Bug out bag ETO 1939

[Curt Dawson]

It is late 1939 and you are somewhere in continetal europe.The fascists are quickly moving towarfds your locale and you need to get out fast. An air plane and automobile are out of the question and a train is very dicey. Thgis leaves you with your own two feet. So you grab your ever present bug out bag and head to a safer climate. What is in your bug out bag? Maxiumn weight is 25lbs.
Good Luck!

 

[dhermann1]

One change of underware and a lot of cash. And maybe my pistolo, if I have one. And passport.

 

[adamjaskie]

Knife, compass, matches, flint (backup fire source), revolver, ammo, cash (assorted currencies), cigarettes (for barter/greasing), change of clothes, canteen w/cup, flask of expensive whiskey. And a blanket if it's winter.

 

[Unca Dusty]

All my cash, jewelry if I own it, two changes of socks and underwear, one change of shirt, flask of brandy and canteen filled with water, small pot, matches, ID documents, knife and pistol, box of ammo, bottle of iodine, maps of the area, if I have them, chocolate bars.

 

[Teabag1927]

Well, mine would probably be an A-frame bag with my soldbuch, eckstein cigarettes, a rolled up copy of Signal, some cans of Eintopf, my mess utensils, and a German-Polish dictionary

 

[Viola]

Revolver, ammunition, Zippo lighter, monocular in its case, glacier glasses, some cans of food, canteen, candy bars, a small wool blanket, socks, any money and jewelry I have, a big knife and a small combat folding knife. A passport if I have one but if I have one I would have either used it or given to somebody else already.

 

[57plymouth]

My Jeep (wish it was surplus). I keep it stocked.

 

[Viola]

My Jeep (wish it was surplus). I keep it stocked.

Naughty!

An [...] automobile are out of the question and a train is very dicey. This leaves you with your own two feet[...]Maxiumn weight is 25lbs.

 

[plain old dave]

Hm...

-Hardtack
-Water purification tabs
-20 gold sovreigns/'illegally' held US $20 gold coins
-Bible
-S&W M1917 .45 Revolver +48 rounds ammo (16 halfmoon clips)
-Chocolate and smokes for barter

That would be sufficient to get to France and book passage back to the Land Of The Free.

 

[Viola]

Well I was thinking of the Bible thing, and it'd be my life if I was caught with it but I suppose it would be anyway for having a revolver, hey?

 

[Story]

Well I was thinking of the Bible thing, and it'd be my life if I was caught with it but I suppose it would be anyway for having a revolver, hey?

If you carried a King James version, the bad guys would be less inclined to separate you from the rest of the crowd.

 

[Viola]

If you carried a King James version, the bad guys would be less inclined to separate you from the rest of the crowd.

I'm a Jew. Our Bibles and prayerbooks are a bit easier to pick out. I don't think I'd carry a King James for the sake of a cover story, its a bit heavy to carry and I wouldn't feel right.

 

[Mav]

Revolver and knife are already on the belt, compass, cash, ID and Rosary in my pockets. As well as a clean handkerchief.
In the bag goes a hundred rounds of ammo, an Arkansas whetstone, small first aid kit, chocolate, matches,blanket, as many cans of Copenhagen as I've got laying around, a Bible, a Tarot deck and a copy of the Kybalion.
That bag sits by my desk 24/7, BTW. It's contents are duplicated in my truck.
Oh, and some speed if I can lay my hands on it at short notice.
@Viola- the KJV is always good as a cover. Its OT ain't quite the TaNaCh, but if you know how to read it, it comes close. And it'll pass inspection by whatever given group of 'tards that're causing your need to escape in the first place.

 

[grundie]

All the money I can get, along with anything small and of value. I'm thinking bribes may be necessary along the way.

Penknife, blanket, light change of clothes, small accessories that could be used to help change my appearance (e.g. caps etc). I'd grow a beard but always have a razor handy to get rid of it ASAP. Compass, flask of Whisky, matches, pipe, tobacco, as much first aid stuff I could pack in, scissors (to cut hair), map, gun. Clothes brush, small sewing kit and shoe polish, looking scruffy may make me stand out. Fishing hooks and gut, just in case an extended stay in the country side is needed.

Though I doubt all this would weigh less than 25lbs.

 

[Story]

I'm a Jew. Our Bibles and prayerbooks are a bit easier to pick out. I don't think I'd carry a King James for the sake of a cover story, its a bit heavy to carry and I wouldn't feel right.

I'm aware of your Faith.

If it's a matter of escaping or being forced to take a boxcar ride East, you'd be amazed at what feelings can be shelved.

 

[Viola]

I'm aware of your Faith.

If it's a matter of escaping or being forced to take a boxcar ride East, you'd be amazed at what feelings can be shelved.

Then, respectfully, I'll leave the King James where I found it; someone may need it more than I, and I don't need the weight.

 

[Paisley]

When I was in the Air Force, they (sorry, I don't remember who "they" were) were handing out Gospels or New Testaments that would fit in a shirt pocket.

Nevertheless, I think there was more of a practice of memorizing passages of one's holy book back in the 30s and earlier than there is now.

 

[nobodyspecial]

Once you have your rucksack packed, the harder part is trying to figure out where to run. Chances are most other countries do not want you. Perhaps with enough money you can convince border guards you are a tourist on holiday treking in the Swiss alps. Where else to run and how and why would you be able to cross borders?

 

[doctor dan]

bug out bag

I would only carry what wood fit into my pockets, a knife, money, british bulldog in 44 cal would be nice. I would leasurely walk out taking public transportation if I could. Since I'm African American I would not melt into the crowd. The thing is I have a cousin who is German born. One of my relatives never returned to the USA after World War One staying in France for a while ending up in Germany. He married a German girl and had no problems as far as I know, at least that was what I was told, but I remember reading a short story about Blacks living in Germany during WWII and what I always remembered is that the main charactor was standing on the street one day when the Nazis were rounding up people, and when they loaded them onto a truck the officer came up to him and said two word. You're Next.

 

[dhermann1]

A little OT

I had a friend at work who was ethnically Turkish, but grew up in the Crimean Peninsula of the Ukraine. He had exactly this challenge in January of 1945. He was in what became the Eastern zone of Germany. He was only 17 at the time, and was with an older gentleman who had worked in the same factory. They had one thought in mind, and that was to go west. They made it. An amazing story.