MODEL 1910 RIMLESS EAGLE SNAP CANTEEN – UNIT ID’d
– 6TH CAVALRY REGIMENT – COMPLETE WITH A
SCARCE MODEL 1910 FIRST PATTERN “FLAT TOP” CANTEEN ID’d
TO THE 36TH INFANTRY DIVISION, AEF – AN
EXCELLENT HISTORICALLY AFFILIATED SET:
This very nice, complete
Model 1910 Rimless Eagle Snap Canteen bears a cavalry
unit identification disc set on the front of the cover
which is stamped “6 CAV 3” with the integral “US” and
the crossed sabres insignia.
The early production “flat
top” Model 1910 Canteen and Cup are identified by unit
stampings and soldier applied engravings as having been
issued to a soldier in the 36TH Infantry
Division and that he served in France in 1918.
This Model 1910 Rimless Eagle Snap Canteen presents in
very nice condition showing only minimal signs of use
despite the obvious evidence of being issued as
described below.
The cover is in very clean condition with no tears or
damage and only very minor wear at the outside corners
of the flaps. Both of the rimless eagle snaps
are intact and fully functional with none of the tearing
or separation often found in the material surrounding
the snaps. There is no evidence that the front of the
cover was ever stamped with the characteristic “US”,
perhaps the identification disc serving the same purpose
of identifying the cover as US Army property. There is
a faint trace of the maker ink stamp under right flap,
but no distinct characters of the stamp are legible.
This canteen and cup set is the fairly scarce early
production “flat top” Model 1910 Canteen that has the
early pattern screw cap with the flat top surface (as
opposed to the later dome shaped cap) and the seamless
body construction. The canteen is full form with no
significant damage and no cracks. There are a few dents
and handling marks commensurate with the service in the
field documented by the applied unit markings, but the
canteen is not abused or misshapen. The original chain
and ring are present and intact, and the hard black
rubber liner is still present in the cap.
The canteen cap threads are
stripped from over tightening. The cap fits on the
spout, stays in place, and does not rattle. This does
not affect the display quality of this set, but the soft
aluminum only tolerates so much pressure when the cap
was screwed in place. Overall, this is solid example of
the scarce early pattern Model 1910 Canteen. The cup is
likewise full form with no dents and no misshaping.
There is no maker stamp on either the canteen or the cup
as is correct for this early design, however the canteen
and the cup bear a considerable historical record
between the unit applied identification stampings and
the soldier applied engravings recording his service.
The unit marks on the cover, canteen and cup, and the
soldier’s decorations on the canteen and cup provide a
possible solution which untangles the history of the
issue and field use of this set.
It is well documented during the mobilization in
response to the United States’ entry into World War One,
the army transferred experienced officers, senior NCO’s,
and technically trained enlisted men from the Regular
Army regiments into the National Guard divisions being
formed from the influx of recruits and draftees. These
transfers provided the National Guard units with an
experienced cadre which would accelerate the training
and organization necessary to prepare the new divisions
for assignment to the Western Front. Whether these
Regular Army soldiers transferred to the National Guard
divisions took their personal issued equipment to their
new units or not is not a matter of the historical
record, however it stands to reason that soldiers in
transit during that time would need at the very least
their uniforms, and their personal haversacks, canteens
and mess gear which had been issued during their service
in the Regular Army regiments.
The cover bears two unit identifications. In addition
to the 6TH Cavalry Regiment identification
disc on the front of the cover, the bottom of the cover
is stenciled in ink, “7 D 29”, indicating this cover was
once in the inventory of a regiment of that number,
perhaps the famous 7TH Cavalry Regiment.
Both regiments served on the Southern Border during the
Punitive Mexican Expedition in 1916 and were sent into
Mexico. The 6TH was sent intact to France in
1918.
The canteen bears two soldier applied identifications.
High on the reverse of the shoulder is lightly engraved
“R E P 1918 FRANCE” surrounded by an odd shaped oval
border, and on the opposite, front side is engraved “B.
HUNTEM” - presumably the soldiers’ names to whom this
canteen was issued. The bottom of the canteen has a
series of letters and numbers engraved into the aluminum
and what is probably a unit inventory number “H 1”
stamped in the center.
The front of the cup is engraved with the initials
“TWP”, again probably soldier applied to identify his
cup. The bottom of the cup holds a considerable amount
of information in the applied characters. Most
prominent is the engraved outline of a shield or
arrowhead, consistent with the shape of the insignia of
the 36TH Infantry Division – the letter “T”,
for Texas, superimposed on a blue point-down arrowhead
for Oklahoma, the two states from which the 36TH
was formed in July of 1917. Confirming that this
arrowhead represents the 36TH Infantry
Division insignia are the adjacent unit applied
identification stamps: “CO. C; 133 MG B T; 36 DIV; AEF”,
indicating Company C, 133RD Machine Gun
Battalion which was attached to the 72ND
Infantry Brigade of the 36TH Infantry
Division during its service as an element of the
American Expeditionary Force in France. The division
trained at Camp Bowie, near Fort Worth, Texas, and was
shipped over to the Western Front in July of 1918,
participating in the heavy fighting of the Meuse-Argonne
Offensive.
This is a very nice example of the earlier pattern Model
1910 Rimless Eagle Snap Canteen complete with the scarce
Flat Top Canteen, and which has the added value of being
identified to two very active, historically significant
units. (0802) $425
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