Haversack
Encyclopedia
A haversack is a bag, usually carried by a single shoulder strap. Although similar to a backpack
the single shoulder strap differentiates this type from other backpacks. There are exceptions to this general rule.
, during the privations caused by the Napoleonic Wars
. Havercake was made in the form of a thick biscuit
as a convenient way to take food to the factory for the mid-day meal, and the haversack was the bag it was carried in. This system, using havercake carried in a haversack, was also used widely by the military
for the individual soldier
to carry his rations. The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
was nicknamed the 'Havercake Lads' because the recruiting sergeants used to display a piece of havercake held aloft on a bayonette, to signify that food would never be a problem if enlisted; a great encouragement to recruiting when the general population was starving.
The haversack, especially when used in the military, was generally about 30 cm by 30 cm with a button-down flap to close it. When empty the bag could be folded in three and an extra button on the back of the bag would allow it to be refixed in this position. For the military this made it neat and, when held to the side in its folded form by the soldiers belt, it became part of the uniform of many regiments in the British army.
and elsewhere, the word haversack is synonymous with rucksack or other similar terms and is used to describe any backpack.
This pack remained in service, most notably during World War I
, until 1928 when it was superseded by the modified M-1928 pack. However, thousands of surplus M10s were issued during World War II to compensate for shortages in war-time textile production.
The M-1928 haversack continued to be the standard-issue army back pack until the last year of World War II
. The only exceptions being officers, engineers, paratroops and other soldiers who were issued the more compact M-1936 Musette bag. The M28 was gradually phased out in 1944 with the introduction of the M-1944 and M-1945 Canvas Combat Field Pack configuration. This new two-part design, based on the Marine M-1941 system, used a much smaller back pack (for rations, clothes, and messkit), and a separate Cargo Bag that attached to the bottom for extra clothes and shoes. The top pack had the same type of grommet tabs and loops as the M-1928 for attaching a bayonet and entrenchment tool plus straps for securing a "horseshoe" bedroll.
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
the single shoulder strap differentiates this type from other backpacks. There are exceptions to this general rule.
Origins
The name 'Haversack' originates from its usage to carry 'Havercake'. Havercake was a rough type of bread simply made from oats and water, with the addition sometimes of yeast to bulk it out. Oats was the staple food of the poor, especially in the textile districts of the north of EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, during the privations caused by the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. Havercake was made in the form of a thick biscuit
Biscuit
A biscuit is a baked, edible, and commonly flour-based product. The term is used to apply to two distinctly different products in North America and the Commonwealth Nations....
as a convenient way to take food to the factory for the mid-day meal, and the haversack was the bag it was carried in. This system, using havercake carried in a haversack, was also used widely by the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
for the individual soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
to carry his rations. The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
was nicknamed the 'Havercake Lads' because the recruiting sergeants used to display a piece of havercake held aloft on a bayonette, to signify that food would never be a problem if enlisted; a great encouragement to recruiting when the general population was starving.
The haversack, especially when used in the military, was generally about 30 cm by 30 cm with a button-down flap to close it. When empty the bag could be folded in three and an extra button on the back of the bag would allow it to be refixed in this position. For the military this made it neat and, when held to the side in its folded form by the soldiers belt, it became part of the uniform of many regiments in the British army.
General usage
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and elsewhere, the word haversack is synonymous with rucksack or other similar terms and is used to describe any backpack.
U.S. Army Haversack
In 1910 the U.S. Army adopted the M-1910 Haversack as the standard back pack for all infantrymen. The pack is essentially a sheet of rugged khaki-colored canvas that folds around its contents (bedroll, clothing, daily rations, and assorted personal items), and is held together by flaps and adjustable buckle-straps. The two shoulder straps are designed to attach to a web belt or suspender configuration. The exterior of the pack has loops, rings, and grommet tabs for attaching a bayonet sheath, a "meat can" (mess kit) pouch, and a canvas carrier for a short-handled shovel (aka. entrenchment tool).This pack remained in service, most notably during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, until 1928 when it was superseded by the modified M-1928 pack. However, thousands of surplus M10s were issued during World War II to compensate for shortages in war-time textile production.
The M-1928 haversack continued to be the standard-issue army back pack until the last year of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The only exceptions being officers, engineers, paratroops and other soldiers who were issued the more compact M-1936 Musette bag. The M28 was gradually phased out in 1944 with the introduction of the M-1944 and M-1945 Canvas Combat Field Pack configuration. This new two-part design, based on the Marine M-1941 system, used a much smaller back pack (for rations, clothes, and messkit), and a separate Cargo Bag that attached to the bottom for extra clothes and shoes. The top pack had the same type of grommet tabs and loops as the M-1928 for attaching a bayonet and entrenchment tool plus straps for securing a "horseshoe" bedroll.