Description
Physical description
Hydration pack: rectangular-shaped water carrying pack, faced with two-colour desert DPM fabric and featuring shoulder carrying straps made of desert tan nylon, fitted with khaki plastic quick-release clips and a chest brace. The internal expanding black rubber bladder is accessed by a vertical zipper, located to the outside, left. A plastic filler cap is located to the top, with a horizontal carrying strap above, and a vertical one below. A flexible feeder hose extends from the top left of the pack (interchangeable, depending on what shoulder the man's weapon is fired) and terminates with a plastic capped sealable mouthpiece that is fitted with a manually operated flow cut-off valve.
History note
This Camelbak hydration pack was carried by a soldier serving with 1 Royal Anglian in Afghanistan. With the emphasis of carrying ammunition and water on operations in temperatures of 55 centigrade, the rifleman required a daily intake of water of over 10 litres per day. The Camelbak hydration pack augmented his conventional waterbottle, permitting him to carry an extra 3 litres (additional ammunition, water and rations were supplied daily in the field via the CQMS).
This example features a later modification in the form of a capped mouthpiece. In the early stages of the tour several soldiers were stricken with violent stomach problems; the protective cap and sucker system remedied this hygiene issue.
The 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Vikings) were deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan from March to October 2007. During the tour, noted for some of the most ferocious fighting experienced by the British Army since the Korean war, the Vikings lost nine men killed and a further 57 wounded. Participating in 350 engagements with Taliban forces (the average soldier experienced 40 contacts), over 1000 of the enemy were killed by 1 R Anglian's Battlegroup, which initially incorporated Estonian and Danish Recce troops. To quote the CO, Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver: 'A policy of taking the fight to the enemy and penetrating the Green Zone where he had previously considered himself to be secure paid dividends. This was a challenging environment in which to fight. Locating the enemy, casualty evacuation, re-supply and the physical demands of both the extreme climate and such difficult terrain all added to the complexity. To the rifle platoons the fighting was no different to conventional warfare conducted by British Infantry numerous times over the past 100 years. The intensity of the fighting was best illustrated by the use of over 500 HE (high explosive) grenades and the regular employment of the bayonet during the tour.'
Whilst being successful on the battlefield, 1 R Anglian's reputation was further enhanced by the number of reconstruction projects that were effectively completed in Sangin. These included: working on irrigation; repairs to electricity transformers; clearing bomb-damage; constructing wells; opening schools and medical clinics. These latter projects were invaluable in earning the confidence of the local population, who later evidently supplied vital information that proved useful in the fight against the Taliban.
Among the awards bestowed on the Battalion were one Distinguished Service Order, six Military Crosses, five Mentions in Dispatches, 15 Commendations awarded from the Joint Commander Afghanistan, and a further 47 Commendations from the Commander British Forces.
A, Applied by hand in black ink to the top left of the filler cap.
B, Applied by hand in black ink to the top right of the filler cap.
A, WI3907
B, O NEG