Historic military survival rations

During World War two there was a huge campaign to produce food in Britain that was advertised on posters that read “An army marches on its stomach” and was designed to produce extra food to be sent to the fighting forces in Europe. Every commander through history has recognized that a well-fed army is the most effective and feeding your troops well isn’t just about stopping them from going hungry but providing the energy for long marches and more importantly, fighting. In the early years of warfare, these rations were made up of whatever was available, but from the 19th century onwards special military meals were made and sent out to the troops. Here’s a look at some of the most common historic military survival rations and how much they have changed over the years.

1600s British Sailor

For most of the century, the standard daily ration was 1 pound (ca. 454 g) of hardtack and 1 gallon (3.79 liters) of small beer for each sailor. Hardtack is very dense bread that has been completely dried out which makes it good to eat for years, though it was often so hard it had to be soaked in water before eating or smashed into pieces to mix into a soup. Small beer is just beer with a very low alcohol content, usually around 1% to 2%. The primary reason for taking small beer instead of water was the alcohol stopped the liquid from going stagnant and breeding bacteria, something that was very common on long voyages.

The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815)

This war saw a major change in the history of British rations after the invention of mass-producing tinned goods in 1813. Before tinned rations came along the food troops ate was quite simple and was aimed at foods that could last a long time, such as grain, cheese, and salted pork. In 1813 a company was established in London that mass-produced tinned meats and almost immediately the government ordered huge quantities of these tins to send to their troops abroad and also to stock the larders of their ships. As for what was available would come down to shipping and cost, and an unlucky soldier could see themselves stuck on nothing but salt pork and grain for the whole war.

Boer War British infantry ration – 1899

The problem with this war was that it took place in the southern half of Africa, a very hot country far from the supply of Britain. This had to be taken into account when shipping huge amounts of food over to the troops since most things would go off in the hot sun before they arrived, so the Boer war ration was created.

1 Tin Meat weighing one pound (tinned chicken, turkey bits, fish, pork loaf, corned beef, and various pastes like liver were common but changed depending on what was available at the time.

1, 12 ounce (0.45 kg) tin of milk (either evaporated or condensed and sweetened)

1, 12 ounce (0.45 kg) tin of ready-to-eat product such as hash or stew.

1, tin of beans.

Tea or Coffee (the amounts of which varied greatly throughout the war)

1903 British infantry iron ration

These rations came in a small cardboard box and included items stereotypical of Britain, such as beef and tea. These rations were designed to keep a soldier fed for a single day and were called “iron rations” because they were intended to be used as a survival ration for when troops had been cut off from the main force and couldn’t be resupplied.

1 Tin of meat (usually corned beef or pork loaf initially weighing one pound, but the weight was reduced over the years to just below 400 grams)

Biscuits (issued in four 3-ounce packs)

Tea (20 grams)
Sugar ( 50 grams)
Salt ( 12 grams)

Meat products (usually solidified meat base, such as OXO cubes which replaced the earlier bouillon tablets.

Cheese (75 grams, but this was only included when available and was often substituted for other foods.

Other foods like bread, Jam, and tinned beans would sometimes make it into the rations but these were not standard.

British World War 1 Rations – 1914 until 1918

The British have always loved to include corned beef in their ration packs since they first invented it because it is one of the few high-calorie meat products that can safely last for a long time. The rations during the First World War were similar to those that came before and after with one major difference, the inclusion of vegetables.

Biscuits, Jam, Tinned meat or fish, tinned milk and tea or coffee were the intended rations but what was available and in what amount changed greatly throughout the war. One thing that was a little different during this war was the fact that Britain was never invaded and could go on producing crops as normal, and since Britain was only a short boat ride from the front line they would often put vegetables straight from the ground onto a lorry and taken over to France. The families of soldiers would often send tinned goods and things like sweets and cigarettes to supplement what their relatives had to eat.

British World War 2 Ration – 1939 until 1945

The rations issued during the Second World War were similar to those issued in the first one but with the addition of several morale-boosting treats like chocolate, sweets, and mints as well as sometimes cigarettes. Tinned meat provided the main part of the meal along with biscuits and a tinned ready-to-eat meal like hash or beans. These tins came with their own peel-away can opener which would sometimes be designed to double as a spoon.

Modern day rations

Today each country has its own version of an M.R.E. which stands for meal ready to eat, but this is the American name and although it varies from country to country they are all different versions of the same thing. The condiments included range from Tabasco sauce to toilet paper, with a huge variety of main meal types and sides. You can have anything you want in a modern ration pack and armies usually provide many meal variations to keep everyone happy. The most notable item in modern rations would be the flameless ration heater that allows someone to have a hot meal with nothing more than a splash of water. Inside the heater, which is just a small rectangular plastic bag, there will be a tissue covered in a chemical that reacts with water to create heat. With a small splash of water, the tissue will heat up enough to make your main meal nice and hot, and the rations that come with a drink bag will allow you to enjoy a hot cup of coffee at the same time.