German WW2 M31 Mess kit
Maker marked "MN44" which stands for the company Metallindustrie GmbH. Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA).
44 indicate the production year, 1944.
Made of aluminium, painted with the standard olive green army color. The handle and the closing flap is magnetic which indicate production after 1940.
Fully working, condition.
The mess kit show some minor wear but remain in very good condition.
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.
