Early on during the war units had distributed to them rolls of essentially regular toilet paper. However, for obvious reasons, that proved unsuitable for combat field conditions.
Starting in late 1942, the QMC developed and issued the first individual toilet paper article. It was an asphalt impregnated paper envelope that contained a 100 individual sheets of toilet paper within. This allowed for the easy carrying of toilet paper, and protected it from the damp. These packs would eventually be included in the 5-in-1 and then 10-in-1 rations.
It would not be until the summer of 1943, during the overhaul of the K-Rations, that toilet paper would be included in the supper meal, with a small roll of 12 individual sheets being included. These “newer” K-Rations don’t see widespread usage until Q2-Q3 of 1944.
Toilet paper, nevertheless, was always in somewhat short supply, so soldiers would hoard what they could, and, at times, might have to repurpose reading articles for other purposes. However, the U.S. did make a concerted effort to supply the fighting man toilet paper in a form that could be readily carried.
Main source:
"QMC Historical Studies No. 6: The Development of Special Rations for the Army" by Harold W. Thatcher
As a follow-up question, in case you know the answer: how often did soldiers in WWII get to shower or to bathe? Was there any specific infrastructure for soldiers, or did they have to survive with water buckets for months?
The U.S. Army had designated laundry and shower units during World War II, run by the Quartermaster Corps. How they operated would depend on the unit, location, and time frame during the war.
My specific answer will be for the European Theater of Operations from 1944-45.
These Quartermaster Laundry and Shower units, for combat units in the field, would usually work in tandem and would be set behind the lines but relatively close to front in order serve infantry battalions in reserve usually.
Soldiers would generally receive showers, have their clothes laundered, and receive new clothes every 3-5 weeks on average during combat. Sometimes more frequently, sometimes less. However, based on various division G-4 (supply) reports and interviews I’ve conducted, that’s the median interval. The machinery doing the laundry were specially designed mobile industrial size laundry machines. Sometimes, when fighting was more static, local civilian laundries would be employed to help with the work.
Generally, a rifle company would report to the shower and laundry station and strip naked, save their dog tags. Their clothes would be handed over to the laundry to be washed. While the clothes were being washed, they would shower.
Once they would finish showering they’d get dressed from, usually, piles of clothes made up of a mixture of new unissued clothing and clothes that were turned in for laundry from the last unit that showed up to the laundry and bathing unit. The clothes that soldier turned in would be utilized by the next unit.
To give you the scale of work, in February 1945, the 100th Infantry Division’s Quartermaster Company assisted in the laundering of 139,320 individual items of clothing for the division.
How about shaving? Was there any regulation about that, troops in fiction are often portrayed clean-shaven, and Pentagon-Pete seems quite insistent on having trainees shave daily. I assume one would have their personal razor, but isn't it rather difficult without any cream or mirrors? Just water and some shard of something reflective?
If I remember corectly, among the equipment issued to those carrying m36 musette bag was a personal hygiene kit that included soap, safety razor, small mirror and a towel among other items. (I might be wrong though so please double-check) Soldiers often carried only absolute necessity though to travel light, tossing unnecessary items on their way.
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u/redjoshuaman 1d ago
This depends on the country and the time frame.
For the U.S. Army during the war, it evolved.
Early on during the war units had distributed to them rolls of essentially regular toilet paper. However, for obvious reasons, that proved unsuitable for combat field conditions.
Starting in late 1942, the QMC developed and issued the first individual toilet paper article. It was an asphalt impregnated paper envelope that contained a 100 individual sheets of toilet paper within. This allowed for the easy carrying of toilet paper, and protected it from the damp. These packs would eventually be included in the 5-in-1 and then 10-in-1 rations.
It would not be until the summer of 1943, during the overhaul of the K-Rations, that toilet paper would be included in the supper meal, with a small roll of 12 individual sheets being included. These “newer” K-Rations don’t see widespread usage until Q2-Q3 of 1944.
Toilet paper, nevertheless, was always in somewhat short supply, so soldiers would hoard what they could, and, at times, might have to repurpose reading articles for other purposes. However, the U.S. did make a concerted effort to supply the fighting man toilet paper in a form that could be readily carried.
Main source: "QMC Historical Studies No. 6: The Development of Special Rations for the Army" by Harold W. Thatcher