Getting picnic ready Part 1

 Hopefully most of the forthcoming picnic outings in 2026 will be on a motorsickle.  Travelling light with little equipment. (Bread, butter and potted meat) Proper outback/wilderness stuff. But...I will begrudgingly make the effort to use 4 wheels now and again. This will be a necessity when moving heavy weight picnic hardware. (Sorry - all on the top secret list at the moment)

However - Let me take this opportunity whilst the weather is not picnic friendly to share with you my last years chrimbo present from Santa. How does he know what I really neeeeeed.??? It needs getting picnic ready......

An M.B.V. This fascinating grey box is a Military Boiling Vessel. Rare as hens teeth. These were fitted in British tanks and armoured vehicles after WW2 and still are right up to present day. A clever idea that sprung from an unfortunate incident in Normandy during WW2 The blighty tank crews had vacated their vehicles to brew a cuppa and have a bacon sandwich. Little did they know that a German Tiger had seen their lack of attention and preparation. Sitting ducks they were. Huge losses occurred. I've pasted a link to a detailed account at the end of this page, hopefully you'll get that far.

So, I've got the legendary boiling vessel complete with tap for filling a tea mug. Did take the opportunity to purchase from a different seller the electrical lead complete with military amphenol plugs to enable connection to any passing Chieftain I may encounter. Ok, so you spotted it needs 24v DC and can draw 50amps. when in the armoured vehicle.  Holy-moly!!!! Not likely to be plugging this war ready kit into the Nissan then!!!!

As always I'm writing before having succeeded to get it even warm, but where's the excitment if you know the end chapter? I've 3 x options as far as I can tell....Plug it to a 12v DC slave battery and see if it will warm up, although current draw on 12v will be huge. Second option, find a 24v DC slave battery. Third option is somehow convert to a 12v DC heating element and still run from a slave battery.  Whilst I'm studying options (obviously for little expenditure) I'll get the inside a bit more up to a food cooking standard, and look out for any batteries I can use.

Link below to the Battle of Villiers Bocage and it's role in the invention of the Military Boiling Vessel

Perfecting the art of brewing tea

Press enter or click to view image in full The Centurion design drew from the British Army’s experiences in North Africa. It went on to become one of the most ubiquitous main battle tanks, serving almost everywhere the British had any influence: Iraq, India and South Africa, to name a few countriesThe tank came fitted with a boiler vessel, or bivvie—a cuboid kettle powered by the tank’s electrics. The unit became an essential subsystem for all British Army armor. Today the Electrothermal-made “Cooking/Boiling Vessel FV706656" is fitted to all the Army’s main fighting vehiclesThe basic concept of the boiling vessel has not changed since the 1950s. The large container quickly boils and maintains the heat of a gallon of water for drinking, washing and heating tinned and retort rations.

Keep checking in for picnic news and progress report on the Military Boiling Vessel.