Rations & Cookers - 200 Years of Food in the Army
An exhibition and events programme exploring the fascinating stories behind how the army has fed its troops over the last 200 years.
The temporary exhibition will explore the changing nature of military food and cooking technology over time from army issued rations, soldier and prisoner-of-war accounts of their experience of food, and the ceremony associated with banquets in the officers’ mess hall. Actual examples of army food including Victorian chocolate, WW1 hard tac biscuits and modern army rations will be displayed alongside portable field cookers. The food experience of soldiers on the frontline will be contrasted with the lavish banquets in the officers' mess halls where the best crockery, cutlery and silverware table ornaments were presented with menus to match.
Comparisons will be made between the experiences of soldiers two hundred years ago and one hundred years ago, to the rations and food technology used by Fusiliers in the modern British Army. This exhibition is suitable for those with an interest in the quirkier aspects of history and behind the scenes tales of life in the army.
In February half term, there will be special family activities around army food (suitable for 5 to 11 years olds) with the opportunity to make your own (inedible) WW1 hard Tac biscuits!
A talks programme on Saturday 1st March led by National Geographic WW1 expert, Paul Colbourne, will explore aspects of army food through history.