Chewing Gum

[RobL]

I remember reading about chewing gum being issued to British Infantry, which surprised me as I always associated it's introduction to the British being when the Yanks came over in 1942. Does anyone have more information on this - particularly what brands, flavours etc?

Cheers, Rob

[eltoro1960]

Hi Rob

I have seen it mentioned on a number of occasions in the 8th Royal Scots war diary as part of rations issued on route marches etc,it was thought to combat thirst by promoting saliva promotion,no mention of flavour but I would suspect spearmint.

John

[Sandie Hayes]

'Issued to troops in WW1 , chewing gum was used to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. It had 2 effects - men were believed to be more alert but frequently complained of feeling hungry.'

From: 'Wrigley - history of gum'.

[centurion]

But did it keep it's flavour on the barbed wire post over night?

[RobL]

Cheers chaps - found this on the Wrigley's Spearmint Gum page too;

"Launched in 1893 and introduced to the UK in 1911, Wrigley's Spearmint is the classic Wrigley's chewing gum. For a soft chewing experience with a cool minty taste choose Wrigley's Spearmint gum. "

[Joris Ryckeboer]

Hi Rob,

We still use "spierment" for chewing gum in our local dialect (Poperinge-Ieper).

I have an article here, about the influence of English on our local dialect.

It's writen here (translated from dutch):

- Spearmint Chewing Gum (Chewing Gum with the flavour of spearmint) became "spierment".

Same story with "Chiclets"!

The normal dutch word for chewing gum is kauwgom.

But we still use spierment or chicletten in Flemish.

Kind regards!

Joris

http://usmintindustry.org/Portals/1/The%20History%20of%20Chewing%20Gum.pdf

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

IIRC The Battalion History of the 6th Bn Northamptonshire Regt {Privately Published in limited numbers} mentions Gum being issued prior to going over the Top on July 1st 1916 ~~~& Hard Boiled Eggs!!!

[centurion]

At Arras "Each man had been issued chewing gum, lime juice, oranges and Oxo cubes. Upon arrival, they were issued hot drinks and settled in to await zero hour. That night, some 80,000 Allied troops were lined up across the entire front, all forbidden to smoke or make any noise.". Possibly the gum reduced the chance of a surreptitious fag being lit.

BTW It seems that when the Roman legionnaires 'slogged up to Wallsend with gladus and pack' they were chewing gum (made from pine resin)

[IPT]

I received one letter, and was sitting on the edge of my dugout reading it when one of our men passing along, yelled to me. "Hey," he said, "you come from the United States, don't you?"

"Yes," I said; "what do you want to know that for ?"

"I've got something here," he said, stopping, "that comes from there too." He dived into his pocket, and produced a medley of articles. From these he selected a small paper-wrapped parcel.

"What's that?" I said.

"It's chewing gum," he answered; "real American chewing gum like the girls chew in the subway in New York." He unwrapped it, selected a piece, placed it in his mouth, and began chewing it with elaborated enjoyment. After a few minutes, he came nearer. "By golly," he said, with an exaggerated nasal drawl, "it's good gum, I'll soon begin to feel like a blooming Yank. I'm talking like a Yank already. Don't you wish you hid some of this?"

"I'll make you a sporting offer," I answered. "I'll fight you for the rest of what you've got."

"No, you won't," he answered nasally; "it's made me feel exactly like a Yank; I'm too proud to fight."

http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Gallipoli/Gallipoli_01.htm

[Sandie Hayes]

Americans in WW2 were responsible for introducing the familiar 'strips'. WW1 chewing gum came in the shape of a disc, the size of a halfpenny.

[Andrew Upton]

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77497&st=0&p=710790&hl="chewing%20gum"&fromsearch=1entry710790

[moggs]

Not sure about in England but in Australia 1914 Wrigley's offered the strips

see this link for an advertisement http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/377490?zoomLevel=1

Jonathan

[crickhollow]

I was surprised to read in a book that British troops were supplied with chewing gum.

 

The  film 'The Shall Not Grow Old' currently on general release (which uses genuine documentary film) shows a clip of a soldier nearest the camera about to 'go over the top' seemingly chewing gum - probably to steady nerves and moisten the mouth. This scene is shown a number of times during the film.

 

How common was this?

 

 

[johnboy]

Quite a lot of scenes were shown more than once. [I think]