Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent original set of U.S. WWI Model 1912 Cavalry Ration Bags, part of the experimental mounted equipment developed for the U.S. Cavalry before and during the First World War. The two bags were designed as a matched system and could be laced together to form a pack for dismounted use or separated for carriage with mounted equipment. Both bags are dated late in 1918 and retain their original leather straps and prominently stenciled U.S. markings.

The Model 1912 ration bags formed part of a broader series of experimental cavalry equipment developed as the U.S. Army attempted to modernize the load carried by the mounted soldier. Army historical material describes the later M1912/14 cavalry equipment system as incorporating a ration bag capable of folding or assembling into a knapsack for use when the trooper was dismounted.

The underside of the front flap has maker’s markings for LONG 10-18 and LONG 11-18 for October and November 1918. There is some minor verdigris across some of the metal fittings.

These bags were recycled into use among the Corpsmen and Medics to be used for carrying extra medical supplies. The M1910 haversack was deemed unsuitable by the medics and they needed something that they could access quickly, these were the best option at the time, more than likely saving more lives due to the easier access. The bag itself is in great condition with staining and signs of field use.

It’s marked U.S. twice on the front. Still retains the leather straps, a great piece overall.

This is a particularly strong surviving example of the unusual M1912 experimental cavalry ration-bag system, retaining both matching bags, original U.S. markings, late-1918 LONG manufacturer stamps, leather straps, and the hardware necessary to understand how the system was configured. The documented secondary association of this equipment with medical supply carriage adds another layer of interest, illustrating how specialized cavalry equipment could be repurposed within the broader logistical environment of the First World War.