WW2 British canvas Ration Carrier marked MECo. 1945 F*S

Getting hot rations up to troops in the field has always been difficult and one of the constant complaints by men in the First World War was that by the time soups or stews reached them they were cold. By the Second World War insulated containers had started to be introduced that helped alleviate this problem however the weight of a full container raised its own problems. These containers were cylindrical and did not have any handles so were particularly awkward to transport so a couple of different webbing carriers were developed.

This is British. MECo is Mills Equipment Company. The /I\ mark is the Crown’s acceptance stamp. They’ve been using the /I\ mark to denote ownership for hundreds of years. Of course, 1945 is the date of manufacture. My Uncle was a Marine and served in the South Pacific in WW-II. He came home with this Ration Carrier which I heard he acquired in Singapore when the war ended. It is in excellent condition - no rips or tears and just 1 small frayed spot on the back. There is minimal discoloration, I imagine what little there is are age stains. The interior is stamped faintly M. E. Co 1945A.

The back has some sort of reinforcement in it, I can feel a stiff plate sewn into the double rear panel. There is a shoulder pad sewn onto the back and another for the small of your back. The hardware is bronze.

This heavy duty carrier is worn on the back in place of the small pack and worn in rucksack fashion with a pair of shoulder straps, that could be attached or detached at the base using a large pair of brass hooks to make it easier to don the heavy pack. These straps could be adjusted with a pair of small buckles on each strap. Further adjustments could be made by using a pair of 2” Twigg buckles at the top of the pack anfd a chest strap is included that helps distribute the load across the upper body. The only date markings are on the shoulder strap where there is a faint date of 1945. The carrier itself is a large webbing bag, with a flat back containing a fibre board for rigidity. The base of the carrier has a small set of metal feet that help protect it from damage when it is taken off and placed on the ground. It was recognised that the weight of the full carrier would be uncomfortable for the wearer, so large pads were fitted for comfort; one at the top and another at the base. These carriers were never personal issue pieces and were instead kept at unit level for distribution as and when needed for those who were picked for ration duties. As such they were never blancoed and it seems that few were ever used as nearly all examples that turn up are 1945 dated and completely unissued.