The Russian Soldiers' Equipment
by Warrant Officer 2 A.D. Bell
British Territorial Army
Editor's Note: Regular readers of the bulletin will know that Mr. Bell has been providing us with articles on former Soviet Army uniforms, accoutrements, and individual equipment since issue PB-30-90-3. He writes these articles in a unique style, as if composing a series of letters to a fellow uniform collector.
At the Office
Somewhere in England
Dear Joe:
It has been some time since we wrote, and so much has happened, that I thought you were no longer interested. However, Allen has told me that you still are. As the Berlin Wall has come down, and so many people are collecting Russian uniforms and badges, I'll cover something else-The Soldiers' Equipment: What goes in and Where." So what does every Russian soldier get (I'll not cover officers today)?
Let's look: the first item (see Figure 1) is a belt with a bright buckle (though some also get a subdued buckle) and a set of shoulder straps/yoke/suspenders.1 The material is normally webbing, covered in brown plastic, or black for Navy or Naval Infantry. There is a pouch for three AK magazines (or for the light machine gunner, one that holds four RPK magazines) as well as a small pouch to hold two hand grenades, with the mechanism and detonators held separately in a special compartment. Medical orderlies will have a modified pouch for medical equipment; one man in each rifle squad will also have this extra medical pouch.
The soldier also carries an entrenching tool (there are three different versions) with a carrying case; a water bottle in a cloth carrying-case (there is no mug with this); a rucksack; a poncho or shelter half (identical with the German Zelt plan); a steel helmet; a pilotka fatigue cap; a drinking mug; a mess tin set (also identical with the German, although I have seen airborne troops with a rectangular pattern); a knife, fork, and spoon; and a blanket. Special troops get a sleeping bag. There is also a greatcoat/overcoat2, washing and boot cleaning gear in a special locally-made bag, and NBC3 equipment, consisting of a decontamination kit, NAP4, the protective suit, all in another special locally-made carrying-bag, and the respirator/mask in its case.
For training, field exercise, or combat action, the following will be issued: weapon, bayonet, cleaning kit for the AK, and three AK or four RPK magazines (if the weapon is 5.45-mm caliber, then four or five strips holding twenty rounds each and a magazine loader are issued). Also, depending on the type of exercise, 24-hour rations, water purification tablets or drinking straw, and field dressings are issued.
Now where does all this go? First the equipment is assembled. Operational requirements dictate if this is to be "battle order," in which case the rucksack will remain on the BMP or BTR, and the soldier will wear the helmet, and put the water bottle on the belt. If it is to be "at rest" or "on the march" (on foot), the rucksack will be with the soldier.
On the soldier, the field dressings are in the left and right arm pockets, the NAP kit is in the left breast pocket, and water purification tablets are in the right thigh pocket. The rifle cleaning kit and oil bottle go in the small pockets on the magazine pouch.
For the NBC gear, the 1989 Dress Regulations state that the protective suit, boots, and gloves will be kept in a locally-made, easy-to-open bag. This bag will not be stored in the rucksack and can usually be found on top of the rucksack or suspended from the belt. The respirator must be in its case, slung over the right shoulder, and suspended on the left hip. The decontamination kit (IPP 1, 2, or 3) must be in the special pocket on the case.
In the rucksack are a towel, the shelter half/poncho, and the footcloths folded into a rectangle 30cm × 45cm (12 × 18 inches), placed into the bottom against the side nearest the soldiers back. The 24-hour rations (which cannot be opened without permission) are sometimes broken down and placed into the mess tins and drinking cup with the spoon and water bottle. The fork is not required, as most of the meals supplied are of the stew variety, and the bayonet replaces the knife. Any personal effects (photos, writing materials, etc.) go on top of the rations. If the pilotka is worn, then next in is the steel helmet. If the soldier has a blanket, it is strapped to the outside, and the remaining space filled with the greatcoat. In the small pocket is the locally-made bag with the washing and boot cleaning gear.
figure 1
One of the questions asked by those who see the normal Russian rucksack for the first time is, "How is it carried?" as it appears to have only one shoulder strap, and that has both ends attached to its two bottom corners. Easy! (One can say that when one knows!) When the sack is full, the top is creased up to form a neck, and the drawstring is pulled tight. In the middle of the shoulder strap a slipknot is made, fitted over the neck tube, and pulled tight. The neck is pulled up through the loop, turned over the loop, and secured with the surplus drawstring. The blanket or greatcoat is rolled into a sausage and secured to the top of the rucksack. So now you know!
Now I must close and rescue my Russian 24-hour ration pack from the wife who is threatening to serve it for my tea.
Tommy
Notes.
1.The British Army designation is shoulder straps/yoke.
2.The British designation for the heavy overcoat is greatcoat.
3.NBC: nuclear, biological, chemical.
4.NAP is the British designation for the pre-attack tablets and the atropine auto-injector.
Editor's Note: Mr. Bell's previous article, which, appeared in PB-30-91-4 (October 1991), entitled "Soviet Field Uniforms," should have included the following figure. The uniform "Marks" referred to in that article, and in the diagrams of camouflage patterns, correspond to the illustrations in this figure. As Mr. Bell says, "This is really made a nonsense of the drawing of the camouflage patterns." The editorial staff concurs, and apologizes for the omission.
Soviet Field Uniforms
