Daily Rations
While a soldier was in the field, three types of rations appeared: normal, strong and reserve. The normal ration, was allocated during longer periods of garrisoning or for all other periods of war when the troops were not performing large fatigues. The strong ration was allocated during the course of operations and generally consisted of slightly larger helpings of each food item. Both normal and strong types were what were termed as "daily" rations: fresh food to be consumed on a daily basis. The vegetable and meat provisions were often provided together in a soup. The table below shows the general vivres du jour and their distribution amounts in 1916:
| Daily Provision(s) | Normal Ration [grams/oz] | Strong Ration [grams/oz] |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh bread or 'biscuited' bread [bread cooked for a long period of time that kept longer] |
750/26.5 650/23 |
750/26.5 650/23 |
| Fresh meat or Preserved meat [salted, smoked] Canned meat |
400/14 210/7.4 300/10.6 |
450/16 210/7.4 300/10.6 |
| Lard or salt pork [given only with fresh meat for cooking purposes] |
30/1 | 30/1 |
| Condensed Soup [given with canned meat] | 50/1.8 | 50/1.8 |
| Rice or Dry Vegetables [e.g. beans, lentils, peas, turnips] |
60/2 | 100/3.6 |
| Sugar | 32/1 | 48/1.7 |
| Coffee | 24/.8 | 36/1.3 |
| Salt | 24/.8 | 24/.8 |
| Wine or Beer, Cider |
1/2 liter 1 liter |
1/2 liter 1 liter |
| Tobacco [usually distributed in packets of 40 or 100g/ 1.4 or 3.5oz] | 15/.5 | 20/.7 |
Soup
The main dish which came to epitomize the food of the French army was generally referred to simply as la soupe. In this sense it meant "chow" or "mess," and most often resembled a stew. Another term often used to refer to the soup was rata, an abbreviation of the word ratatouille, which was more of a casserole or salad made of vegetables and/or meat in a sauce. As for what went in it, the answer is whatever was on-hand. Usually this included some vegetables (beans, potatoes, rice, lentils, split peas), pig or beef (or some sort of by-product like lard) and occasionally macaroni noodles. On solider described having on one day "pea soup with pig lard" and on another, "rice bouillon with beef." Henri Barbusse, in his book Under Fire, describes la soupe in the same way as countless other soldiers: "The main meal of the day, called 'soup' no matter what it was, consisted of meat, either with a rubbery lump of pasta or rice, or with beans, more or less cooked, or potatoes, more or less pealed, in a brown liquid, only just distinguishable from a slick of congealing fat that lay over it. There was no question of green vegetables, nor of vitamins..."
Bread
The bread was made in field bakeries at the division level. The Godelle oven constituted the foundation of the army bakeries. The oven used charcoal for heat and was collapsible to allow for transportation. It was composed of a metal framework on which was placed sheets of cloth, covered over with a bed of earth (10"-12" thick). The maximum production for one of these ovens was 2,200 lbs of bread per day. The loaf produced--white bread with a thick outer crust--was roughly 12" in diameter and resembled the round country loaf one finds today in French bakeries. The date of manufacture was imprinted onto the crust. It has been said that soldiers were lucky to receive bread within a week of its manufacture date.
Meats
A diverse stock of meats was not just acquired from French abbatoirs but was also imported from the United States, Brazil, Venezuela, China, Australia, North Africa, Argentine and Canada. The types of meats used included beef, pork, horse, rabbit and fish. Though beef was the most commonly used meat before the war, pork soon replaced it in late-1914. Ham, shoulders and roasts were preferred. Soldiers had various nicknames for this usually over-cooked or over-seasoned food, including bidoche, barbaque and autotbus. Beginning in 1915 though, pork appears in the trenches usually in the form of roasted, seasoned canned pork. To lower the risks of provisioning fresh meat, congealed meats, seasoned corned beef, dried or salted fish (cod) and canned fish were distributed. Canned foods (often heavily spiced) in a diverse stock were meant to replace the fresh meat distribution during the war. This included: beef with rice or vegetables, jellied cow tongue, lightly salted cabbage, sauerkraut with ham, pork and beans, etc.
Vegetables and Produce
In 1915, an attempt was made to diversify the food supplied to the men. Distributed are stocks of concentrated milk, split peas, lentils, pasta noodles, cheese, jams and fresh and preserved fruits and vegetables. Circumstances permitting, potatoes, sausage, figs, oranges, cheese, chocolate and jams were given out. Rice was one of the primary products distributed throughout the war and it was particularly disliked by the soldiers. Notes asking for its replacement by other products (e.g. pasta, lentils, peas, beans) were numerous. In 1916, the breakdown of produce distribution over a period of 10 days was: potatoes 4 out of every 10; dry vegetables (e.g. beans, lentils, split-peas) 2 out of 10; rice 2 days; pasta 1 day; and jam 1 day. The provision of fresh or canned milk was reserved, as best as possible, to the sanitary formations which regularly ran out. Butter and cheese (usually Camembert and Gruyere) were common as well. Sugar on the other hand was extremely limited during the war.
Tobacco
French regulation tobacco was of poor quality and somewhat badly processed, in that plant stems were not sorted out from the leaves. The tobacco itself was generally a straight burley variety (common for the time), with no addtional tobacco types of leaves, spices or flavors added. The cut was a medium ribbon and was intended to be used both in pipes and cigarettes. It was commonly referred to as It was normally distributed in small paper cubes of 40 or 100 grams and referred to officially either tobac de cantine ("mess hall tobacco") or Gros Q ("Big Q"). The soldiers deformed this term to Gros Cul ("Bottom Ass"), as 'Q' and 'Cul' are pronounced the same in French. The 40 gm cubes were issued every other day while the the 100 gm cubes were to be distributed once every five. Cigarettes were not issued to the men, only rolling papers for them to their own. Cigarettes could however be bought at the military bazaars and co-ops, as could high-end tobacco, referred to as perlot or fin. Generally speaking, pipes were more popular than cigarettes, though the latter were more popular with the younger soldiers especially.
For more information on the Gros Q packets, go to the Tobacco Items page.
Supplemental Foods
Soldiers could supplement their rations by purchasing food-stuffs from local farmers or businesses while in rear areas not evacuated or otherwise too remote. The prices, however, were often exorbitant and soldiers were thus limited to what they could buy with their measly salary (5 cents a day). To counter this, the Quarter-Master progressively established truck-bazaars, small shops (for ordinary rations) and co-ops (a mix between a saloon and a PX). These co-ops allowed soldiers to find in one location a variety of produce and knick-knacks. The items most often sought were wine, Gruyere cheese, white beans and sardines, along with fresh vegetables. The only other supplement for the soldier's dreary diet was the possibility of an occasional food package sent from home. When such a gift basket did arrive, it was the cause of much celebration for the fortunate poilu and his close mess-mates. Items could include marmalade, jam, fruits, biscuits or bread, cakes, chocolate and sweets. Parcels filled with such rare delicacies were too few and far between for most soldiers.
