Quote:
Originally Posted by sheepherder
I did. I noticed the 1938 pic with the soldiers holding Bergman SMG's and trommel magazines, which is interesting. I've read that 'rear echelon' troops were issued the Bergman's in WW II, so it would follow they would have the trommel magazine chests as well.
But in my own limited experience, we carried handguns and magazines in a steel box about the same size as the trommel chest (for bulk transport) and if we had it open and needed to move it quickly, we'd grab the lid and carry it along to wherever we needed it. It had the full-width piano hinge. No one would bother to close it and latch it and use the carry handle - No, we'd just grab it and run it over to the firing position. 
The wooden trommel chest with the single center hinge wouldn't last too long with that kind of abuse, I think...  |
I agree it is not the most robust system, but that does not mean it is not the way it was done.
I expect the P Kasten was a "semi-expendable" piece, carry the drums to the debarkation point, load up, over the top and leave the box behind; quite likely many never came back to reclaim the box. JMHO