Army Rations

[daved]

anyone had any exsperiance with french m.r.e.'s I'm curios about them. which is the best outlet for british rations, I have e-mailed a couple of places in u.k. and never get a responce,[ must think I'm a daft one ]. would like to get some just need to work out how. thanks mates

This place lists French ration packs:

http://www.armyrations.co.uk/shop/item.asp?itemid=36&catid=22

Sounds a lot better than the British "baked beans with everything" sort.

They also sell the "Biscuits Brown" on their own. (I think someone was wanting some of them, although that might have been another thread)

 

[Jared]

Just found http://17thdivision.tripod.com/id22.html via http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/45321. Can't believe someone is actually selling ration pack biscuits from 1939.

 

[11binf]

hey jared : i think you have it wrong on the ration pack biscuits buddy....those ww2 british reenactors sell REPO ww2 rations to fellow reenactors....everything is new and good they sell, nothing REAL from back in the day(1939)...i do think that the biscuits are aussie made arnott's plain biscuits in celo packs...good and filling just like the ww2 issue hard biscuits i guess....just wanted to clear that up partner ...vince g. 11b inf...

 

[Jared]

hey jared : i think you have it wrong on the ration pack biscuits buddy....those ww2 british reenactors sell REPO ww2 rations to fellow reenactors....everything is new and good they sell, nothing REAL from back in the day(1939)...i do think that the biscuits are aussie made arnott's plain biscuits in celo packs...good and filling just like the ww2 issue hard biscuits i guess....just wanted to clear that up partner ...vince g. 11b inf...

Yes, I kinda realised that Just posted for humor.

 

[nickg]

Hey if anybody's service days go back far enough to remember bacon grill in tins (im talking 70's & 80's ) well you can get them in sainsburys. Yes the real deal. Took some to WG this year along with sausage n beans and my daughter (10) LOVED them. couldnt clean the bloody frying pan after so they had to be real. Picked up some MRE from the states on ebay and tried them out, Thought they were OK for what they are. Seriously though ready meals IMHO are emergency rations or for situations where you havent time or ability to light a fire and cook - nothing more. I like the heater in MRE's for emergency situations - stranded on the hillside overnight - that sort of thing, i now carry two in the car just in case (and hey! I only live in Kent yuk)

 

[kits peak]

depends where you set the bar. Army rations fit a purpose, for field work on the move, high in fat and sugar. Sometimes anything hot is welcome.

The taste depends how hungry you are. The a few simple herbs and some imagination you'll be surprised.

 

[leon-1]

I never had a problem with ratpacks apart from the arctic ones which always tasted of cardboard after a short while and as one of the others mentioned add some spices and herbs to it and you wouldn't know yourself.

Not a fan of MRE's, but as Nick mentioned the little heaters are great as emergency peices of kit.

Yes Nick I remeber the old rations with a certain fondness, chicken curry and rice, bacon grill, bacon burgers and babies heads. I saw the bacon burgers in Sainsbury's and thought "No, They can't be"

 

[spamel]

Hey I remeber this thread!! I went to Canada earlier this year, Duncans chocolate is no longer in the ration pack, you get two Yorkie bars instead, and I'm not kidding!!

I can't believe you get bacon grill in Sainsburys! What was the difference between bacon grill and bacon burgers? I never did get that one!!!

 

[BlueTrain]

This place lists French ration packs:

http://www.armyrations.co.uk/shop/item.asp?itemid=36&catid=22

Sounds a lot better than the British "baked beans with everything" sort.

They also sell the "Biscuits Brown" on their own. (I think someone was wanting some of them, although that might have been another thread)

BlueTrain(Rover) here. I had been making inquiries about a commercial substitute for "Biscuits Brown" in another thread. So far I have not put my hands on any although I have discovered a source. There is something called Pilot Bread, which are biscuits (crackers) and produced by a company which makes packaged camping food for backpackers. My local outdoor store didn't have any, and in fact had very little backpacking food, so I'll have to order some if I want it badly enough. I am still thinking that dinner rolls or even bagels might make better trail bread.

Understand that I am not thinking of this as a survival type ration that is to be stored for a long period, just something to fill the bread portion of a meal when out in the woods.

Do no British rations include fruit cocktail? It might be canned but it is a real treat and they always disappeared first.

 

[Jared]

I have in the past taken ordinary supermarket baps. Cut the tops off two 2litre pop bottles, a slit down one so it fits inside the other, makes a pretty good solid bap transportation device, prevents them from being crushed

Even lost my rucksack in a pretty fast flowing stream, and the baps were still dry.

Most enjoyable for soup dunking etc.

 

[SMARTY]

Just a tip from someone who has never had to buy Army rations. ( I got them issued for the 24 years I did) Check the box. a while ago the MOD introduced TRAINING RATIONS. Same box less calories reduced menus etc. they stink and are generally made up the the near to end of shelf life items.

if anyone thinks COMPO is bad try Aircrew survival rations MK 9. Bars of compressed sawdust, and a beverage pack. They ARE bad.

 

[Canadian Guy]

I've not tried too many different countries rations (American and older British) but I'll state ours are the best, US troops will gladly trade theirs for any of ours on joint exercises although some stuff in their MRE's is not bad. There just doesn't seem to be near enoough food in the US MRE's to fill you up. Ours have alot more "food" to eat in them and alot more of the extras, ongoing quality improvement through feedback from troops has them getting better all the time. To get the extra calories you are issued one extra dinner meal in winter (standard SOP) and you may get a daily supplemental pack that has alot of goodies to snack on through the day. I really don't mind eating them in the field and some of the menus are quite good mind you more then a week on an IMP diet and you may need dynamite to clear your bowels!

 

[Tengu]

<looks all cheery>

Ive got a packet of that apricot and apple stuff....(no idea how old it is but IMHO dried food is immortal)

Now what do you want to trade for it?