Some Interesting Finds I need assistance with

Hi Folks,
I was looking around one of the old Accommodation Sites near what was Eglinton Airfield at the weekend and have some questions which I hope you can help me with.

What was a "Mess-Trap" - There was a "Mess-Trap Store" sign on a door. What was this?

I found a wall thich has lots of names written on it including stuff like -"234 Mess HMS Vengance", "Fus Connor Dog Section", "Owens RFN" and loads of other names.

There is a large wooden box painted green with a Red Triangle on eack end which I believe is an old explosive warning sign - Can someone confirm this plese?
The box is approx 4 feet long by 18inches square and beside the red triangle is stensiled in yellow No 17

On the top is "Tipton Oldberg Clements" and "CO. FT." followed by a number which is possibly 18 and "WT 200" below.

Nearby is a wooden plank saying "Fort Quartermaster N.Y.-P.OF E. Brooklyn N.Y. BOX No 17"

All the grafitti appears to be from the 1950's when I know Eglinton was a Naval Air Station.

I am particularly interested in the Box

Attached files [IMG]/community/86134=6314-box 1.jpg[/img]

This image is hidden for guests.
Please log in or register to see it.

P of E (t least in my immigration records!) is Port of Entry

CO FT could mean Commanding Officer Flying Training.

Is "Tipton Oldberg Clements" someones name?
I thought it was perhaps a Company however it may be someones rather grand name!

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Regards the box, it's certainly to the standard US military designs for construction and stencilling.
I'll ignore the "Tipton Oldberg Clements" for now as that looks hand-painted and may be nothing to do with the contents.

The lid may or may not be the side of a different box, but it has some pertinent information on it that may help.
The upper right has the shipping size and weight info, CU FT being Cubic Feet, WT being the weight, usually in lbs.

The stencilling on the upper left, albeit partially lost, should hold clues as to the contents but I can't quite make it out from the photo.

The green finish tends to indicate a post-WWII timeframe, pre-war and late-war onwards crates were usually natural wood with black stencilling, most wartime production would generally have been painted or stained brown with yellow stencilling for camouflage purposes.

It's probably just a coincidence but with it being an unusual name, wondered if he was related to this chap?
timesenterprise.com/archive/x546402542?keyword=secondarystory

ww2ni: I think you'll find that "Mess Traps" refers to the Navy slang for cooking utensils. Will check with an old ex FAA mate next time I see him. I remember flying out of Eglington to Glasgow in an Emerald Airways Short Skyvan about 1966 ish.

Super. Thanks very much.

ww2ni: Found the following in Hansard in reply to a question explaining the term Mess Traps. The term Mess Traps includes china, glass, cutlery and other tableware, cooking and kitchen utensils etc required in connection with the messing of officers and men. (Google Royal Navy Mess Traps).