelter halves didn't come with a ground sheet, usually GI's padded the ground with hay or twigs.

When I was in the Scouts, we were taught to hollow out where we were going to sleep in the tent and then fill it with leaves and grass, hell we used quilts and stuff.

[Greaser]

As a group we keep it to original equipment, albiet more than the front line joe would have had. There is plenty of it available at reasonable prices.

 

Its important to know what was available and what the men at the front had - but I don't feel masochistic enough to only go to an event in Ohio/PA (fall/winter/spring) with a single blanket.

 

I use a M1935 bedroll with a M1940 bag, adding blankets as needed. I've found the M1940 bag to be superior for my own comfort when compared to the M1944 bag. I havent acquired any of the WW2 vintage arctic bags to try out yet.

[rjhyden]

As a group we keep it to original equipment, albiet more than the front line joe would have had. There is plenty of it available at reasonable prices.

 

Its important to know what was available and what the men at the front had - but I don't feel masochistic enough to only go to an event in Ohio/PA (fall/winter/spring) with a single blanket.

 

 

 

I use a M1935 bedroll with a M1940 bag, adding blankets as needed. I've found the M1940 bag to be superior for my own comfort when compared to the M1944 bag. I havent acquired any of the WW2 vintage arctic bags to try out yet.

I`m learning about those different issue bags and covers. I need more research before I jump at one. Texas gets cold too, but not for as long as it does up there.

[Pat_from_Brix]

As Lloyd, I also use a captured Zeltbahn (found in my uncles attic) as ground sheet and then blanklets/sleeping bag/overcoat mix (depending on what people can lend me, I still have a small collection of stuff). I can say that the artic sleeping bag keeps you really warm than the classic one.

 

Pat

[svt40]

I tend to use an M-1949 artic sleeping bag when I used to do the tacticals. Was quite nice for some of those frigid mornings at Eagle Mt Lake just outside Ft Worth. Since it's usually within the shelter half no one can see it. I tend to prefer comfort over absolute authenticity.

 

Course now I stay at a motel LOL.

[schofield]

Though it isnt WW2, I have in my collection that I acquired many years ago a Korean War Cold Weather Casualty Evacuation bag, and I used it once when my furnace went out one week in the winter time. It is essentially a really really really thick down sleeping bag, and you can stay comfortably warm in just your underwear in it in as low as 30 degree temperature. If I was to use any sleeping bag to keep warm at a reenactment it would be that one. Otherwise I rough it like everyone else.