Tent 7'x9' questions

[5645andym]

We have just got our hands on two 7’ x 9’ tents for the next season and would appreciate any background info on them and their use.

 

 

On is marked as a Tent, Company Command Post 7’x9’ and dated 1977 and the other is just marked Command Post 7 x 9 and dated 1987

 

 

They are ridge tents with four poles that fit into paired sleeves at each end and are 9’ wide across the door and 7’ deep to the back wall. Height is about 6’ to the ridge.

 

 

My first question is did anyone ever use them as a Command Post? They seem a bit cramped as there is only just room to stand up directly under the ridge so I can’t see there being enough room for any command kit, ops table etc especially if a 9x9 were available!

 

 

Also there are two guy ropes attached to each side – does anyone know if these are run out at 90 degrees to the tent or if they run at an angle fore and aft?

 

 

Any info on their use or any background would be appreciated.

[Marmite!!]

There may be some info here http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?28994-Tents-amp-Shelters&p=298298#post298298

[fv1609]

I forgot about that article! Anyway I've scanned a couple of shots. It is designated as General Purpose so think it would be rather small to conduct command from within.

 

 

[gazzaw]

This is more like the forward command post for a company which comprised of a couple of signallers and manpack radios (352/329 sets etc) used in tactical situation and when you are forward and away from any vehicles, 9x9s etc - e.g a TAC HQ. Our mortars used them for MFCs etc. Although pain to carry they were seldom seen or used, our guys used bashas than these

[5645andym]

Thanks for the info. unfortunately there was nothing in the PDF's about these tents (although they were an interesting read).

 

The two that we have are clearly marked as follows

 

8340-99-127-5554

TENT CANVAS COY CMD

GD GP 7X9 PST

CLN WO W78/CIC/47644 CB(CT) 24

1977

 

&

 

COMMAND POST 7' X 9'

127-5554

SL32A 3437

MIL 1987

 

So it does look like these were intended for use as Command Posts!

 

Re Gazzaw's comments - it makes sense that these tents would be intended for use by dismounted infantry at company level as they can, just about, be carried by one man for limited distances, can be put up in a few minutes and would provide shelter for a small comand group or a couple of signallers with manpack sets if they are sitting on the ground.

 

But I agree that bashas would be as useful and far far lighter to carry!

 

Since the two that we have picked up are dated 1977 & 1987 they must have been produced for at least 10 years if not more which is odd if no one ever wanted to use them - would they have been 'hijacked' for other uses perhaps as a Company Commander's personal tent for example!

[fv1609]

Yes you have clear evidence of it being manufactured at least between 1977-87 it's odd that I can't tie it up with any literature.

 

I have "Tents & Shelters in service & under development" from the Stores & Clothing R&DE dated 1973 but no mention of it, yet the 7x9 GP appears as 127-5553 on one digit away from your CP 127-5554 with is given no mention at all. One would have thought it was codified pretty much at the same time.

 

Although the 7x9 GP is described as one use being a CP

 

 

I have a 1974 Catalogue of Army Publications but no mention of 7x9 CP there.

 

Moving on to 1981 I have "Joint Service Handbook of Tentage" & there is no mention of 7x9 CP there either as current or obsolete, but the 7x9 GP is described.

 

I wonder if they were so similar that the one user handbook covered both types of 7x9? Although to have different NSNs there must be differences I wonder what they are? We have a 7x9 GP which lists it's first role as a CP but is not called a CP.

 

Having said all that I'm not entirely confident with the literature on tentage. The first UHB on the 9x9 was fine, the UHB on the Mk 2 was fine. But when they reprinted the Mk 2 UHB they used many of the obsolete pictures for the Mk 1 & some of the text that no longer applied & got a number of Domestic Management Codes wrong that were previously correct!

[fv1609]

Just done a search on an old database & it shows both appear as "Tents, canvas" with separate NSNs & were current in 1999.

 

PS Just done a search on a current data base & both still there!

Edited March 1, 2012 by fv1609

[gazzaw]

I also remember the one used on the Mortar line as a CP for the Mortar Line Commander and signallers etc, more of a lean to open faced one but much same size. Carried by the CP party on airborne exercises etc

 

Gary

[airportable]

I use one quite a lot with my Landi and display's. When pegged out correct it offers quite a bit more space than you would think. Dont know if I have a pic. of mine set up as a CP. will have a search.

[5645andym]

Thanks for the further info.

 

The tents we have are identical to the one shown in the handbook above so until someone can put two with the different NSN's side by side to check it looks like there were two numbers for the one pattern. I wonder if that was purely for accounting purposes i.e. to make sure that units that needed command posts but not GP tents did not appear to have GP tents!

 

We plan on using them for accomodation with two camp beds in each plus personal kit for which there is plenty of room.

 

BTW they were £90 each which we thought was quite a fair price.

[lightweight]

Any info on their use or any background would be appreciated.

 

Bloody awful things. My son and I had one each and found them to be dark, cramped and prone to condensation due to the lack of ventilation. They also go baggy in the night due to the lack of a ridge pole, regardless of how you peg them out.

 

I couldn't wait to get rid of them, I've owned six different styles of military tent and these were by far the worst. I hope they work out better for you than they did for me.

[FourFox]

I bought a 'new' one from a large, familliar tent supplier at W&P about 4 years ago (you remember, the WET year).

We had bought a lot of gear from them during the show and on the final Sunday afternoon negotiated a ridiculous low price on the condition that I took it down myself! (it was roughly 15 times cheaper than the 9x9 I fancied)

 

I have used it regularly and had very good service.

It has one annoying fault that I have not been able to implement a satisfactory remedy. The sloping part of two adjacent poles are impossible to keep in the correct position and they 'cross over' at the slightest movement of the tent. This slackens the ridge and it sags considerably. I have tried using 'gaffer tape' to no use!

 

The poles are very difficult to fit properly in their canvas pockets... I use a metal tent peg to lever the eyelet over the lower pole spiggot. A good tip is to temporarily tape the pole joints before inserting them in the pockets... this makes them much easier when removing them.

 

I still use the tent at shows... but now as a kitchen/stores.

 

A 9x9 has been acquired, with a nice new arctic liner and camping life is a lot more civilised.

Another great tip I learned from the AFV group regulars is that a Zed Bed is much more comfortable than US pattern camp beds. (especially for us oldies)

 

Jon

[Lardrover]

I'll chip in as well about the 7x9, just in case you're not totally disheartened :-)

One bad point for me, it's like a flaming oven in the sun. You can't lay in bed in a hot morning and you can forget any kind of respite during the day unless you have it open and ventilated :-)

I have a couple here that are used for a specific reason, their convenience and compactness of transport. Length of stay doesn't come into it really, they seem durable and fit for purpose although they are nowhere near a 9x9 with groundsheet and arctic liner. some have alloy poles with black nylon ends. These ends are segmented and will mirror into each other when assembled. Problem is that they want to slide apart and push into the single skin at the end of the ridge instead of the double thickness area. It's a matter of time until it rips IMHO. The plastic ends have a hole in them so tie wraps offer some solution to keeping them together.The other poles have wooden wedge shaped ends, no idea how old they are. The end guy ropes really need bright stringers if a walkway is nearby because if someone trips over and pulls one out, the tent comes down. It's a slow descent but quicker than you can get out :-)

 

When the sides are pegged out and the walls pulled, it's a good tent. Almost as big as a 9x9, a fraction of the time to erect and strike, nowhere near the storage space or weight required. One bed across the end or camp bed down either side and room to stand and scratch your balls. The doors can be held open as a windbreak for cooking. I gave up with a groundsheet for them but do have a couple of the supermarket doorway mats to roll out.

 

I use 2 on the Pinky. They roll into one of the pannier bergens each and the poles go into the third one with a large bivvy sheet. Assemble them door to door and a tent length apart. Tie the door guys to the adjacent tent so they form a ridge line for the bivvy sheey, you have a dry open area for huddling over a cold G&T. One side of the bivvy sheet pegs down following the same angle as the tents, the other is held up with some sectional poles. I used them as a back wall with a desert cammo net over the complete lot to give a sand berm effect backdrop.

 

Thanks Clive for the literature scans of the tent, most appreciated. And thank you also for the rest of you for the anecdotal info about use and applications. Always a pleasure reading such things and reminds me not to wander from HMVF for so long again :-)

Edited March 4, 2012 by Lardrover

[5645andym]

Many thanks for the useful replies and for the tips on putting these tents up.

 

We plan on using them for sleeping quarters for one or two persons at shows so they look like a good enough solution.