Korean War Chinese Canteen Repurposed Japanese Canteen

As is with much  of the equipment carried by the Chinese People’s Volunteers in Korea is this Japanese WW2 Type 95 aluminum canteen made by Nippon Aluminum, dated 2601 which is 1941.

Millions of Japanese served in China before and during WW2. As such, millions of rifles, bayonets and other durable military goods were captured or simply left behind when Japan surrendered. 

Some equipment, like this aluminum canteen, was overhauled and reissued to Chinese soldiers who fought against the Chinese nationalists and those who marched into Korea in 1950. 

Here, a Chinese made skeletal harness was added in lieu of a likely damaged Japanese web harness. The harness fits slugly to the canteen and the wear on the stopper strap is consistent with it having been on the canteen since they were mated together. 

The Chinese webbing was lighter than the Japanese version. Hence, the well worn look and field repair.

These Chinese communists so loved the Japanese canteen that they made a pretty close copy around 1950.