I have been looking into small pack items/fillers, and have seen huge variation on web pages.. So my question is.. how much lee way would the average soldier have to change/replace personal items such as in his wash kit.. or would the CSM pick him up on kit inspection for any changes?
'Non adepto demens. Adepto etiam'
War does not show who is right, only who is left..
You could within reason carry any thing *extra* at your discretion but losing or damaging issued items without a *really* good reason would be classed as wilful damage to kings property or a similar charge for losing stuff.
Usually in the British Army you get charged twice for anything you lose, once for the original item and once for the cost of replacing it!
TBH the basic contents of the small pack are all largely essential and there isnt that much room for anything else
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
What I mean is for a soldier replacing an issue razor or towel for a better one and leaving original issue items back at barracks or where ever.... Just wondered if things in the bottom of your small pack still warranted attention from CSM?
'Non adepto demens. Adepto etiam'
War does not show who is right, only who is left..
I think thats perfectly fine, kit inspections were rarely if ever done 'in the field' , you just needed to make sure you carried the items needed to keep yourself and your kit soldierly and smart (then as now).
For example obviously you were expected to shave when possible and also to carry a sewing kit to repair minor damage to your uniform on you and the such.
The key though is that with 're-enacting' while in reality lots of guys had shirts sent from home under their BD or socks their nan knitted etc etc if everyone in your group does that it looks a bit crap so re-enactors get very focussed on 'all issue' kit in your webbing/smock etc etc
But personal shaving and washing kit, yeah totally carry civilian items to replace the army issue ones. Quite often the you'd b expected to buy items like razors, soap, toothbrush/paste from the NAAFI shop once your initial issue ran out (same with blanco).
I think as long as *some* of the contents are issue and the small items are in an issue wash roll and it all looks 'period' you'll be fine.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
'course the default squaddie approach to losing kit is to immediately nick someone else's! Ahh! salad days!(or is that Cold Collation?)
I'm a hero with coward's legs.
too right... when i was serving the big thing to 'aquire' was a second set of gas parts for your rifle so that you could always have a pristine set for inspections and soak the manky blacked up set overnight in some banned abrasive cleaner or other 
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
