When the range is set for more than one day, bake pans should be elevated slightly above the floor by angle irons. If sand or earth be used on the bottom of the pan, it often burns through the bottom plate. In permanent camps, instead of using a trench, a range may be installed on a brick wall 8 inches thick and three bricks high. The outside of this wall is banked with earth. In permanent camp, garbage may be consumed and fluid evaporated by placing the stove on a pit four feet long, three and one-half feet wide, and one foot deep. This pit is filled with rocks. Liquid refuse is poured through a chute to the bottom of the pit, and garbage is burned on the fire. <Callout type="tip" title="Elevate Pans">Pans should be elevated to prevent burning.</Callout>
The present regulations provide for the use of equipments 'A', 'B' and 'C' in the field. The first is used in campaign, the second in mobilization or concentration camps and the third in permanent camps. Equipment 'A' provides quite limited kitchen facilities but these are adequate for protracted periods. The Punitive Expedition used it with but few additions for 10 months. Its evolution of cooking facilities when in fixed camp is indicated in the appended photographs and diagrams. At first, the fire was built over a trench filled with stones and crossed from end to end by a horizontal iron bar. From this depended hooks or wires to which horseshoes were fastened to act as hooks for cooking vessels. Oil cans were often used for boiling. Baking was done in a pan supported over a fire of four tin cans or stones and covered by coals upon a sheet of tin. The next device was a fire pit one foot deep filled with rocks not less than four inches in diameter. It was surrounded on three sides with walls nine inches high and eight inches wide, close enough together to support bakepans, there being at first no metal available for supports. Liquids were poured into the bottom of this pit through a lube made of tin cans, the upper one of which was removable. Its bottom was perforated to act as a strainer. In a later type an oven was erected over one cud of the fire pit a draft being provided either by a chimney or a hole left in the end wall. In some ovens a second fire was used to heat the top of the oven and to boil water. Detached ovens with either one or two chambers were also evolved. The best type of cooking apparatus finally developed consisted of parallel adobe walls supporting transverse rods supporting vessels on which meat and vegetables were boiled. Heat from this trench was carried under, back of, and over an oven as shown in the diagram to emerge up a chimney at the front near the fire pit. In some cases the chimney was at the back and the column of heated air divided to pass over and under the 37.— Evolution of oven chamber. The advantages of the combined oven and kitchen pit were that one hear was adequate for general cooking, baking, and incineration. The oven was constructed as follows: Two parallel trenches were dug the width between them being that of the fire box. An end trench was also dug. These trenches were filled with adobe mud and on this walls were erected eight inches thick. When a suitable height for a fire box was reached (about twelve inches), strips of iron, heavy wire, etc., were laid across the walls and the space between them. These supported the top of the oven core. Box and on them the floor of the oven was built. It consisted of a layer of iron, or tin, a layer of sand about an inch thick, and a second layer of sheet iron or tin. The walls including those of the oven were then continued upward until the desired height of the oven was reached. Pieces of iron or heavy wire were then laid across the top of the oven and its top was covered by a sheet of tin 5-1/2 inches thick. A quarter of an inch of sand was placed on this, and the outside walls were completed and the bake pan set in position. The bottom of this pan was supported by the outer wall and in direct contact with the heat passing over the top of the oven. An outlet was provided and a chimney arranged. An opening was left at one end for the fire box, at the front of the oven, and one at the back to provide a draft. The structure was then covered with a thick layer of adobe (Fig. 31). The material for stove pipes, top and floor of oven was obtained from hardtack boxes or oil cans. Often the chimney was made of adobe. The strips of iron used in making arches to support this chimney or to shape the oven chamber were obtained from discarded wagon tires, auto truck springs, etc. Sand was found preferable to any other substance for use in making the bottom and top of the oven. Such an oven can cook 150 loaves of excellent bread daily. Its output in other respects was said to at least equal that of the army range. <Callout type="tip" title="Use Sand">Sand is preferred for the bottom and top of ovens due to its heat retention properties.</Callout>
Rolling Kitchens. — Rolling kitchens have long been in use in European armies and have proven their value under European conditions of warfare. Different types are in use in the several armies. The most generally satisfactory one consists of two main portions, which are connected in much the same manner as a cannon and limber. The forward section carries supplies of small articles, spices, sugar, etc., and kitchen utensils. The rear section, in which cooking is done, is provided with three boilers (in the later types) each containing about 25 gallons. These are suspended from the circular plate which forms the top of the fire box. This plate may be revolved so that each boiler in succession may be heated. Usually food is cooked in two receptacles and coffee or tea boiled in the third. There are certain other refinements in the latest models for baking, etc. One of these kitchens is adequate for 350 men. The advantages of the rolling kitchen are the following: It uses a small amount of fuel, can keep up with the troops, have hot food ready on arrival in camp, can be driven forward to the trenches after nightfall to supply hot food with a minimum of inconvenience, conserves all the nutriment of the food stuffs cooked, and, by providing tea or coffee reduces the temptation to drink polluted water. <Callout type="tip" title="Rolling Kitchen">Rolling kitchens are efficient for keeping troops fed in the field.</Callout>
Khcfaen Refuse. — In very temporary camps kitchen refuse is thrown into pits near the kitchens. Solids, including tin cans, are passed through the fire. The refuse is covered daily and these pits are filled in before the command moves. In more permanent camps the following devices may be employed. The rock pit incinerator consists of a pit 18 inches deep, 4 feet long, and 3 feet wide filled with stones not less than 4 inches in diameter. The walls are carried up 6 inches above the surface on three sides. One end is left open. The Guthrie incinerator is about 8 feet long, 2 feet high, and is made of bricks laid in cement which are later banked up with earth. One end is open, the other closed. Over the closed end is erected a Sibley stove or better a length of 6 inch tile pipe or a chimney 6 inches square, internal measure. The walls support an evaporating pan made of sheet iron about 4 feet long, 20 inches wide, and 6 inches deep. An overflow hole is provided near the top at one end. This pan may be near the chimney or if an open space is left between the two this should be crossed by iron bars on which solid garbage may be dried. A piece of sheet iron on the bars will increase the draught. The rock pit and Guthrie incinerators are thus discussed by Lewis and Miller. <Callout type="warning" title="Fly Breeding">Uncovered pits can become breeding grounds for flies.</Callout>
Various types of incinerators were developed in Mexico. One of these was made of mud walls 3 feet long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet high. It was closed at one end and covered with puddled clay. At the other end it was closed by two doors, one above and one below the grate on which garbage was dried. A chimney removed the gases and provided draft. A rock pit under it evaporated liquids. Another new popular type was similar to the rock pit in its walls were higher and it was crossed by a grate. <Callout type="important" title="Proper Incinerator Use">Properly managed incinerators can significantly reduce kitchen waste.</Callout>
When the wood supply is scant, waste water may be disposed of in pits, but this practice is avoided if possible. Such pits are usually about 5 feet square and 4 or 5 feet deep. The sides and bottom arc well broken with a pick. They are covered with boards, or, if this be lacking, by boughs covered with earth. A hole is left in the top to receive a snugly fitting, removable box. This has a removable (open and screened) bottom made of burlap or mosquito net. The object of this is to strain out the fats which would quickly prevent absorption of liquid by the soil. The value of the strainer is increased if the bottom be covered with two layers of burlap and over this there lie an inch or two of sand. The addition of 5 grains of alum to the first gallon of fluid would form a flocculent precipitate which would settle out in the box, leaving the water clear for use as wash water. <Callout type="tip" title="Strain Waste">Straining waste water prevents clogging and allows reuse.</Callout>
Key Takeaways
- Use elevated pans to prevent burning in temporary camps.
- Permanent camps can use brick ranges with earth banks for better insulation and waste management.
- Rolling kitchens are efficient for keeping troops fed in the field.
Practical Tips
- Elevate cooking vessels on angle irons or bricks to avoid damage from heat and ensure proper airflow.
- Use sand as a base material for ovens due to its excellent heat retention properties.
- Implement rolling kitchen systems where possible to maintain hot food supply during movement.
Warnings & Risks
- Uncovered waste pits can become breeding grounds for flies, posing health risks.
- Improper management of incinerators can lead to inefficient waste disposal and increased wood consumption.
- Avoid disposing of waste water in the open whenever possible to prevent contamination.
Modern Application
While the specific techniques described may differ from modern practices, the principles of efficient kitchen setup and proper waste management remain crucial for survival situations. Understanding these historical methods can provide valuable insights into sustainable living and emergency preparedness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best way to manage kitchen refuse in temporary camps?
In temporary camps, kitchen refuse should be thrown into pits near the kitchens. Solids are passed through the fire, while liquids are evaporated using a rock pit or Guthrie incinerator. Properly managed incinerators can significantly reduce waste and prevent contamination.
Q: How can I ensure that my cooking apparatus is properly insulated?
For better insulation, use brick walls to support the cooking range, with earth banks on the outside for additional heat retention. This setup helps maintain consistent temperatures and reduces fuel consumption.
Q: What are the advantages of using a rolling kitchen in field operations?
Rolling kitchens provide hot food ready upon arrival at camp, can be driven forward to trenches after nightfall, conserve all nutriment from cooked food, and reduce the temptation to drink polluted water by providing tea or coffee.