Original Item: Only One Available. The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf AH. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of NSDAPsm and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe.

This is a very rare example of an SS Issue German Mess Tin M31 or Kochgeschirr Modell 1931 (cooking pot Model 31). A scaled down version of the earlier M1910, the kit is a kidney shaped cooking pot with a total capacity of 1.7 liters. It consists of 2 parts: the pot with the wire handle, and a cover with a handle to use as a plate. 

Early in the war, these were made entirely from aluminum, such as this example. It is painted in the standard color for SS issue items: black. It comes contained in a black fabric carrier, with a textured lining and two "D" rings for attachment to the combat rigging. Both the bottom of the kit and the inside of the bag have the same SS contract information stamped in white:

The SS kept their own contracts through the RZM, and unfortunately the contractor information is not currently available. This marking most likely means it was a contract given to maker 101 in 1938, and filled later. The kit itself is maker marked HWSD 39 on the lid hinge, which should be the manufacturers initials and a date of 1939.

Condition is very good, with the usual service wear to the outside, with some light paint wear. The bag is also in good shape, though the top drawstring is missing, and the stitching around the drawstring channel has pulled.

A very rare WWII SS Issue M31 Mess tin, ready to add to your collection!

The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf AH, (Shock Troops Adolf AH), and was redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm Troopers) on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by AH by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party).

The SS developed the distinctive SS style cap skull and cross bones on October 6TH 1934 and introduced the SS pattern national cap eagle in February 1936. After their introductions the skull and eagle were to be worn on all forms of SS headgear. In 1944 the SS developed a single piece of cap insignia which incorporated both the skull and eagle on a one piece trapezoid base for wear on the M43 field cap. Originally these trapezoidal pieces of insignia were produced in a machine woven version until a final, embroidered version was introduced in late 1944. The first versions of the trapezoidal cap insignia featured dual rows of teeth in the skull while later versions only had a single row of teeth. Panzer personnel’s cap trapezoids were produced with a black base to match the color of the cap it was to be worn on.