[James N.]

I recently bought this, which I thought was the cook pot to a regular alluminum WWII Japanese mess kit, but it doesn't conform to any I've seen yet. Notice especially how it swells at the top, whereas ones I've found pictured ( and the German ones they're a copy of ) are indented to accept the lid/pan part. Also, the odd "jointed" iron bail handle. I thought maybe this is earlier than WWII? It has below the lip what looks like the Nagoya arsenal mark I've seen on bayonets, which appears to be a stylized crane whose raised wings form the arc of the circle; the neck/head/beak are detailed too, even showing 2 "eyes"! There are also a pair of Hirgana characters below the "crane". ( My camera won't take photos any closer than this. ) There are a very few flecks of olive paint visible in spots like around the measuring indentations. Any help, speculation or ideas are most welcome!

 

[Trenchwarfare]

I would say it's for stacking two pots. You could make rice in the bottom, and warm soup, or tea in the top. The top pot is smaller, and has the lid. That would account for the handle extension. Keeps you from making a longer handle. Just add to the shorter one.

 

[James N.]

Yes, it's the earlier mess kit with an extra pot. Still saw limited service to the end of the war.

Thanks to you both! Escapeh, when you say, "it's the earlier mess kit with an extra pot" how much earlier? WWI? Russo-Japanese? Does it have a model/date? Is the mark in fact a Nagoya Arsenal mark, or just something similar?