HEER Tropical Officer’s Clothing Bag. (Bekleidungssack für Offizier)
Price: $195
BUY / RESERVE THIS ITEMDescription: Seldom encountered Officers Field Wardrobe bag; olive drab canvas construction clothing bag with machine stitched, khaki/tan web, steel and alloy fittings. 24 in tall, 19 in wide and 8 inch deep, top and bottom panels. olive drab canvas construction clothing bag with machine stitched, khaki/tan web, steel and alloy fittings. The top of the bag has a fold over flap with an internal wooden panel, and an underlying wind flap and dual vertical, metal tipped, canvas web closure straps with corresponding web canvas reinforced, opened, rectangular, steel buckles positioned on the obverse body of the bag. The wind flap shows heavy damage with some of the metal grommets pulled off, heavy fraying and tearing, but the cord is present and inserted properly. The top edge of the fold over flap also has a riveted and stitched on canvas web carrying handle. The obverse of the bag features a central, vertical, overlapping, opening with two, evenly spaced, horizontal, metal tipped, canvas web closure straps positioned on the left side of the opening with corresponding, web canvas reinforced, opened, rectangular, steel buckles positioned on the left side of the opening. The top edge of the vertical opening has a vertical, metal tipped, canvas web closure strap, a small horizontally rectangular, sheet metal plate, with a central horizontal cut-out to the right side and a corresponding small, horizontally rectangular, sheet metal plate with a raised horizontal bar to the left side. For a secure closure the raised horizontal bar would be inserted through the horizontal cut-out slot and the top vertical closure strap would in turn be inserted through the raised bar. The obverse of the bag also has four evenly spaced, horizontal canvas web loops to secure additional equipment. The bottom of the bag also has a riveted and stitched canvas web carrying handle. The reverse of the bag has dual, vertical, metal tipped, canvas web shoulder straps secured with canvas web reinforced steel “D” rings to the top edge and canvas web reinforced open, rectangular, sliding, steel, length adjustment buckles to the bottom edge. The interior of the bag has an additional vertical opening positioned beneath the obverse vertical opening with ten pairs of natural alloy closure grommets with a corresponding, inserted, woven olive drab canvas, closure drawstring. The interior is divided into two different compartments, with the topmost compartment divided in half. Very uncommon and in MINT unissued condition.
Background: In 1931 the German army introduced the M31 clothing bag for issue to all EM/NCO personnel with the main purpose being the storage of non-essential personal items that weren’t deemed necessary in the field. Front line EM/NCO personnel were issued with a backpack or rucksack, which they carried themselves and a single clothing bag while EM/NCO personnel serving in rear areas were issued two clothing bags, and didn’t receive the backpack or rucksack until transferred to the front. Front line personnel’s M31 clothing bags were stored and cared for by the units supply train under the control of the units Quartiermeister, and were exchanged for the backpack/rucksack when personnel were on furlough from the front. Officer ranks were also outfitted with a deluxe clothing bag that was considerably larger than the EM/NCO version. Officers ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and most of their equipment including the clothing bag and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account)system. Officers had the choice of storing their clothing bags with the unit’s supply train but more often preferred to carry it with them under the care of an assigned batman/Adjutant.
