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• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Pugwash Trouserpress (U1865008) on Sunday, 5th October 2008

  Good evening all.
  
  Can anyone tell me if the backpacks worn by soldiers at the time of the Napoleonic wars had a specific name?
  
  Peebs

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by flipacross (U9997641) on Sunday, 5th October 2008

  Peebs
  They were generally referred to as knapsacks as in the following quote from 'The Recollection of Rifleman Harris':
  "The weight I myself toiled under was tremendous, and I often wonder at the strength I possessed at this period, which enabled me to endure it; indeed, I am convinced that many of our infantry sank and died under the weight of their knapsacks alone."
  
  I can't find a quote at the moment but I think haversack might also have been used. The word entered the English language during the 18th Century from French, which got it from the German Habersack. The German word though denoted a bag for carrying horse fodder and I'm not sure what sense it had initially in English.
  
  Phil

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by flipacross (U9997641) on Sunday, 5th October 2008

  Just realised. The haversack was the dainty little shoulder bag that was worn in addition to the knapsack and was used to carry rations.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Pugwash Trouserpress (U1865008) on Monday, 6th October 2008

  Flipacross,
  
  VMT for that. It will settle a long standing discussion we've been having in the pub. (I know, I should stay in more!)
  
  Peebs

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Trooper Tom Canning - WW2 Site Helper (U519668) on Monday, 6th October 2008

  Pugwash...
  Even in WW2 - the sandwiches handed out for lunch in the field were known as "haversack rations" - for schemes - journey's et al..usually cheese which I could never eat - door step size - melted margarine spread with a shaving brush - complete with a few WW1 biscuits - real tooth breakers!
  Cheers

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by davim19 (U3042016) on Wednesday, 15th October 2008

  I have always known them as "Trotter" packs, a term used from napoleonic times through to the Crimean war.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by PaulRyckier (U1753522) on Wednesday, 15th October 2008

  Re: Message 5.
  
  Trooper,
  
  as an aside: in my message 71 to Allan in the thread "Appeasement: Right or Wrong?" on the "Hub" I asked:
  "BTW: I read somewhere that there were threnches in the parks and people moving their children inland in Britain in the eve of the German threat September 1938. If someone can confirm that? TROOPER?
  
  Warm regards and thanks in advance for any explanation,
  
  Paul.

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