The ABC Protective Tarpaulin, known as the ABC Schutzplane in German, can be traced back to German soldiers who carried it during World War II. It was an important part of a soldier’s chemical protection equipment.
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In the late 1950s, the West German army introduced a woolen field uniform, dubbed ‘cat louse’. It proved too hot and abrasive, later replaced by a stone-grey cotton cloth uniform. Despite this, the woolen uniform continued during winters. The cotton moleskin trousers, initially complex, were simplified for cost-effectiveness, remaining popular for their durability on the surplus market.
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The Field Pack Large 1988 (FPL-88) was the main field pack for the M-1988 Individual Combat Load-Carrying Equipment, replacing the aging M-1956 Combat Canvas Field Pack issued since the Vietnam War. Essentially an upgraded version of its predecessor, the FPL-88 boasted a more streamlined design and a significantly improved internal frame, capable of accommodating additional pouches.
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The Field Pack, Large 1994 (FPL-94) was adopted in 1995, marking a leap from its forerunner, the Field Pack, Large 1988 (FPL-88), infamous for its limited capacity. Australian soldiers often resorted to private purchases for larger packs. The FPL-94, a departure from past designs, boasted innovations like an internal sleeping bag compartment and adjustable straps, though feedback on size and utility was mixed.
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In the mid-1980s, the New Zealand Army began developing the Onward pack to replace the Field Pack, Combat, Canvas (Modified). As ties with NATO powers severed, they turned to commercially made Alice packs from South Korea. Despite setbacks in production, the green Alice pack became the standard-issue field pack, evolving into a Disruptive Pattern Material version by 1990.
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The Admin bag draws inspiration from the design of the US M-18A1 Claymore mine bag, originally crafted for mine transportation. Rather than being discarded after its initial use, it frequently found new life as a carrier for notebooks, SOP manuals, and other similar items.
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The Patrol Pack, Onward, is a small pack that was part of an Onward Field Pack system, which also included a much larger field pack. This patrol pack could be attached to the top of the larger Onward field pack, serving as a lid, similar to how the Pack, Patrol, Combat functions for the Field Pack, Large, With Internal Frame.
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Having issued the field pack, Combat, Olive Drab (modified) for a number of years, the New Zealand army realized it needed a larger field pack that was designed better and fabricated with modern fabrics. In the meantime, the large Alice pack was issued out to troops.
Issued by the Malaysian army in the 1970s, the map case is a close copy of the British army jungle map case issued during the closing years of World War 2. Essentially the same, with only a few changes made to the design.
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The 42-Pattern Rucksack, commonly known as the Bergen, originated in 1942 with the goal of providing specialist troops the capacity to carry larger and heavier loads, facilitating extended field operations without frequent resupply. Developed in collaboration with the Norwegian outdoor company Bergens, it earned its name “Bergen Rucksack,” later shortened to simply “Bergen,” which persists as the term used by British soldiers for any large rucksack to this day.
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