Proper Field Tea "Brew-up" Technique and gear

[Quartermaster]

The most fun with the little stove is the satisfaction in understanding it and getting it to work safely. Those little stoves are just plain cool.

Then you have something that will fascinate whoever observes you using it.

The simplest way to use it is to heat water in your canteen cup - throw in some instant coffee (like Scott said above) and that's that!

I just felt like unstirring what you were stirring up!

[pintelhook11over]

Yes, you Gentlemen are correct in more ways than one...but you see, these are the U.S. practices. I am not aware of an instant "Tea" of that period. How would the average British Army type "Brew-Up"? Did he procure the tea from the locals? Did they procure it from their squad leaders or did they rely on large batches from their mess area?

I saw a good photo in one of the threads with two Brit's eating chow in the back of a Lorry, I was just pondering this to be hospitible to some Chaps that may visit my "improvised" Field mess that I am putting together.

[pintelhook11over]

See here's the picture:

When in doubt....brew up

[Steve Webb]

Here are a couple of tea methods used by the Brits

http://reprorations.com/Compo%20Rations.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.reprorations.com/WW2-Britain.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/general/63 ... tions.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://17thdivision.tripod.com/id32.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://17thdivision.tripod.com/id27.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pintelhook11over]

Thanks for that info ....

[Sandman1942]

BTW - Coffee Addict Sandman,

You mentioned the two parts of the M-42 stove container ---- about 16 oz and about 32 oz.

The small one holds approximately the amount of liquid needed to fill a canteen cup.

The larger one is the correct diameter to just accept a C ration can and tall enough to add water to cover that can. Now you can heat the unopened ration submerged in hot water so you don't have sputtering food or burned on debris.

Coincidence ????? I think not...............

Excellent,,,,,,very cool....thanks for info.!!

[Mike McCrea]

Love to see how they feed the G.I's

[Steve Webb]

Woooooeeee, I can drink some pretty stout coffe but have never had to chew any

[pintelhook11over]

Mmmm...Flavor crystals.

[Steve Webb]

Look at these pics and about halfway down is a proper brew up in action

http://www.suezcanalzone.com/pics04.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[pintelhook11over]

Well, I did my own little science experiment...

The U.S. Canteen cup holds aprox. 24 u.s. fluid ounces when it is filled almost to the very top and over-flowing. I have a WWII Cup where the handle is riveted on, using the the top of the rivets this as a reference it is the 16 fluid ounce mark or 1 pint/2 cups. (2/3 full of a Canteen cup)

When the 7 1/2 gallon Emergency Method recipie is reduced from the Army Cook book from 32 fluid ounces to 1.5 ounces, the reduced "Canteen Cup" quantity results is 3/4 ounce of coffee grinds or 3 mess kit spoonfuls to 16 fluid ounces. (I weighed the grinds on a kitchen scale)

I was checking out the Outstanding photo posts of the Brits in the Suez Canal area, I tried to click on the photo to make it large un-successfuly. It did not look like they had a water kettle, Did they use the little gasoline "Burner" to make tea in their Canteen cups?

[Steve Webb]

I would wager a pot or kettle was used and distributed into the cups. If each one was heated individually they would not all be drinking together. If it was one at a time then the "tommy cookers" were probably used. I took a center punch and made a small dimple in my canteen cup at 12 and 16 oz's

[John Young]

The method of brewing tea can clearly be seen in Pintlehooks picture of the back of the wagon. The tin on top of the primus stove is a chopped down "flimsy" petrol can. The water was boiled and then tea leaves, sugar and condensed milk were added. The tea was consumed direct from the container by the mug full.
My father served in North Africa and Italy and his description of the method substituted a second cut off flimsy for the Primus stove, this held sand over which petrol was poured to make a fire.
When on the move the two cans were hung on the back of the truck.

Regards
John

[Paul Smith]

After a couple of times of fooling with all that cloth and mess just to keep grounds out of your Joe, you'd toss the cloth and do what everybody else did, which was dig a small hole, tear up your ration box which was waxed, light it and set your canteen cup on the fire and add whatever coffee you had, which was probably the instant, be thankful for small favors and drink it no matter what. You guys have to start thinking practical, not about the neat gear that you have found. The reason you found it is because nobody used it.

[Steve Webb]

I disagree with only doing one thing one way. Tinkering is fun and doing something in different ways and under different circumstances is as much fun as the result. We wouldn't have gotten very far if no one tried something another way. I guess living in the place where Thomas Edison had his winter home gives me a good understanding of what the worlds greatest tinkerer liked to do