Can anyone please tell me what this is?

[IBrown]

Hi All, I bought a bulk load of army gear and among the lot was this item. At first i thought it was a bivvy, but with closer inspection i notice there were 3 openings at the bottom and then poppered together. The head end is sealed and just a pillow hole. The only label says its Australian 1969
Thanks Ian
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[Wrighty28]

not sure tbh, it looks like some kind of tarp? hard to see from the pictures.

[Silverback]

A palliase ?

[Bernie]

Looks like a nice quilt on a bed with a green thing on it. ;)

[IBrown]

A palliase ?
It was one of the things I thought it might be. But a pallaise was used in 1945 by the british army so I read. This is 1969 Australian, but it does have 3 seperate compartments so you could fill it with leaves or straw to make a Pallaise mattress. With the pillow opening at the other end, that also couls be filled with straw or clothing. Interesting piece of kit.

[comanighttrain]

huh....what an interesting thing!

like a duvet cover for some sort of soft stuff to be put in?

[happybonzo]

I posted this onto another forum and these are some of the replies

It's for bush tucker BBQ utensils...

Aussie Air Matress cover. 3 rubberized inflateable inserts go inside.
During Vietnam, sometimes extra inserts was slit and a 100rd Belt 7.62 inserted as a bandoleer carried Pancho Villa stylee



No it doesn't. Where would the handles be outside of the bag for people to hold on to?
Yes it does. There aren't any, it's an issue mattress cover. Poles/toggle ropes go through small gaps in each end. OK as a groundsheet, FA use for anything else.


and they are on ebay as Australian Army Inflatable Mattress Vietnam 1965 4 pce | eBay

[Thumbcrusher]

Is it the outer waterproof cover/groundsheet for a swag roll perhaps??

here's a modern one

http://i52.tinypic.com/o5tcg2.jpg

[happybonzo]

I think that what you have there is a Swag roll.


and they are on ebay as Australian Army Inflatable Mattress Vietnam 1965 4 pce | eBay

[IBrown]

I posted this onto another forum and these are some of the replies

It's for bush tucker BBQ utensils...

Aussie Air Matress cover. 3 rubberized inflateable inserts go inside.
During Vietnam, sometimes extra inserts was slit and a 100rd Belt 7.62 inserted as a bandoleer carried Pancho Villa stylee



No it doesn't. Where would the handles be outside of the bag for people to hold on to?
Yes it does. There aren't any, it's an issue mattress cover. Poles/toggle ropes go through small gaps in each end. OK as a groundsheet, FA use for anything else.


and they are on ebay as Australian Army Inflatable Mattress Vietnam 1965 4 pce | eBay

Thanks for all the replies.
The only one I have seen on ebay is someone calling it a british sleeping mattress.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180722208976?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

The info they give is
Quote:
British Army Surplus Sleeping Mat/Mattress

In As New Condition Unissued

Light waterproof coated nylon type material

This can be used as a waterproof mat for your sleeping bag

Or can be filled with grass/ straw etc as a waterproof mattress

There are 4 Stud Fastenings at the Bottom and 3 Compartments run the length of the bag which can be filled with various materials to make the bag into a mattress.

At the top there is a hood into which your sleeping bag etc can be stored keeping it waterproof during transport.

Size approx 2 Ft 4 inches x 5 Ft 7 inches

Unusual item. This is the first I have came across. If anyone has more

information about these mattresses please send me a message.

Which is exactly what the picture is but I am not sure he has it right with what he says it is.

Thanks
Ian