What's in your sac à dos?

[Surfguy]

Just wondering what Greens carried in their sac à dos (backpack/ Burgen) , can you carry non issue kit ?

TIA

 

[Papillon]

You have your standard kit I x case of special k

 

[Surfguy]

Please tell us what standard kit is .

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Hi Surfguy, good question. The Legion is very much into uniformity, so having anything non réglementaire on the field is tolerated as long as it's not too flamboyant. For example your bivvybag (sleeping bag) is usually your own as opposed to the regular issue. It goes without saying that it should be khaki colored. I'll have to finish this later.

 

[jonny]

Just wondering what Greens carried in their sac à dos (backpack/ Burgen) , can you carry non issue kit ?

TIA

Good question, Surfguy. During my time in Algeria, weight was a major concern because of long marches through difficult terrain in either very hot weather in summer or pouring rain in winter. And comfort was given low priority.

In my case, I would usually open the field rations before leaving and throw away anything that was not necessary for survival, only keeping tins of meat, instant coffee satchels and the miniature bottle of rough brandy that was included. Then for comfort, usually one half of a two-man tent and either a lightweight civilian sleeping bag, or just a poncho in the summer.

And for moral, two bottles of Kronenbourg beer, one to drink at the top of the highest mountain I would be scaling that day and one for nightcap in the evening.

I always had my priorities right!

 

[jonny]

Ps. Those beer bottles would be wrapped in wet wollen socks to keep them reasonably cool, and the sight of the faces my drooling compagnons when I opened the first one on top of a steep hill or mountain was a sight to behold.

 

[Surfguy]

Mess tins , stove ? hexamine were issued to British forces but many use jetboil today.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

I was going to give the list as much as I can remember, however it is best to say that on each of the sections' notice boards is a list for your sac ops from there you can add your own bits of equipment which of course included the all important soupe chinoise (noodle soup). Of a night time unless you are tactical, you can put on civilian kit as long as it did not stand out too much.
Before we went to ex-Yougo there were parcels coming to the regiment by the truck loads, most from the 'survival aids' company. But each morning on parade you have to be dressed in army issue gear.

 

[jonny]

PPS, (or post shittum, as the wee capo might have put it)

I forgot to mention that the field day ration also included a small pack of 10 cigarets Troupe that were only available for the military at a ridicoulously cheep price. The French authorities also knew our priorities, which were, in no particularly order:

Beer, wine, cigarets, women, food, action, and probably something else that I can’t remember.

 

[jonny]

And finally, happy Easter to you all!!

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

PPS, (or post shittum, as the wee capo might have put it)

I forgot to mention that the field day ration also included a small pack of 10 cigarets Troupe that were only available for the military at a ridicoulously cheep price. The French authorities also knew our priorities, which were, in no particularly order:

Beer, wine, cigarets, women, food, action, and probably something else that I can’t remember.

Later on, in my day, the cigs were caporal

with a small bottle of eau de vie, until someone -Edith Cresson, I think, banned them.

 

[dusaboss]

In my case, I would usually open the field rations before leaving and throw away anything that was not necessary for survival,

I always had my priorities right!

Kept only Kronenbourg and brandy if you packing really light?

 

[jonny]

Kept only Kronenbourg and brandy if you packing really light?

Only when going off early to parashooting after drinking beer until about 4 am. (I’ve got a pic of that, but not uploaded yet.)

 

[dusaboss]

Only when going off early to parashooting after drinking beer until about 4 am. (I’ve got a pic of that, but not uploaded yet.)

I guess jumping from plane is good for hangover.

 

[jonny]

Kept only Kronenbourg and brandy if you packing really light?

No, no, not at all, I would always keep the cigarets as well.

 

[jonny]

I guess jumping from plane is good for hangover.

Oh well, the story has to be told. We were camped at a farm property just outside the town of Guelma in north eastern Algeria. It was a lovely spot with a small river running just past our tents, which was perfect for cooling cases of Kronenbourg. You could also find a comfortable spot to sit in the river with water running around you and drinking cold beer. Now who in their right mind would give up something as pleasant as that, just because you were going to do a parachute jump at 6 am?

Heh?.