Found these in a WW1 US mess kit. Are they Brit issued? Sheffield cutlery; fork,knife & spoon combo.

Hi, I'm not sure. They look familiar, but I think they are probably privately purchased or commercially sourced. I only say that because just about every UK issue item has the broad arrow stamped into it, and I don't see that on these.

 

Do the forks and spoons have the same markings and handle shape?

I have to admit that I focused on the early war stuff, but I think the pattern you show was used later in the war and also postwar. But I am not sure of an official designation for them, or any details.

 

The early utensils were pretty standard stuff, if not for the marking it wouldn't look that out of place on a table today.

 

 

I would think it likely came out maybe circa 1944-45, since it looks stainless steel. I know the mess tins started out as aluminum, and then went to tinned steel until about 1944, when stainless steel replaced the tinned steel.

The KFS sets which clip together (and those ubiquitous aluminium soap tins every NW Europe re-enactor displays) were manufactured late in the war as part of a new range of clothing and equipment for what was thought would be a protracted war with Japan.

Hi Ed, on the soap tins, are you talking about the aluminum ones that say 'SOAP' in a cursive script on the lid, or the other tins which have the broad arrow stamped into the lid? Of the latter type I used to see a lot on the market, but they weren't aluminum (maybe a plated brass or tin) but something that was very shiny, and fairly heavy. I'll see if I can dig up a photo of them if I can. I never collected much of the later war stuff, but wish I had. Tried to limit myself with items dated up to 1942.

That makes sense about the utensils being late, and fits into what I remember about them.

Hi Ed, I remember the type you are talking about now; aluminum and hinged on the back. Dated and with a broad arrow on the lid. I was thinking of a couple of US tins I have seen reenactors use at times as a fill-in (why I don't know, like you said the others were abundant). I think 1944 was the earliest date I ever saw on one of those. I briefly considered collecting enough for a 1944 display, but realized it would be made up of 1942 and 1943 dated equipment.