Rolling Kitchen

A forum for general topics and questions.
mnhorse
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The rolling or field kitchen isn't confined to the military. In 1978, my wife and I took part in a weeklong trail ride in the Black Hills of SD. About 200 riders were involved.
Our meals were provided by a self contained, mobile kitchen, including dining tents. It was all packed in several semi-trailer type containers that were rigged to be airlifted if necessary.

I understand this outfit was under contract to the US Forest Service for the feeding of fire-fighters. They had to be ready to be set up anywhere in the USA within 24 hours in case of a forest fire. It was staffed by retired military who did the moving, set-up and cooking.

The food they provided was excellent, right down to a steak and lobster dinner. During my Army days, I was a bit leary of Army cooks and cooking, but these guys were great.
Richard
bisley45
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The Bill Williams Mountain Men used to have a 30-ft. kitchen trailer that included a restaurant size gas stove and oven, refrigerator, water reservoir, sink, water heater, generator, and pantry. It needed a Mac tractor to pull it. I last saw it used around 1990, when they tried a converted Ryder truck as a replacement for the trailer, which needed three weeks of rehab every year in order to survive the six days of the club's annual ride from Williams to Phoenix. I don't know what the club uses for a field kitchen these days.

When Bill Cody took his Wild West Show to Germany, the German army sent officers to take notes on how the show fed itself. No word on how much they adopted.

Lewis and Clark carried a "portable soup" on their trek, but apparently the Corps hated it, and ate it only when they had to.
Couvi
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American and German Field Bakeries, Circa WWI.

http://couvi.blogspot.com/2008/10/field-bakeries.html
Sam Cox
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any info on pack saddle kitchens would be cool as well

from the 25 to 55 time frame

thanks chaps

sam
Pat Holscher
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Couvi wrote:American and German Field Bakeries, Circa WWI.

http://couvi.blogspot.com/2008/10/field-bakeries.html

Neat photos!
Couvi
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31st Infantry on practice hike. Officers of Company "A" at mess. New rolling kitchens being tested. Vladivostok,
Siberia, December 3, 1918.

http://flickr.com/photos/7337467@N04/2578149183
mnhorse
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Another version of the rolling kitchen was the "rolling" coffee boiler that was built and tried during the American Civil War. It was, if I recall correctly, operated by the U.S. Sanitary Commission rather than the government. There is a photo of it around, probably published in CIVIL WAR TIMES. I'm having trouble finding it right now. Maybe, someone recalls the photo and more has details on it's operation.
Richard
Pat Holscher
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mnhorse wrote:Another version of the rolling kitchen was the "rolling" coffee boiler that was built and tried during the American Civil War. It was, if I recall correctly, operated by the U.S. Sanitary Commission rather than the government. There is a photo of it around, probably published in CIVIL WAR TIMES. I'm having trouble finding it right now. Maybe, someone recalls the photo and more has details on it's operation.
Richard
I ran across one article that claimed the Sanitary Commission served coffee as it was boiled, and therefore more sanitary to drink than water from the local stream. That's quite likely to be correct.
Pat Holscher
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Mexican border troubles example, 1916.

Image

The caption is "After a 34 mile hike". However, the data states: "The soldiers of Co. "A" 5th Cavalry at meal - Las Cruces, Mexico. Mexican-U.S. campaign after Villa, 1916." This is a Library of Congress photo, with no restrictions on use. Note the horses in the background.
Pat Holscher
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Couvi
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Can anyone identify the wagon with the soldier on the tailgate in the center of the photograph?
Couvi
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Hawaii War Records Depository Photos:

5th Army, Brescia Area, Italy: The Germans brought with them their own horse-drawn field kitchens to the 5th Army enemy concentration area. Here, Private First Class Genzo Toguchi, Headquarters Company, 100th Infantry Battaion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Sergeant Seisabura Taba, Headquarters Company, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, also of Honolulu, inspecting a German kitchen.

http://digicoll.manoa.hawaii.edu/hwrd/P ... e&s=browse
Couvi
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University of Wisconsin , The East Asian Collection

The Forgotten Fifteenth with Taylor Rolling Kitchen

Soldiers of the US Army's 15th Infantry Regiment marching with horse-drawn carts (Taylor Rolling Kitchen), 1911-1938, followed by what may be a water cart and an Escort Wagon:

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0131al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0132al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0118al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0137al.jpg

Water Cart:
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0146at.jpg

Ambulance and Escort Wagons: Troops of the US Army's 15th Infantry Regiment halt on the way to or from their base after meeting with local Chinese military and civilian people. A young Chinese military officer stands in front.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0151al.jpg

There are other interesting photographs of the 15th Infantry Regiment at this site:
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAsian/
Search for the ‘15th.’
Joseph Sullivan
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I thought I had posted this some time ago, but find that I did not. Pretty good signal corps shot of a US Exped. Force rolling kitchen somewhere in France:

Image

ON the original (and pointed out in the Signal Corps' cutline on the back), you can make out that one of the boxes in labeled "roast beef." This was for home consumption, if you'll excuse the pun.
Couvi
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Joe,

This is also an excellent shot of the forward vehicle which carried the cooking equipment and the fuel. :)
Pat Holscher
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Joseph Sullivan wrote:I thought I had posted this some time ago, but find that I did not. Pretty good signal corps shot of a US Exped. Force rolling kitchen somewhere in France:

Image

ON the original (and pointed out in the Signal Corps' cutline on the back), you can make out that one of the boxes in labeled "roast beef." This was for home consumption, if you'll excuse the pun.
I think you did post that one, but I don't recall where.

That's a great photo. The soldier riding "shotgun" (but carrying a M1903) makes it a classic.
Philip S
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Postcard dated Je 24, 1918 Lee Branch Petersburg, VA.

"Dear Mother:
I just got word that we are to be transferred right away, but I don't know where to. I will write and send my address as soon as I can.
Ralph"

I hope he survived WWI
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Pat Holscher
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From an older thread. These item on wheels was ided as a "field cooker" in the older thread.
Pat Holscher wrote:Image
<font size="1">Photograph from Photos Of The Great War, http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/~kansite/ww_o ... .htm</font id="size1">

German cavalry at Tsing-Tau, mounted on Asian mounts.

Pat
Pat Holscher
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Couvi wrote:University of Wisconsin , The East Asian Collection

The Forgotten Fifteenth with Taylor Rolling Kitchen

Soldiers of the US Army's 15th Infantry Regiment marching with horse-drawn carts (Taylor Rolling Kitchen), 1911-1938, followed by what may be a water cart and an Escort Wagon:

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0131al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0132al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0118al.jpg

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0137al.jpg

Water Cart:
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0146at.jpg

Ambulance and Escort Wagons: Troops of the US Army's 15th Infantry Regiment halt on the way to or from their base after meeting with local Chinese military and civilian people. A young Chinese military officer stands in front.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAs ... 0151al.jpg

There are other interesting photographs of the 15th Infantry Regiment at this site:
http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/EastAsian/
Search for the ‘15th.’
What was the East Asian mission of this unit at this time? I'm surprised to see these, as it seems to suggest this unit was posted in China during this period. Is that correct?
Pat Holscher
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