[REF] Tent, Fire-Resistant, Pyramidal, M-1934, Olive Drab (Stock No. 24-T-320)

The M-1934 Pyramidal Tent was introduced in 1934 for quartering of personnel. The maximum capacity of the Pyramidal Tent is EIGHT men (current Infantry Squad strength, at earlier period) when the tent stove is not used. For reasons of greater comfort and sanitation, use of this Tent is limited to SIX men when the supply of tentage permits! When the tent stove is used, maximum capacity is only SIX men. Because of its distinctive shape, the Pyramidal Tent is easily observed from the air; for this reason more than usual care should be taken to camouflage it properly. It is a limited standard item which was to be replaced by the M-1942 Squad tent … The tent is 16 feet wide, 16 feet long and 11 feet high. Floor space is 256 square feet. Tent top, side walls and all reinforcements are made of identical olive-drab duck. Peak height is 12 feet 3 inches, while wall height is 4 feet 2 inches, giving a pitch of 8 feet 1 inch. There is 1 door, 28 inches wide, and 8 feet high. Ventilation is via the centre pole which has an adjustable hood. One M-1941 stove tent is used for heating, the stovepipe is put through the centre tent opening. Subject Tent was eventually replaced by the M-1942 Squad Tent.



(1) Spindle
(2) Hood
(3) Hood Line
(4) Lacing Line
(5) Upright Pole
(6) Eave Line
(7) 24-Inch Pin
(8 ) Foot Stop Line
(9) Door Flap
(10) Lug
(11) Door Fastener Line
(12) Door Flap Line

Pyramidal Tent elements:

1 X Hood, Tent, Olive-Drab, Pyramidal, M-1934 – Stock No. 24-H-66
6 X Lines, Tent, 13-Feet, 6-Inches, Sewed-One-End, ¼-Inch Diameter (Hood Line) – Stock No. 24-L-562-50
4 X Lines, Tent, 6-Feet, Sewed-Two-Ends, ¼-Inch Diameter (Lacing Line) – Stock No. 24-L-500
4 X Poles, Tent, Upright, 4-Feet, 9-Inches – Stock No. 24-P-235
24 X Lines, Tent, 10-Feet, w/Eye, 5/16-Inch Diameter (Eave Line) – Stock No. 24-L-540
28 X Pins, Tent, 24-Inches – Stock No. 24-P-59
28 X Lines, Tent, Foot Stop, ¼-Inch Diameter (Foot Stop) – Stock No. 24-L-448
6 X Lines, Tent, 2-Feet, 6-Inches, Sewed-Two-Ends, ¼-Inch Diameter (Door Fastener) – Stock No. 24-L-470
10 X Lines, Tent, 3-Feet, 4-Inches, Sewed-One-End, ¼-Inch Diameter (Door Fastener) – Stock No. 24-L-480
2 X Lines, Tent, 3-Feet, 4-Inches, Sewed-One-End, ¼”-Inch Diameter (Door Flap Line) – Stock No. 24-L-479-50
4 Lines, Tent, 14-Feet, w/Eye, 5/16-Inch Diameter (Corner Line) – Stock No. 24-L-565
1 X Pole, Tent, Upright, 12-Feet, 3-Inches, Complete, Jointed – Stock No. 24-P-266
28 X Pins, Tent, 16-Inches – Stock No. 24-P-49
1 X Chain and Plate, Tent, Pyramidal, M-1934, 16 ½-Inches X 17-Inches – Stock No. 24-C-573
4 X Hooks, Tent End, Pyramidal, M-1934, 5/16-Inch – Stock No. 24-H-167
4 X Hooks, Tent, S, Pyramidal, M-1934, 5/16-Inch – Stock No. 24-H-174
28 X Slips, Tent, Wire – Stock No. 24-S-1070

Pitching:

a. Preliminary Arrangements:

The Commander designates the line on which the tents are to be erected. The line of tents is marked by driving a wall pin on the spot to be occupied by the right front corner of each tent. The interval between adjacent marking pins should be 30 feet. This leaves a space of about 2 feet between tents. Each tent is usually erected by the squad which will occupy it. It takes four men approximately 30 minutes to erect this tent.

b. Procedure:

(1) Spread canvas. Spread the tent on the ground which it is to occupy, door to the front. Lace the corners of the tent wall, tie the door fasteners, and place the right front corner foot stop over the corner pin already driven.

(2) Drive left front corner wall pin. Carry the left front conrner foot stop as far to the left as it will go and drive a short pin through it in line with the right corner pin already driven.

(3) Drive rear corner wall pins. Pull the rear corner foot stops to the rear and outward, so that the bottom of the rear wall of the tent will stretch to complete the square. Then drive the pins through these foot stops with each rear corner pin directly to the rear of its corresponding front corner pin, forming the square. Unless the canvas is wet, allow a small amount of slack before driving the corner pins.

(4) Adjust center pole and hood. Have three men crawl under the tent and fit the center pole into the plate of the chain and plate assembly. Adjust the hood.

(5) Raise tent. With a man steadying each corner line, have the men underneath the tent, raise the tent.

(6) Adjust corner lines. Place the four corner lines over the lower notches of the large pins, which are driven in prolongation of the diagonals at such distances as to hold the walls and ends of the tent vertical and smooth when the eave lines are drawn taut.

(7) Insert side-wall upright poles. Place the four side-wall upright poles one at each corner, in a vertical position with the spindle inserted through the grommet in the tent.

(8 ) Drive remaining pins and adjust lines. Drive a small wall pin through each remaining foot stop and a large pin for each eave line in line with the four corner-line pins already driven. Place the eave lines over the lower notches of the large pins and draw all the lines taut.

Striking:

a. Remove pins. Remove all pins except those of the four corner lines and the two rear corner wall pins. Pile them, or place them in a container.

b. Remove the four side-wall upright poles.

c. Lower tent With one man holding each corner line, slowly lower the tent to the rear. Fasten the poles together and collect the remaining pins.

Folding:

a. Procedure for each tent:

(1) Pull canvas smooth. Pull the back wall and top canvas out smooth. This is done by leaving the rear corner wall pins in the ground with the foot stops attached. One man at each corner line and one or two men holding the chain and plate assembly perpendicular, pull the canvas to its limit away from the former front of the tent. This places the three remaining sides of the tent on the top of the rear side, with the door side in the middle.

(2) Straighten right side of tent. To straighten the right side wall and top canvas, carry the right front corner over and lay it on the left front corner. Pull the canvas smooth and the bottom edges even. Throw the eave lines toward the chain and plate assembly. Return the right front corner to the right in order to cover the right rear corner. This folds the right side of the tent on itself with a crease in the middle. This fold will now be under the front side of the tent.

(3) Straighten left side of tent. To straighten the left side wall and top canvas, carry the left front corner to the right and rear in a similar fashion. This will leave the front and rear sides of the tent lying smooth and flat, and the two side walls folded inward, each on itself.

(4) Make sure the sod cloth is folded under all around the tent.

(5) Fold tent lengthwise. Fold in the bottom of the wall approximately 1 foot. Fold the chain and plate assembly downward toward the bottom of the tent. Place the hood on the chain and plate assembly. The tent is now folded with the chain and plate assembly as a core, all folds being placed down flat and smooth and parallel to the bottom of the tent. If each fold is compactly made and the canvas is kept smooth, the last fold will exactly cover the lower edge of the canvas.

(6) Arrange lines on tent. Lay all the exposed eave lines, except the two on the center panel, along the folded canvas. Pull these two out and way from the bottom edge to their extreme length so that they may be used later for the final tying of the bundle.

(7) Complete folding of bundle. Fold the bundle from one end toward the center at the first seam (that is, the seam joining the first and second panels). Fold the bundle again toward the center so that the canvas already folded will come within about 3 inches of the middle panel. Fold the bundle once again to the far seam of the middle panel. Starting from the opposite end of the bundle, fold the first panel width in half. Fold this a gain. This will bring it about 4 or 5 inches from the part of the tent already folded from the first end. Throw this second fold completely over the part already folded.

(8 ) Tie bundle. Draw the exposed eave lines taut toward and across one another so that they are at right angles. Turn the bundle over on the eave lines. Cross the lines again on the crossed lines and tie the lines with a slipknot.

b. Bundle:

(1) When properly tied and pressed together the bundle will be about 11 by 23 by 34 inches.

(2) The unit designation, stenciled on the upper half of the middle width of canvas in the back wall, will appear on the exposed top of the bundle.

This is precisely the kind of activity that the public should get to see, imagine the mortar display and someone talking through the process

Well I wanted to sell tickets on Friday night

Good to see you Chris

Ben's Dad wrote:Well I wanted to sell tickets on Friday night

Tike- you had a ring-side seat!!!!! Don't worry, we'll be putting on a few more shows, no doubt!