To understand a soldier’s life, we can begin with the things he carried. Before decorations and great battles come two basic needs: eating and drinking. The mess tin and the water bottle offer a view of military history at this everyday level, through hands and rucksacks.
In 2012, Antonio Zanetti devoted two articles in our newsletter to these objects: La gavetta in the March issue and La borraccia in June. Read together, they offer a short journey through daily life, materials, shapes and practical solutions.
A container to carry, use and close
In Zanetti’s account, the mess tin changes repeatedly: different materials, handles, lids and ways of fastening it to a soldier’s kit. The aluminium model introduced in 1930 marks an important stage in the story. These details can also help us look at photographs: an object attached to a rucksack can raise questions about equipment and its use, without providing enough evidence on its own to date the image.
Meals are a daily necessity. Telling their story also means making room for actions that often escape the chronicles: carrying food, finding somewhere to stop, storing and cleaning one’s own container. These everyday tasks also deserve a place in military remembrance.
The water bottle and the need for water
The second article follows the transition from wooden containers to aluminium and, eventually, plastic. Zanetti addresses practical concerns: leaks, bulk, durability and keeping the contents in good condition. An object’s shape responds to the conditions in which it will be used.
For someone who keeps a family water bottle today, the most interesting question may come before identifying the model: who owned it? Is there a name, a photograph or a letter to go with it? Bringing these clues together can turn the object into a way of discovering a personal story.
Antonio Zanetti’s two original articles
Read the original Col Maòr pages below, complete with the illustrations published in 2012. Each viewer opens at page 14; use zoom or full-screen mode to enlarge the text. Dedicated links also lead to the complete issues. The historical pages remain in their original Italian.
La gavetta — The mess tin
Antonio Zanetti · Col Maòr, no. 1, March 2012 · page 14
Materials, shapes, handles and lids: Zanetti traces the development of the container that accompanied soldiers at mealtimes.
Open Col Maòr no. 1 — March 2012 · Download the issue as a PDF
Original page with the Italian text and the illustrations published in 2012. If the viewer does not load, open or download the PDF and go to page 14.
La borraccia — The water bottle
Antonio Zanetti · Col Maòr, no. 2, June 2012 · page 14
From wood to aluminium and plastic: the story of the water bottle centres on carrying water, preventing leaks and keeping its contents in good condition.
Open Col Maòr no. 2 — June 2012 · Download the issue as a PDF
Original page with the Italian text and the illustrations published in 2012. If the viewer does not load, open or download the PDF and go to page 14.
Return to the original issues
This MEMORIA feature grew out of rereading the two articles and invites readers to explore them in the Col Maòr archive. Expressions such as “currently” in the original texts refer to 2012, the year of publication.
Sources: Antonio Zanetti, La gavetta, Col Maòr, year XLIX, no. 1, March 2012, p. 14; Antonio Zanetti, La borraccia, Col Maòr, year XLIX, no. 2, June 2012, p. 14. An original editorial feature for MEMORIA based on these issues; the accompanying text is not a transcription of the two original articles.
