Logistics make up a huge part of any army and war. Not only does this take a huge quantity of men, it also requires a large amount of equipment. During WW2 the Germans produced huge volumes of logistics equipment, including boxes for all varieties of ammunition. There were also purpose-built boxes for optics and of course, the famous jerrycan. So, let’s have a browse of German boxes and jerrycans from WW2 that are for sale this week.
German Army Le F.H 18 Ammunition Box
The LeFH cannon was a 10.5cm calibre howitzer widely used by the Wehrmacht troops all across Europe. In total the Germans produced over 20,000 of this particular howitzer, which – as mentioned earlier – meant that a huge number of ammunition boxes had to be produced to service this many howitzers out in the field.
With these large numbers, you may expect that there would be a great supply of boxes on the market. But sadly, as with a lot of equipment, post WW2 it was a useable commodity to war-stricken communities. Boxes could be used for storage and transport, much like jerrycans could be used for fuel storage. As such, many were damaged and destroyed after the war, leading to scarcity in the collecting world.
This example is in overall good condition but does appear to have been used postwar. It is currently listed for sale from The Militaria Shop in the UK for £89.99.
German Army Bakelite Field Telephone in Box
Before the days of mobile phones, armies needed a way to communicate with each other. For the Germans, it was this bakelite field telephone, which was mass produced all through the war and rarely changed. On the outside of the bakelite shell it had the German phonetic alphabet, so anyone could use the phone and on the inside were instructions on how to make a call.
This crisp example is available in Holland from Rock Steady Militaria for €145 and is well maker’s marked, waffenamp marked and 1944 dated.
WW2 German Mg34 & Mg42 Waffenmeister Tool Kit
Now this is something you don’t see too often. This tool kit is in great shape and appears complete. It is not an item I have ever seen in person before in spite of attending shows for a very long time. The larger wrench is Mauser stamped and some of the other tools are 41 dated. This incredibly rare set is available in the UK from RZM Militaria with a list price of £2,250.
German Flak 20mm Ammunition Box
As mentioned before, all weapons, cannons and vehicles needed support equipment. The 20mm cannon was a heavily-used weapon for both flak and anti-tank purposes. Using magazines made it a quick and easy weapon to use in combat but you had to transport the magazines. This box below is available from VIGO Militaria in the UK and was found in a lake near Leningrad. It is currently for sale for £95.
German Kraftstoff 20l Army Jerrycan
Jerrycans are a collected subject of their own. The cans received this name from the allies. As the Germans had originally designed the can, when the allies realised it was a great design and began to produce them, they nicknamed the can the ‘Jerry Can’ with ‘Jerry’ being the slang name given to Germans at the time. With variations of maker’s mark, date, camouflage colours and purpose, the subject of jerrycans is always an interesting one. This particular example appears to have been repainted but is in good solid condition. Available from Saracen Exports in the UK for £85.
Wehrmacht Food Container
As discussed earlier, logistics for an army is massive and there is little more important than feeding an army. For the Germans, this meant using food thermos containers such as the one below to carry hot food to the front line troops who would then use their own personal mess tins to eat.
This particular example is listed for sale by IMCS Militaria in Holland and is in great condition. Well maker marked ‘A. Voss Sen Sarstedt’ on the front and on top is marked ‘Nicht aufs Feuer Setzen‘ which translates to ‘do not put on fire’. Finding these containers in good condition is very difficult these days so at €250 this is a cracking find.
M24 Stick Grenade Transport Box
The German stick grenade is really as iconic as items come and the Germans needed to get them to the frontline safe and sound. They did this using the M24 transport case. This box is missing its insides which are incredibly rare to find; however, the box in itself is a rare collectable as well.
This example from Clements Militaria in the Netherlands is in great condition. The box retains most of its original paintwork and the waffenamp mark is still visible. Currently this box is for sale for €250.
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