G'day Steve,

Actually, your stand-up comic was not all that far from the truth. The Soldiers referred to their bedroll - or, if it came to that, their great coat, which they wrapped about them to sleep as "Mechilde" or "Metz" because these were generic names for 'camp followers' ... women who followed the army and did washing ... or cooking ... and whatever else was in demand ...!

The puritanic German tradesmen, on their spell as 'journeymen' (auf die walz ... mit Matilde) might have tried to keep the image of the 'Matilda' as a travelling bag/toolroll &c ... but the folk remember such things!

Regard(les)s,

Bob Boltonj