Photo essay: The Soldier's Load

[Aesop]

From The Telegraph in UK, a brilliant 13-panel photo essay of the evolution of the troopie packing too much $#!^ in their kit, from 1066 to 2014.

[PawPaw]

Which is why I got into tanks. Didn't have to carry all that crap.

However, when I was foot-slogging, we had basically two loads. The whole load, which we carried infrequently, and the light-to-fight that we carried when contact was imminent. As an early '70s grunt, I carried my rifle, four mags, a belt for the pig, two canteens a poncho, a compass, a map, grease pencils, extra socks, a toothbrush, a razor, and a C-ration. Of course, the steel pot and a soft cap. Everything else got left in the trains.

[Darrell]

Interesting that the WWI British soldier carried what was essentially a medieval mace, a spiked trench club. And the lance stayed on as the bayonet.

[randy]

Neat! Thanks

Did my heart good to see the Browning pistol in the Helmland Province photo