Pattern 1944 water bottle and webbing carrier : Lieutenant R J Fletcher, 2 RAR

Waterbottle of unpainted aluminium with a large black rubber screw cap. The cap is secured by a length of green cord knotted through an eyelet rivetted to the cap and looped around the neck of the bottle. The carrier is a jungle green cotton web bag in which the bottle is retained by two flaps passing over its shoulders and secured with snap fasteners. A brass hanger on a length of webbing at the back of the carrier enables it to be attached to the Pattern 1944 Web Belt. Inside the bag is a flapped pocket on the back, designed to hold a filtration bag, and a webbing loop on the right hand side to hold a tube of sterilising tablets. The male half of the left hand snap fastener has torn out of the carrier, but is retained by the female half.

Associated with the service of 235080 Robert John Fletcher. Bob Fletcher was born in Cowra in 1932, and entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in February 1951. He graduated in December 1954, and served with 2 RAR in Malaya between 1955 and 1957 commanding rifle and mortar platoons.
Mr Fletcher reports that no water filtration bag was ever issued to him in Malaya, and that the pocket in the back of the waterbottle carrier was used to store a Hexamine stove and fuel tablets. Water sterilising tablets were issued, but were usually carried in a Basic Pouch. Aluminium waterbottles were originally issued with aluminium screw caps, which were bright and conspicuous in jungle conditions, and squeaked loudly when unscrewed. They were therefore quickly replaced with the rubber caps seen on these bottles.