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| TROOPS USUALLY ate with one hand. The other hand was used to keep the flies off. Food usually had sand or grit in it. Menu ingredients included bully beef (mostly from Argentina), rice, lentils, "M&V" (meat and vegetable stew) and tinned English herrings (affectionately called "goldfish"). Tobruk had a bakery which used captured Italian flour. The flour was infested with weevils which were known to survive baking. Tobruk had food dumps which were guarded to prevent theft. During air raids the guards naturally sought cover. It was at these times that enterprising individuals would brave the falling bombs to pilfer food. Resourceful signallers would lay line through the centre of food dumps. Naturally the lines would require daily inspection. On April 20, the food dump was declared 'black' with court martial the punishment for looting. Eventually British troops were posted as guards. Around June vitamin C tablets were issues to troops. |
1941-05-04. TOBRUK. THE ARMY LIVES NOT ALONE ON 'HARD TACK' AND BULLY: HERE THE TOBRUK BAKERS ARE REMOVING THE DAILY BREAD FROM "ALDERSHOT" OVENS IN THE FIELD. THESE ARE PRIMITIVE BUT EFFICIENT OVENS BUILT OF BRICK AND SEALED WITH MUD. THE OVENS ARE PREVIOUSLY HEATED BY WOOD FIRES AND THEN THE DOUGH IS PLACED ON THE HEARTHS AND THE OVEN SEALED. THE RESIDUAL HEAT OF THE BRICKS AND STONE HEARTH COOKS THE BATCH IN ABOUT ONE HOUR. (NEGATIVE BY F. HURLEY). >> The Aldershot ovens arrived aboard the Chakla which was sunk soon after disembarking it's cargo. >> "Who called the cook a bastard?" |
