Was there a Catering Corps (or the like) in WW1?

[ljbrain]

I have been told that one of my ancestors served with the 'catering corps' during the Great War.

However, I cannot find any information of the corps existing before 1939.

Please could anybody shed light on this matter?

Thank you.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello tjbrain

Not as such. Cooks were regimental people and sergeant-cooks were usually trained at the Army School of Cookery at (I think) Aldershot. Other similar schools may have been set up in France and other theatres.

There were, however, Expeditionary Force Canteens to provide food and drink for soldiers in rest areas. These were run by the Army Service Corps, or by private ventures such as the Salvation Army, and were the predecessords of the NAAFI.

Ron

[ljbrain]

Ah, then i'd imagine he was in the Army Service Corps, as he was definitely in the forces, but we don't think he saw action overseas.

Thank you ron for your help.

[stevem49]

My Companion to the British Army states -

Army Catering Corps (or Concrete Corporation! )

Until the second World War Army cooks were regimentally employed and carried on unit strengths, although an Army School of Cookery was established in Aldershot in 1920. In 1941 however, all units cooks were transferred to a single Corps which was set up by Army Order 35 and which controls their training, administration and deployment.

Steve M

[bill24chev]

Ah, then i'd imagine he was in the Army Service Corps, as he was definitely in the forces, but we don't think he saw action overseas.

Thank you ron for your help.

When you say "action overseas" do you mean he did not go overseas or he was not a front line soldier such as infantry or artillery?

The ASC had various tasks that often placed them close to the front and under enemy fire.

In the Infantry there were ususlly two cooks per company and when possible one would be with the Company in the Trenches and cooking there, the other slightly further back would beinvolved in preparing food tobe carried forward in Dixies for stews and hot drinks and Hayboxes for solid food.

Artillery Batteries would have cooks in or near the gun line during the trench warfare stage of the war.

Incidentally the Infantry and RA still had "regimental" cooks usually Privates or LCpls. to gain promotion to Cpl and above as a cook, as opposed to an Infantry or Artilllery soldier they had to transfer to the ACC which is now part of theRoyal logistics corps.

[Scalyback]

Plus you have divisional bakery units etc. Need to check if ASC(I belive so) but you had ASC jobs as such as baker, butcher(candlestick maker) to keep the troops in fresh foodstuffs.

Unit cooks can be popular chaps! Always keep the cook and quatermaster onside and you be made for life.

[nigelfe]

Yes ACC was formed in 1941, Joe Lyons (of café fame) was one of the early colonels.

The Indian Army had all sorts of agricultural and farming units.

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Scalyback

Yes, field bakeries and field butcheries were ASC units and were originally provided on a scale of one of each per division. They were Lines of Communication units so you don't find them listed in divisional orders of battle.

The ASC also ran such exotic units as a grass farm at Aracli (in Mesopotamia) and a sausage factory in Poplar!

Ron

[centurion]

Yes ACC was formed in 1941, Joe Lyons (of café fame)

And the man responsible for ordering the development of the world's first commercial electronic computer the LEO 1 (Lyon's Electronic Office 1)

[centurion]

Plus you have divisional bakery units etc. Need to check if ASC(I belive so) but you had ASC jobs as such as baker, butcher(candlestick maker) to keep the troops in fresh foodstuffs.

Unit cooks can be popular chaps! Always keep the cook and quatermaster onside and you be made for life.

But don't get mixed up with that Professor Quatermass or you'll be in real trouble!

[Scalyback]

Ron,

Thank you. Was no where near any books last night! The history of the ASC is a pricey book?

But don't get mixed up with that Professor Quatermass or you'll be in real trouble!

I was slightly in wine last night

[bill24chev]

Unit cooks can be popular chaps! Always keep the cook and quatermaster onside and you be made for life.

No use talking to the QM, he will tell you "stores are for storing, if they were to be issued they would be called issues"

bill

[Scalyback]

No use talking to the QM, he will tell you "stores are for storing, if they were to be issued they would be called issues"

bill

The best line is when the item in need is the last one there. "Can't issue you that, someone might need it." My Q was an alright chap, made Q as a bit eccentric and got befuddled with radios and technolgy.

Just goggled the ASC history. £45 but a used one going for £120? Does this ever pop up 2nd hand book shops?

[centurion]

The best line is when the item in need is the last one there. "Can't issue you that, someone might need it." My Q was an alright chap, made Q as a bit eccentric and got befuddled with radios and technolgy.

An attitude actually enshrined in some modern stores systems and not necessarily just military ones.

I can think of a situation in a Middle Eastern Oil Company, equipped with a German developed stock control system where an engineer facing an emergency and wanting to avoid a blow out and major oil spill found the valve assembly he needed in one of the engineering stores. The store keeper refused to issue it as the system would not process the release of the assembly as this would take them below the minimum safety stock level, The engineer just whistled up some of his lads and took it anyway, the Arabian Gulf was spared an oil spill and he was severely reprimanded!

I would add that over the years I have seen a similar feature in two different computerised stock control systems in use by parts of Britain's military establishment but have no idea what would happen if push came to shove.

[Ron Clifton]

The history of the ASC is a pricey book?

Army Service Corps 1902-1918 by Colonel Mike Young was £25 when I bought it a few years ago. It may be a bit more now. There is an earlier history by (I think) R H Beadon, but that may be more difficult to find.

Ron

[bill24chev]

I would add that over the years I have seen a similar feature in two different computerised stock control systems in use by parts of Britain's military establishment but have no idea what would happen if push came to shove.

"Just inTime (JIT)" is an efficient system for controlling the cost of stock holding but in a situation when timely resupply is critical such as a military situation it can tradgicaly become Just to late.

[ljbrain]

When you say "action overseas" do you mean he did not go overseas or he was not a front line soldier such as infantry or artillery?

The ASC had various tasks that often placed them close to the front and under enemy fire.

In the Infantry there were ususlly two cooks per company and when possible one would be with the Company in the Trenches and cooking there, the other slightly further back would beinvolved in preparing food tobe carried forward in Dixies for stews and hot drinks and Hayboxes for solid food.

Artillery Batteries would have cooks in or near the gun line during the trench warfare stage of the war.

Incidentally the Infantry and RA still had "regimental" cooks usually Privates or LCpls. to gain promotion to Cpl and above as a cook, as opposed to an Infantry or Artilllery soldier they had to transfer to the ACC which is now part of theRoyal logistics corps.

Well, my Father seems to think that he never left these shores, so could possibly have had the role somewhere in England?!

[Scalyback]

ASC as todays Logistic corp operate from frontline to rear area and home bases.

I need to hunt out a copy of ASC history. So I may have to take an hit on the£45 or a birthday present.

[Medic7922]

Army Catering Corp, Better known as the “Aldershot Concrete Company” their speciallity was to turn Sh!t into food and food into sh!t

[Waggoner]

Volumes 1 and 2 of the History of the RASc have been reprinted and frequently appear on eBay and other booksellers. Young's book has also been reprinted and is also available as an ebook. You need to shop around for the best deal.

All the best,

Gary

[Scalyback]

Cheers Gary. I shall hunt a copy outby hook or crook.

[Helen91]

i have a photo of my great grandfather in ww1 with a comment under it saying Catering corps 1916 france.  I wonder if this is the same thing.

[Brian linville]

Hi my great great grandpa was in the 116th infantry regiment 29th infantry division. As a supply cook but he did say he got frostbite in ww1 is it possible he was a trench cook.and did cooks have to fight.

Edited 9 January , 2024 by Brian linville
Forgot to add where he was stationed

[Brian linville]

He was in the Argonne that's where he said he got frostbite.

[Pat Atkins]

I'm afraid I can't help, but I did find this link to a 1916 US Army Cooks handbook which is weirdly interesting*, and certainly related to your relative's service in the field... 

 

Cheers, Pat

 

*for example, there was a specific ration allowance for Filipino scouts: who knew?