How to Travel Light: Packing Tips for the Seasoned Reenactor.
Published: July 30, 2008
Author: Mike 'Squirrely' Ellis
Chapter 3
"Personal Items: Do You really Need That?"
What about shaving? Does this mean you’ll start growing a beard? If you’re like many GI’s, this may actually be the case…on the other hand, many more realized that one can easily shave with a standard bar of soap and a razor. Fill your helmet shell with water, wet both the soap and your hands, and begin lathering. Congratulations. You’ve just replaced the shaving soap, brush, and cup. As for the mirror, build up by practicing shaving in the shower, then gradually start shaving out doors. With a week’s practice, you’ll find that a GI steel mirror actually hinders your shave. Finish by wiping your face on your field jacket.
The authentic WWII shaving experience.
Flashlights are replaced by a small unscented candle, the kind found in hundreds of churches, cathedrals, and farmhouses across Europe. Zippo lighter fluid is found under the driver’s seat of any Jeep, and matches are a perennial favorite found in field rations of all sorts.
The average GI flashlight.
The GI Sewing Kit
An Army runs on its' stomach, so why don't we move on to carrying the field ration? D-rations provide plenty of compact energy, but not the kind you'd want to eat. K-rations are small and light...but they're angular, bulky, and generally take up lots of space. The best thing to do is to open the box and carry only the inner contents. If you'd like, the waxed inner carton may also be torn into strips to be used as a fire starter. For C-rations, the meat and hash canned goods must be kept whole, but the B-unit may be opened and the heavy, bulky can discarded. You may also string the cans on wire to use as an early warning signal.
The K-ration and contents - throw away the box, keep the edible articles.
Save the bag as a waterproof holder for matches, ID booklets, playing cards, ect.
Your complete mess kit. Note the lack of leather holder.
Now to the other end of things - nature's business. You may find yourself looking at that pitifully small K-ration toilet paper wondering if it really is a single serving. It's not. Which means you're going to be spending time hunting down for, shall we say, a better way. Soldier’s readers were notorious for their alternate uses, and many GI’s sadly recall the moment they had to make the choice between a favorite novel and pine cones. On top of this, they make for great bathroom reading...
Which one would you trust more to protect your hand?
When it comes to soldering, one of the more important aspects is keeping your weapon clean and functioning. One of the most commonly-neglected aspects of the average reenactor’s impression is the rifle cleaning kit. To be properly outfitted, those carrying the M1 should have a nickel/long plastic oiler, pull through, oil, combo tool, and small cut-up pieces of off-white fabric cleaning patches. 4/5 of these items are kept inside of your rifle, the patches may be kept in a rubberized tool bag, or in a K-ration bag. Again, this goes in one of your pockets, or your gas mask bag. Larger cleaning kits involving wire brushes or sectional cleaning rods are not a required aspect of the impression. If, on the occasion you spend the evening at a tactical event, others may find it impressive that you can clean your weapon “the Army way” – out in the field, and without outside help.
The GI Cleaning Kit.
