We continue our series of articles as we mark the centenary of the ANZAC Palestine campaign in 1917: This month, in the second of our series, we give you a taste of what food was like on the NZ campaign.
The NZ Army Museum in Waiouru is currently hosting an exhibition called “Food, Glorious Food: An Army Marches on its Stomach” to enlighten Kiwis on the horrors of army food rations in the First World War. Sadly the Sinai Palestine campaign was no gourmet exception, rather it was quite the reverse. Our soldiers suffered disproportionately because of their isolation and location and the fact that they could not recuperate on normal rations during their leave periods.
Certainly, the Middle East campaign disrupted food supplies for locals and others and given the huge numbers of extra personnel involved. Even a limited variety of fresh fruit and vegetables were not readily available. Service personnel relied on their governments to send basic food supplies which were also supplemented by parcels from home. So despite having knowledge of prevention of diseases like scurvy, the NZ soldier’s condition was only going to deteriorate in the campaign from lack of calories, vitamins and minerals. This was all too real after the Jordan Valley phase in 1918 when the men lost fighting condition. Dietary restrictions and harsh conditions must have impacted on their long term health as well.
The basic diet comprised a small daily water bottle of fresh water, sometimes barely potable and a ration of porridge or rice, tinned greasy corned beef, a biscuit that resembles a large modern dog biscuit, a can of questionable condensed milk, marmalade, some tea and sugar and very little else. Camp rations weren’t much better. The biscuit was so hard many soldiers cracked or lost teeth trying to eat it. Rations were barely enough to cover the calorific requirements of active service. The monotony of the diet must have been demoralizing, but hunger would have driven them to eat almost anything. Additional army supplies included seasonal jams seasonal. A cherished fruitcake or gingernuts made with love would have provided welcome relief and an opportunity to share with your mates. Sometimes supplies were left in the sun and became too hot to handle or went off adding to the misery. The volume of flies drawn by the smell of food made eating a quick and stressful affair.
So you can imagine the joy our soldiers must have felt to arrive in Rishon Le Zion and see the orchards. The day after the battle the soldiers were given a famous Jaffa orange each. It must have been like heaven! Then in the next days they were able to sample the delicacies of the local wines both in Rishon and in Jaffa, all for medicinal purposes! Later on in the campaign they could purchase food like tomatoes and cucumbers from Jordan Valley locals to supplement army supplies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joanna Moss is a Wellington-based researcher and writer. See the food exhibition at National Army Museum Waiouru until Nov 1917 & at Hamilton’s Waikato Museum “Sand in the Apricot Jam” 4 March -11 June.
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