New Zealand issued Soldier’s Trunk

by Leather, March 7, 2011

New Zealand issued Soldier’s Trunk

It’s probably an area that gets overlooked in the world of carry (I know we’re guilty of it), but have you ever stopped and wondered what soldiers use to carry their gear around? Most would think duffles or something more modern, but what about back in the day of WWI and II? A carryology regular, Troy Archer, recently came across a New Zealand issued Solider’s Trunk from way back when. Looking amazing, the quality and attention to detail isn’t that surprising given the abuse these pieces had to withstand. Come take a look…

There are some things in life that get better with age, we all know that. Wine, so long as you keep twisting the bottle, is the most common reference. I’d also say the ability to catch a ball, to a certain extent your hand eye coordination get’s better as you get older right? There is another thing that most certainly gets better with age and that thing is leather, especially when the leather made item is produced with the intent of withstanding the abuse of a travelling soldier.

I hunt for things constantly. Garage sales, yard sales, refuse yards, tip shops, council collections; these are the things that dreams are made of. Recently, when visiting one of my regular stops, I found this New Zealand issued Soldiers Trunk. Not only is it made to withstand a hellish amount of misuse, it’s made with the utmost attention to detail and style.

Maybe back then they weren’t entirely aware of the amount of style they were building into these things but they sure as hell have hit the nail on the head. When you move around the trunk you’ll notice the (almost rope like) heavy gauge stitching, the double layered and reinforced corners, its time honoured fabric lining, rudimentary storage components, internal leather strapping, and the heavyweight metal buckles all held together by the most beautifully weathered Pig Skin Leather finishing. It really does have you ogling in wonder.

I’ve tried to find some clear information about the heritage of this piece, the original maker and most importantly some information into Major W.W. Little, #11756 of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but i’ve turned up nothing. So for now, at the least, let’s sit back and marvel at this amazing piece of luggage history and for a moment pay our respects to the people that fought for the freedom we continue to enjoy today.