THE MENU CARD OF THE TRENCHES.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 8

THE MENU CARD OF THE TRENCHES.

HOW THE MEN ABE FED. . (SPECIAL TO "THE KtESS.' , ) AUCKLAND, July 22. An entertaining letter has ..been received by Mr F. W. Hartmann, of Kingsland, from Oorpgral F. W. Hartmann, one of three sons at present on. active service. 'Writing from the Dardanelles on June 2nd, Corporal Hartmann gives a very interesting description of how the men are fed, and in some instances how the men feed themselves. He writes: — We are being well fed. Fresh meat (frozen) and vegetables—onions and potatoes—aie a change after eating tinned beef and biscuits. We have made some great meals. Biscuits we have ground up and made into porridge; tinned meat chopped up with, wild thymo (which grows here), makes savoury rissoles; soaked biscuits fried in fat are not bad pancakes; and last, but not least, we have "turtle soup" made from tortoise, which we. find in tnis part of the world. Wo have even made omelettes from tortoise.eggs, which are about the size of a bantam egg, but a good deal stronger. , _ _ I have the job of drawing the food and water from the A.S.C. depot and distributing it to the boys. Each man receives daily lib biscuits, 12oa tinned or lib fresh meat, 3oz cheese, 4oz jam, 3oz sugar, 4oz ham or bacon, ilb vegetables, foz tea; tobacco, cigarettes, and matches once a week, and sometimes an issue of iimejuice or rum. After » fow days most of the boys find the ration of meat and biscuits is too big, but we all manage to eat the jam and sugar. Tho next war we have ought to supply more jnm and sugar and less "bully beef." Many of the boys are growing fat on tho food, so they must get enough nourishment out of it.