Camp bed, used by Lieutenant Horace Paul

This is an early folding camp bed used by Lieutenant Horace Paul of the 1st Dragoon Guards, during the campaign in Flanders in 1794-5. Made of canvas with wooden legs, it can be contained in the attached wooden trunk for transport. The bed requires two men to lift it.

An elaborate blue canopy is draped over a folding iron bedframe. This would give the officer some privacy and extra warmth. The iron frame is supported by wooden legs and is attached at the end to the wooden trunk.

Not all equipment used during war was for fighting. Military campaigns often involved long periods on the move or in camp. All items required for everyday life had to be carried. Standard issued equipment was intended to provide basic food and shelter, but in practice supplies were not always guaranteed. Those who could afford to make themselves as comfortable as possible bought extra equipment, such as fold-away beds.

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