The M-1910 Canteen
The M-1910 canteen was arguably the most important part of the soldier’s field gear. It held approximately 1 quart of liquid and had an aluminum body. When coupled with the cup and cover, water stayed relatively cool, even in the hot summer sun, though it was prone to expansion in freezing temperature. Prior to the M-1910 canteen, the Army was used to using a canteen design that dated back to the Civil War, which consisted of two domed circular pieces of tin soldered together with a pewter spout and wool or jean cloth cover hand-sewn around it. It was also carried on a sling, not a belt. This design, with many modifications, remained a staple of the soldier’s kit until the Army Infantry Equipment Board sought to upgrade the canteen in 1909 as part of their overall equipment upgrades.
The first prototype canteen was made of all aluminum. It had a flat-top aluminum cap with vertical ridges only around the very top of the edge of the cap, with the rest of the side being smooth. A German silver chain connected the top of the cap to a brass or silver ring around the throat of the canteen spout. There are NO side seams on the canteen – it is a one-piece construction, made by being spun on a lathe. There are no markings on the canteen.
Due to the difficult manufacturing process of the spun canteen, the military soon modified the construction of the canteen by producing the canteen in two halves, then soldering the two halves together, much like the circular canteens in past designs. This would create a “seam” that runs vertically around the sides and bottom of the canteen, stopping at the spout. The cap was also changed, with a more rounded top, and ridges that ran vertically from top to bottom on the side of the cap for easier grip, unlike the first cap. The canteen once again saw the lathe in 1916, when the spun canteen made it’s return as the Model 1916 canteen. It was similar to the first pattern canteen in that it had no side seams, but retained the rounded cap. It also had no markings on the body of the canteen. This version was short-lived, again due to the difficulty of production.
With war raging in Europe, the military relied back on the two-piece construction method, and upon entry to the war in 1917, production boomed. In 1918, maker marks and the year of production began appearing on the back and bottom of the canteen. The canteen was used through the 1920’s and 30’s, and even with the introduction of the M-1928 canteen, the M-1910 canteen still saw service in World War Two, Korea, and even Vietnam! It’s simple design made a trustworthy canteen. The affection it received from the troops that used it can be seen on some examples in the form of graffiti, with soldiers etching their names, units, duty stations, and even art like flags and battle scenes.
