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H series box identity

H

hangarman

Well-Known Member
I recently picked up this box. On the base it has an H and BFL 4 burnt in but I guess the brand must have been slightly angled and so the date and box number are missing. The only other markings are an FFE stencil on one side that reads TN/FFE/EK though it could be ITN/FFE/EK . It's 9" long and 9 1/4" tall and 7 1/4" wide. It is exactly the same construction as the late war H51 and the wood used is the same as 45 dated H51's so it must date from the mid to late 40's. Does any one know where it could have been FFE'd which could point me in the direction of Army / Navy or Air force? Any help much appreciated. Cheers Gary

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Gary,

Maybe wishful thinking on my part - but I think it is KTN - Kineton

TimG
 
I would go with KTN = Kineton, and the inspectors initials being EK.

I've looked through my list of boxes dated 1943 and can find no reference to any H box of the dimensions you mention so it's probably 1944 or later. If its the same construction as H51 then it could be for the "Jungle Pack". I have a reference to the Jungle Pack being dated to 1944, it includes the H51 and others including G70 for grenades which is also of the same construction.
 
If EK refers to the ammo tech who verified the box was FFE then you're looking at an FFE date that was probably in the 1960s. At a rough guesstimate EK equates to a person who became an ammo tech in the early 1960s. A sergeant or senior corporal was in charge of major tasks, while the more junior corporals were in charge of more minor tasks, or simply working under more experienced ATs. With a handful of exceptions most ATs were staff sergeants by their mid to late 20s (ie within 10 years of becoming ATs) and of the few of those who worked in depots such as Kineton, they were employed as line supervisors, overseeing the work of the corporals and sergeants. So EK would have been a corporal or a sergeant when declaring the box FFE.
 
So far we have deduced the mans, job title , rank, approximate age and birthdate and his initials. Might we soon deduce his inside leg measurement? :p
 
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