BACKGROUND: Although most food in the field was prepared by a units mobile field kitchen and distributed to the front line troops each soldier was issued with a standard, small, portable, dry fuel tablet stove along with other provision for eating in the field that included the field cutlery set, a mess kit, canteen, breadbag, and fat container. The dry fuel tablet stove was issued with dry hexamethylene tetramine fuel tablets that could be carried in the stove when in the closed position. The dry fuel tablet stove was generally carried in the breadbag along with other assorted personal items. The dry fuel tablet stove came in a variety of models with the most common being the "Esbit" brand. The dry fuel tablet stove did not generally provide sufficient heat to actually cook food but was well suited for heating up soups or beverages. Following the old adage that, an army runs on its stomach, the dry fuel tablet stove must be considered one of the most important of all personal equipment items.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A cardboard fuel tablet package with bright red white and blue printed script and illustrations in original Wehrmacht Theme carton. One end flap is missing on this carton. Rare.