Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice German WWII large-capacity M31 Labeflasche, the 1-liter version of the familiar German field canteen. The distinctive full leather harness and long shoulder sling identify this configuration as the type associated with German military medical personnel, or Sanitäter. Large-capacity canteens were also issued to mountain troops, but those generally used a different, simpler carrying arrangement. The medical pattern is characterized by the harness surrounding the body of the flask together with the separate shoulder strap seen on this example.

The canteen consists of an aluminum flask enclosed in its brown wool/felt cover, a black-painted aluminum drinking cup, and the substantial leather carrying harness. The cup is clearly marked:

MN 39

The MN marking is generally attributed to Metallindustrie GmbH, Neunkirchen-Saar (MENESA), with the "39" indicating 1939 production. Of particular interest, the aluminum flask itself carries a later-style Reichsbetriebsnummer on the neck:

0/0570/0138

This exact R.B.Nr. has been documented on German field bottles, although the specific manufacturer behind it has not yet been conclusively identified. Current specialist research associates the 0570 district code with the Lüdenscheid area, an important center of German metalware production. The Reichsbetriebsnummer system was increasingly applied to wartime manufacturers beginning during the later part of the conflict.

A particularly interesting feature is the hardware used on the wool cover. The press studs are marked DE WOERD and display the company's distinctive male duck emblem. The name is fitting, as woerd is Dutch for a male duck.

The canteen is in good condition. The brown wool cover remains substantially complete and shows expected wear and surface matting from age. The leather harness and long shoulder strap remain present, with dryness and surface cracking.

The black-painted aluminum cup retains a good amount of its original finish with scattered paint loss, scratches, and edge wear. The buckles and other metal fittings show expected oxidation and age. The De Woerd press studs remain identifiable, with surface oxidation consistent with the rest of the equipment.

The aluminum bottle shows normal age and wear beneath the cover. It has not been tested for liquid retention and is offered strictly as a historical collectible. Please consult the photographs for the exact condition of all components.

As with any original WWII canteen, it has not been tested for water tightness and is intended for historical display or collecting rather than modern drinking use.

The German Feldflasche Modell 1931, generally known to collectors as the M31 canteen, became the standard German military water bottle during the 1930s and remained in widespread use throughout WWII. The standard soldier's bottle had a capacity of approximately 0.8 liters and was normally carried attached directly to the soldier's field equipment.

Larger-capacity Labeflaschen were produced for personnel requiring an increased supply of drinking water. Among the best-known users were German medical personnel, whose duties could keep them away from normal resupply while treating and evacuating wounded soldiers. These larger bottles were typically carried with a more extensive leather harness and a long shoulder sling, as seen on this example. Large-capacity canteens were also used in other specialized roles, including by mountain troops, though the carrying arrangements could differ.