German Field Kitchen

[Great War Truck]

I am told that this is a Great War period German field kitchen. I couldn't see any data plates on it. Can anybody confirm this or offer other information?

Thanks

 

Tim

[Gunner Hall]

Affectionately known by the troops as a "gulaschkanone"  That's the extent of my knowledge I'm afraid.  

 

Looks to be in good nick.  Give it a wipe with an oily rag and It'll be ready to poison yet another generation of Feld-Grau's  

 

i

[AOK4]

Hello,

 

I doubt this is a German WWI Gulaschkanone. It looks very much like a British one (and it has even the "War department" markings on it).

 

Jan

[JMB1943]

7 minutes ago, AOK4 said:

Hello,

I doubt this is a German WWI Gulaschkanone. It looks very much like a British one (and it has even the "War department" markings on it).

Jan

 

Jan,

 

This is too cryptic a remark to let pass unchallenged!!!

It may well be British, but where are the WD markings?

 

Regards,

JMB

[Chef_Hendrix]

12 minutes ago, JMB1943 said:

 

Jan,

 

This is too cryptic a remark to let pass unchallenged!!!

It may well be British, but where are the WD markings?

 

Regards,

JMB

I know nothing about this at all, but your comment made me look! You can just see it on the left side (as you look at it) on the 2nd picture and the 3rd picture top right on what I think is the front half

Edited 8 July , 2020 by Chef_Hendrix

[JMB1943]

39 minutes ago, Chef_Hendrix said:

I know nothing about this at all, but your comment made me look! You can just see it on the left side (as you look at it) on the 2nd picture and the 3rd picture top right on what I think is the front half

I took a glass all over each picture and completely missed those stencils.

Just shoot me !!!!

Jan, my apologies.

 

Regards,

JMB

[AOK4]

 (from https://www.sacrewell.org.uk/news/sacrewells-a-hit-at-harvest-festival/)

 

The similarities are very obvious.

[Great War Truck]

Thanks. Yes, the similarities are indeed obvious because it is actually the same one! I should have explained my initial post a bit more. It has been in private ownership for many years and has been used by re-enactors at various events. My understanding is that it is a WW1 German field kitchen which was captured by the British, used by them and returned to Britain at the end of the war. It does have some similarities to the MK I British travelling field cooker but it is not the same as the one in "Horse drawn transport of the British army" book. Do you have any other images of the British one? The WD markings are not original but were applied by the previous owner. If it was indeed British that would improve its value significantly, but that of course is of no interest to me.  

 

So, can anybody else offer some further thoughts.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[JMB1943]

GW Truck,

 

Have you seen the various photos in this thread?

Regards,

JMB

[Great War Truck]

Thank you. I should have posted there really.

Regards

 

Tim

[Chasemuseum]

Numerous features such as axles, wheel hubs, wheels, foot step type lynch pins, and latches on doors are not typical of British horse drawn vehicle construction. The question is are they German, French or from another European nation such as Switzerland ? The other question is how much of the axles and wheels are original ?  As wheels rot and break, did a "restorer" at some time rebuild the limber and cooker wagon with wheels and axles salvaged from an old farm wagon ?

 

Below is the limber for a British travelling kitchen, at the military vehicle museum in Adelaide, South Australia. Note the standard British axle end with the distinctive big taper and the latches on the side of the back fold down door of the limber. These latches are the same as the latches used on the back doors of artillery limbers.

 

The axle below is typical British construction for an all steel limber, being a hollow tubular axle with stubs welded on each end and fitted into carrier plates that are riveted to the outer chassis plates (futchels) of the limber, these plates include the dust seals. By comparison, wood wagons will typically use a sold rectangular section steel axle with the stubs welded to each end. These stubs will include the dust seal disk as part of the stub.

Cheers

Ross

[AOK4]

9 hours ago, Great War Truck said:

Thanks. Yes, the similarities are indeed obvious because it is actually the same one! I should have explained my initial post a bit more.

 

 

Once again, people post a question and only give part of the information they have. I have spent quite a bit of time looking for similarities with German field kitchens on pictures.

[Gunner Hall]

 I missed the W.D markings as well.   Initially even when I knew where to look.  I had a "gut" feeling that it wasn't British though.   I've always been of the opinion that if a Tommy - historically  wanted a decent feed, he would have to first capture the oppositions kitchen.

I have to admit to my knowledge is limited to a vague memory of Ernest Borgnine being served soup from one in the remake of "All Quiet On The Western Front"  

[AOK4]

I am quite sure the field kitchen isn't German from comparing it to contemporary pictures.

[Great War Truck]

Thank you for your input everyone so far. I do apologise if I have sent you all to search the internet, that was never my intention. I was hoping that someone would look at it and know exactly what it is.

Thank you especially Ross, you have provided me with a great deal of useful information which I was otherwise unaware of.

I know of one genuine WW1 Austro Hungarian field kitchen in the UK.  Captured by the Italians and then captured off of them in the Western desert by the British in 1940. It was in private ownership when I last saw it but have not heard from the owner for a while.

I am not aware of there being any genuine WW1 British field kitchens in the UK, in museums or private ownership.

This origin of this “re-enactors” field kitchen still eludes me. I was told WW1 German but as Ross says the wheels are too small (but could have been replaced). It looks quite different from WW2 model. The Swiss were probably one of the last to use this sort of kitchen, and these as well as horse drawn wagons and hand carts regularly appear up for sale and are claimed to be either WW1 British or WW2 German.

Thank you for your help everyone so far.  

[Guest]

On 10/07/2020 at 03:55, Great War Truck said:

Thank you for your input everyone so far. I do apologise if I have sent you all to search the internet, that was never my intention. I was hoping that someone would look at it and know exactly what it is.

Thank you especially Ross, you have provided me with a great deal of useful information which I was otherwise unaware of.

I know of one genuine WW1 Austro Hungarian field kitchen in the UK.  Captured by the Italians and then captured off of them in the Western desert by the British in 1940. It was in private ownership when I last saw it but have not heard from the owner for a while.

I am not aware of there being any genuine WW1 British field kitchens in the UK, in museums or private ownership.

This origin of this “re-enactors” field kitchen still eludes me. I was told WW1 German but as Ross says the wheels are too small (but could have been replaced). It looks quite different from WW2 model. The Swiss were probably one of the last to use this sort of kitchen, and these as well as horse drawn wagons and hand carts regularly appear up for sale and are claimed to be either WW1 British or WW2 German.

Thank you for your help everyone so far.  

    I read a historical explanation in a Swiss museum, I regret I can no longer remember the name, that in 1907 Kaiser Wilhelm visited the companies werkstatte thun. He would have been so impressed in the factories that a contact would have been placed in front of several hundred, unofficially 350, field kitchens. 
The field kitchens were delivered to the German army in 1909. It is these 350 copies that were used by the German army during WW1. During the course of and after the First World War, no more would have been supplied by the neutral Swiss . 
Is this information correct, I could not verify anywhere, but it does not seem implausible 
All reactions are welcome 
I would like to share this information? Comments are always welcome

 

 

On 13/10/2020 at 03:55, danny2364 said:

annex

Still briefly report that also in the Volksfreund.de there is a testimony "Kaiser Wilhelm" dampfte bei der Fahrt "about the use of Swiss field kitchens in 1917 by the German army

[new3.2]

On the photograph of the fellow about to look into the heating unit, are those not two Viet Nam era ammunition boxes tucked onto the end facing the camera?

new3.2

 

[Chasemuseum]

Post WW2 20mm machine cannon ammo boxes. Quite likely post 1975.

 

Yes, not a good look for WW1 re-enacting.

[new3.2]

As I though Ross, I carry one in my truck, for jumper cables, chain etc.

new3.2