History of the field kitchen. What did the brave boys in the tsarist army feed?

“Shchi and porridge are our food,” says another folk wisdom. And it really arose because the soldiers’ menu did not shine with variety. Porridge and cabbage soup were prepared everywhere. Only the officers who were billeted in rural huts could boast of a varied diet.

During the war, convoys with food and utensils traveled far ahead of the troops. They had to arrive at the site before the rest of the troops and meet them with ready-made food, so that the soldiers could immediately eat from the road. It was impossible to prepare dishes “in reserve” or store ready-made food in vats and then reheat it - there were not enough dishes, and in copper cauldrons the remaining food went sour very quickly. Therefore, the soldiers’ quick breakfast was like this: they heated water in cauldrons and soaked crackers, that’s all.

Field kitchen during exercises, Russian Imperial Army, 1917

Russian pre-revolutionary cavalry style camp kitchen in Sortavala, 1924

It has been known since ancient times that as a soldier digs, so he tramples. The history of nutrition in the Russian army could be published as a separate book: there were so many contradictions and paradoxes in it.

In pre-Petrine times, the rifle regiments, one might say, were self-sufficient. They ate what they got on the road, and often this turned into a banal robbery of villages. The situation changed with the creation of Peter I. He established the position of General Provisioner, who was responsible for providing the army with provisions, but the soldiers prepared it themselves. According to the norm, a soldier received 32 kg of flour, 24 kg of crackers, 4 kg of cereal, vodka and salt per month, but vegetables and fruits were extremely rare in the diet. They were simply not included in the daily allowance, but there was a glass of wine and almost 3.3 liters of beer. But to replenish the vitamin requirement, soldiers were given money so that they could buy vegetables and fruits in the villages.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the food system from Peter's times was preserved. The food was still prepared by the soldiers themselves, but for some products a standard appeared, so each soldier was given a pound of meat and 50 grams of vodka per day.

Significant reform in the soldier's food system occurred during the First World War. A qualitative revolution occurred with the invention of Turchanovich's field kitchen. These are two- and four-wheeled kitchens in which food was prepared on the go. The catering scheme has also changed. Now food was prepared immediately for the company. By the way, the sources of soldiers' allowances have expanded. Now, in addition to provisions from the convoy, monetary subsidies appeared: welding money and tea money. Ultimately, each soldier should have received 200 grams per day. beef, 300 gr. - cabbage, 320 gr. - peas, about a kilogram of potatoes, 200 gr. - flour, 40 gr. - oils and 10 gr. - salt. A significant addition was 10 types of domestically produced canned goods.

Stocks of canned food, namely stewed meat, were supposed to help in feeding soldiers during the Great Patriotic War, but the advancing Germans captured warehouses on the European territory of Russia. Power scheme in these hard days has changed significantly. Food was delivered to the front lines in special thermoses, but it happened that the Germans killed a soldier crawling with a hefty thermos on his back or bombed a car with provisions, leaving hungry soldiers in the trenches for a day. However, instead of crippling the combat effectiveness of our army, this gave rise to many military recipes that Peaceful time would have seemed like a mess, but then the “prison” or “Murtsovka” saved many lives. For example, soldier’s soup “tyurya” is crumbled into boiled water onions, bread and butter.

In Soviet times, a soldier's rations were more than modest. During these years, the soldier’s diet was compiled based on three basic principles: the branch of the military, the regional characteristics and the type of combat missions (conditions of service).

Three meals a day modern soldiers The Soviets had never even dreamed of elements of a buffet. The quality of food has also changed. This is primarily due to the fact that professional civilian cooks began to prepare food. Innovations have affected the diversity of food. Now the soldiers themselves choose what to eat for lunch: two types of soup, three hot dishes, compote or juice, as well as snacks from the salad bar. The understanding came that the soldiers would not be satisfied with porridge alone for breakfast, so barley was replaced with meat dishes- there is more of it in the diet. The variety of the menu pleases, in addition traditional dishes Russian cuisine on soldiers' tables appears from other countries: Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia and others. Some units even organize whole days national cuisine, and on holidays the range of dishes expands noticeably.

Nutrition for military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces.

How was conscription carried out into the army of Imperial Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. Who was subject to it? Those who had conscription benefits, monetary rewards for military personnel. Collection of statistics.

Call once a year - from September 15 or October 1 to November 1 or 15 - depending on the timing of the harvest.

Duration of service in the ground forces: 3 years in infantry and artillery (except cavalry); 4 years in other branches of the military.

After this, they were enlisted in the reserves, which were called up only in case of war. The reserve period is 13-15 years.

In the Navy emergency service 5 years and 5 years left.

The following were not subject to conscription for military service:

Residents of remote places: Kamchatka, Sakhalin, some areas of the Yakut region, Yenisei province, Tomsk, Tobolsk provinces, as well as Finland. Foreigners of Siberia (except for Koreans and Bukhtarminians), Astrakhan, Arkhangelsk provinces, Steppe Territory, Transcaspian region and the population of Turkestan. Some foreigners of the Caucasus region and Stavropol province (Kurds, Abkhazians, Kalmyks, Nogais, etc.) pay a cash tax instead of military service; Finland deducts 12 million marks from the treasury annually. Persons of Jewish nationality are not allowed into the fleet.

Benefits according to marital status:

Not subject to conscription:

1. The only son in the family.

2. The only son capable of working with an incapacitated father or widowed mother.

3. The only brother for orphans under 16 years of age.

4. The only grandchild with an incapacitated grandmother and grandfather without adult sons.

5. Illegitimate son with his mother (in his care).

6. Lonely widower with children.

Subject to conscription in the event of a shortage of suitable conscripts:

1. The only son capable of working, with an elderly father (50 years old).

2. Following a brother who died or went missing in service.

3. Following his brother, still serving in the army.

Deferments and benefits for education:

Receive a deferment from conscription:

up to 30 years of age, government scholarship holders preparing to take up scientific and educational positions, after which they are completely released;

up to 28 years of age, students of higher educational institutions with a 5-year course;

up to 27 years of age in higher education institutions with a 4-year course;

up to 24 years of age, students of secondary educational institutions;

students of all schools, upon request and agreement of ministers;

for 5 years - candidates for preaching of Evangelical Lutherans.

(IN war time persons who have the above benefits are taken into service until the end of the course according to the Highest permission).

Reduction of active service periods:

Persons with higher, secondary (1st rank) and lower (2nd rank) education serve in the military for 3 years;

Persons who have passed the exam for reserve warrant officer serve for 2 years;

doctors and pharmacists serve in the ranks for 4 months, and then serve in their specialty for 1 year 8 months

in the navy, persons with an 11th grade education (lower educational institutions) serve for 2 years and are in the reserve for 7 years.

Benefits based on professional affiliation

The following are exempt from military service:

• Christian and Muslim clergy (muezzins are at least 22 years old).


• Scientists (academicians, adjuncts, professors, lecturers with assistants, lecturers of oriental languages, associate professors and private assistant professors).


• Artists of the Academy of Arts sent abroad for improvement.


• Some officials on the scientific and educational side.

Privileges:

• Teachers and academic and educational officials serve for 2 years, and under the temporary 5-year position from December 1, 1912 - 1 year.


• Paramedics who have graduated from special naval and military schools serve for 1.5 years.


• Graduates of the schools for soldiers' children of the Guard troops serve for 5 years, starting from the age of 18-20.


• Technicians and pyrotechnicians of the artillery department serve after graduation educational institution 4 years.


• Civilian seamen are given a deferment until the end of the contract (no more than a year).


• Persons with higher and secondary education are accepted into service voluntarily from the age of 17. Service life - 2 years.

Those who pass the exam for the rank of reserve officer serve for 1.5 years.

Volunteers in the navy - only with higher education - service life is 2 years.

Persons who do not have the above education can voluntarily enter the service without drawing lots, the so-called. hunters. They serve on a general basis.

Cossack conscription

(The Don Army was taken as a model, others Cossack troops serve in accordance with their traditions).

All men are required to serve without ransom or replacement on their own horses with their own equipment.

The entire army provides servicemen and militias. Servicemen are divided into 3 categories: 1 preparatory (20-21 years old) undergoes military training. II combatant (21-33 years old) is directly serving. III reserve (33-38 years old) deploys troops for war and replenishes losses. During the war, everyone serves without regard to rank.

Militia - all those capable of service, but not included in the service, form special units.

Cossacks have benefits: according to marital status (1 employee in the family, 2 or more family members are already serving); by property (fire victims who became impoverished for no reason of their own); by education (depending on education, they serve from 1 to 3 years in service).

2. Composition of the ground army

All ground troops are divided into regular, Cossack, police and militia. — the police are formed from volunteers (mostly foreigners) as needed in peacetime and wartime.

By branch, the troops consist of:

• infantry


• cavalry


• artillery


• technical troops (engineering, railway, aeronautical);


• in addition - auxiliary units (border guards, convoy units, disciplinary units, etc.).



The infantry is divided into guards, grenadier and army. The division consists of 2 brigades, in the brigade there are 2 regiments. The infantry regiment consists of 4 battalions (some of 2). The battalion consists of 4 companies.

In addition, the regiments have machine gun teams, communications teams, mounted orderlies and scouts.

The total strength of the regiment in peacetime is about 1900 people.

Guards regular regiments - 10

In addition, 3 Guards Cossack regiments.



• b) cavalry is divided into guards and army.


• 
  
  • 4 - cuirassiers
  
  
  • 1 - dragoon
  
  
  • 1 - horse grenadier
  
  
  • 2 - Uhlan
  
  
  • 2 - hussars
  
  





• The Army Cavalry Division consists of; from 1 dragoon, 1 uhlan, 1 hussar, 1 Cossack regiment.

  Guards cuirassier regiments consist of 4 squadrons, the rest are army and guards regiments- of 6 squadrons, each of which has 4 platoons. Composition of the cavalry regiment: 1000 lower ranks with 900 horses, not counting officers. In addition to the Cossack regiments included in the regular divisions, special Cossack divisions and brigades are also formed.

  
  

  3. Fleet composition

  All ships are divided into 15 classes:

  1. Battleships.

  2. Armored cruisers.

  3. Cruisers.

  4. Destroyers.

  5. Destroyers.

  6. Minor boats.

  7. Barriers.

  8. Submarines.

  9. Gunboats.

  10. River gunboats.

  11. Transports.

  12. Messenger ships.

  14. Training ships.

  15. Port ships.

  
  

Source: Russian Suvorin calendar for 1914. St. Petersburg, 1914. P.331.

Composition of the Russian Army as of April 1912 by branch of service and departmental services (by staff/lists)

Source:Military statistical yearbook of the army for 1912. St. Petersburg, 1914. P. 26, 27, 54, 55.

Composition of army officers by education, marital status, class, age, as of April 1912

Source: Military Statistical Yearbook of the Army for 1912. St. Petersburg, 1914. P.228-230.

Composition of the lower ranks of the army by education, marital status, class, nationality and occupation before entering military service

Source:Military statistical yearbook for 1912. St. Petersburg, 1914. P.372-375.

Salary of officers and military clergy (rub. per year)

(1) - Increased salaries were assigned in remote districts, in academies, officer schools, and in the aeronautical troops.

(2)- No deductions were made from the additional money.

(3) - Additional money was given to staff officers in such a way that total amount salaries, canteens and additional money did not exceed 2520 rubles for colonels, 2400 rubles for lieutenant colonels. in year.

(4) - In the guard, captains, staff captains, and lieutenants received a salary 1 step higher.

(5) - The military clergy received a salary increase of 1/4 of their salary for 10 and 20 years of service.

Officers were issued the so-called when transferring to a new duty station and on business trips. passing money for hiring horses.

While in various types For business trips outside the unit limits, daily allowances and portions are issued.

Table money, in contrast to salaries and additional money, was assigned to officers not by rank, but depending on their position:

• corps commanders - 5,700 rubles.


• heads of infantry and cavalry divisions - 4200 rubles.


• bosses separate brigades— 3300 rub.


• commanders of non-individual brigades and regiments - 2,700 rubles.


• commanders separate battalions and artillery divisions - 1056 rubles.


• commanders of field gendarmerie squadrons - 1020 rubles.


• battery commanders - 900 rubles.


• commanders of non-individual battalions, heads of economic units in the troops, assistants of cavalry regiments - 660 rubles.


• junior staff officers of the artillery brigade department, company commanders of fortress and siege artillery - 600 rubles.


• commanders of individual sapper companies and commanders of individual hundreds - 480 rubles.


• company, squadron and hundred commanders, chiefs training teams— 360 rub.


• senior officers (one at a time) in batteries - 300 rubles.


• senior officers (except one) in artillery batteries in companies, heads of machine gun teams - 180 rubles.


• official officers in the troops - 96 rubles.

Deductions were made from salaries and table money:

• 1% per hospital

• 1.5% on medicines (regimental pharmacy)

• 1% from canteens

• 1% of salary

to pension capital

• 6% - to the emeritus fund (for increases and pensions)

• 1% of canteen money in disabled capital.

When awarding orders, an amount is paid in the amount of:

• St. Stanislaus 3 art. — 15 rub., 2 tbsp. — 30 ​​rub.; 1 tbsp. - 120.


• St. Anne 3 art. — 20 rub.; 2 tbsp. — 35 rub.; 1 tbsp. — 150 rub.


• St. Vladimir 4 tbsp. — 40 rub.; 3 tbsp. — 45 rub.; 2 tbsp. — 225 rub.; 1 tbsp. — 450 rub.


• White eagle - 300 rub.


• St. Alexander Nevsky - 400 rubles.


• St. Andrew the First-Called - 500 rubles.

No deductions are made for other orders.

The money went into the order capital of each order and was used to help the gentlemen of this order.

Officers were given apartment money, money for the maintenance of stables, as well as money for heating and lighting apartments, depending on the location of the military unit.

Settlements European Russia and Siberia (1) are divided into 9 categories depending on the cost of housing and fuel. The difference in payment for apartments and fuel prices between settlements of the 1st category (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Odessa, etc.) and 9th category (small settlements) was 200% (4 times).

Military personnel taken prisoner and who were not in the enemy's service, upon returning from captivity, receive a salary for the entire time spent in captivity, except for table money. The family of a captive has the right to receive half of his salary, and is also provided with housing money, and, if anyone is entitled, an allowance for hiring servants.

Officers serving in remote areas have the right to a salary increase depending on the length of service in these areas for every 5 years of 20-25% (depending on the location), and for every 10 years a lump sum allowance.

“...So, we are assured that the tsarist soldier ate meat every day, in peacetime 307-453 g, in wartime strictly 716 g, and this was the weight of purely boiled beef, from which all bones and fat were carefully removed , and the Russian Army had a unique immunity to theft and emergency circumstances.”

I personally was forced to investigate the issue by a controversy in LiveJournal, during which I learned amazing things from young historians, writes Alexey Sergeev historian30h in my material, which I recommend you read:

“There was a problem with meat in general in the Red Army, 175g according to front-line standards from 1934, 150g according to front-line standards from 1941, versus 716g. in wartime and 307 in peacetime in the Imperial Army".
“The daily rate of meat consumption in the tsarist army (and this is only boneless beef!) for the lower ranks (privates, non-commissioned officers) was 1 pound. This is 409.5 grams of beef pulp. The combat company of that time consisted of 240 lower ranks and 4 officers. Thus, the company needed about 100 kg of meat per day. ...From a bull weighing 200 kg we got 100 kg of meat on the bones. There was 10% less pure pulp (minus the actual bones, heart, and liver). As a result, we can say that a combat company needed at least one bull per day.”.
« The Russian army used only beef, while, for example, the German army also used pork and lamb. It is quite difficult to explain, but it is likely that this was so for the reason that a large number of “non-believers” served in the Russian army. “So, what should the ration of a private in the Russian infantry units have included, according to pre-war ration standards? imperial army? First of all, a pound (453 g) of boiled beef».
« Food reached the soldier in the required quantity, and was not stolen from huge canteens. Also, meat portions still included meat, and not lard with bones, as in the Soviet army. Not a single officer of the Russian Army would ever allow himself to come to the soldier’s canteen, which was ubiquitous in the Soviet army and, which, naturally, did not add anything to the soldier’s pot».

So, we are assured that the tsarist soldier ate meat every day, in peacetime 307-453 g, in wartime strictly 716 g, and this was the weight of purely boiled beef, from which all bones and fat were carefully removed, and the Russian Army had a unique immunity to theft and emergency circumstances.

I didn’t have to make a special trip to the library or archive; it turned out that even the incomplete collection available on the Internet open access pre-revolutionary sources are quite sufficient for reliable conclusions, which I present to your judgment. You will find links at the end of the article, most important quotes I will give you in the form of scans, if there are not enough, I will add scans in the comments to the article, ask.

1.Two fundamental reservations: a) We are talking primarily about norms and rules, and not about their implementation in life. b) We are talking about an ordinary salary for lower ranks, although there were higher standards and lower standards.

2.Meat or money?
The meat quota was given to the tsarist soldier as part of the welding allowance. Orders of the military department determined the size of the meat dacha in cash, corresponding to the established local purchase price of the established quantity of meat. In this regard, I came across the opinion that “money was not meat yet.” I protest categorically. The tsarist soldier received his established quota of meat in natural form., and the monetary form of welding allowance served only as a means of interaction between the military commissariat and military units, because in peacetime, military units often purchased the necessary meat on their own. For example, on the eve of the First World War, due to the rise in meat prices, the Military Council allowed military units to initiate petitions to increase the established welding salaries (1), however, this only concerned money - the actual size of the meat dacha remained the same. In this regard, further, for the sake of simplicity, I will call the meat norm directly in weight terms.

3.What was this meat standard? At the beginning of the 20th century. combatant and non-combatant lower ranks of the regular troops (hereinafter referred to as “royal soldiers”), according to their ordinary salary, were to receive a daily allowance of half a pound (205 grams) of meat in peacetime and a pound (410 grams) in wartime. If in wartime various objective circumstances could and did hinder the receipt of the norm, then in peacetime we can quite confidently say that the tsarist soldier consistently received it.

Then politics intervened in the issue of soldiers' nutrition. For some reason, I have not come across this obvious consideration anywhere, although a historian is obliged to systematically consider any historical problems. On December 5, 1905, revolutionaries (primarily the Bolsheviks) in Moscow adopted a resolution to begin a general political strike on December 7, transforming it into an armed uprising. And on December 6, Nicholas II “highly commanded to deign (pr.v.v. 1905 No. 769): a) to increase the specified dacha of meat by ¼ pound per day per person, i.e. determine this at ¾ pounds per day per person,” and in order not to get up twice, he introduced a tea allowance (2). The connection between these two decisions is obvious, so the Bolsheviks knew how to achieve an increase in the standard of living of their fellow citizens long before they came to power. From this time until the outbreak of the First World War, the peacetime meat norm was ¾ pound (307 g), and the wartime meat norm was 1 pound (410 g).

I am publishing a scan from a 1914 reference book (3), which clearly shows that the conjunction “or” between 1 pound of fresh (not boiled) meat and 72 spools (307 g) of canned meat means the possibility of replacement, and not the rate of addition (which is why some historians came up with 716 g).

4.About comparison of the norm itself.
Volume 9 of the Military Encyclopedia (1911-1915) provides a comparison Russian norm with the standards of European armies: “Weight days. dacha of meat and lard: in the Russian army (¾ pounds of meat) - 307 grams, in the French - 300 in the German small dacha - 180 grams. meat and 26 - lard; large dacha - 250 grams. meat and 40 - lard, in the Austrian - 190 grams. meat and 10 gr. lard"(4). However, as we will see, comparison of meat dachas in different armies in isolation from the content of the rest of the allowance is meaningless. For example, in the German army, a slightly smaller amount of animal proteins was compensated by 230-300 grams of legumes. In the Red Army, the Red Army soldier received animal protein and meat and fish every day, and the tsarist soldier received either one or the other, depending on fasting or fasting days, and on strict fast didn't receive it at all.

As we see, the propaganda of the Russian army in the First world war was forced to respond to a comparison of the allowances of a Russian and a German soldier.

5.What kind of meat? we're talking about in the allowance standards of the Russian army?
Firstly, exclusively about the weight of fresh, uncooked meat (see scan above). If, for example, the norm was given as a ready-made dish, namely canned meat, then instead of 1 pound fresh meat 72 spools (307 grams or ¾ lb) of canned contents (net weight) were put in. Moreover, approximately half of this weight is broth and fat. There is also no need to say that only the flesh of the meat was taken into account; I don’t even understand how such an opinion divorced from life could arise. Often, especially in wartime, meat waited its turn in the form of herds of live cattle, which were eventually consumed entirely, except perhaps without skin, horns and hooves.

I couldn’t find any photos of the herds of cattle that were moving towards the front line, but perhaps this bull on the left is waiting for its turn.

Instructions from the War Department in 1913 indicated that cattle weighing 8 to 9 pounds (131-147 kg) must be contracted for supplies to the army (5). Those. the fatness of livestock was limited from above in order to save money. For the same purpose The Military Council indicated to conclude contracts for the supply of 2nd grade meat where possible (6). Moreover, while marching to military units, the cattle destined for slaughter lost even more fat, often eating only pasture (it was indicated to have a supply of live cattle for 10 days). By the way, according to the “Instructions for service in the army” of 1901, “feeding livestock is included in the cost of meat” (7).

It is curious that when at the beginning of 1916 the army achieved the introduction of “prodrazvyorstka” of mandatory meat supplies at fixed (below market) prices under the threat of requisitions, the standards of fatness were increased. Now oxen and cows (bulls were not accepted) were accepted, at least 1.5 years old, with a live weight of at least 15 pounds of sufficient fatness. For areas where it was difficult to find rentals required amount oxen and cows weighing more than 10-12 pounds (164-197 kg), such a weight was allowed, subject to fatness. This norm smart person will say a lot about the size of a mongrel peasant large cattle in the empire(8).

6.Only in the upcoming days!
In any army in the world, food standards are subject to replacement if there are reasons for this. Was no exception Russian army. First of all, you should know that in peacetime the meat quota was meat only on fasting days, and on fasting days it was given fish or mushrooms. In the year there were slightly less than half of the fast days (approximately 45%), on average we can roughly say that the royal soldier received meat 16-17 days a month, and on the rest he was content with fish and mushrooms. Therefore, if we compare with the same Red Army, the second. floor. 1930s, then the meat dacha of the tsarist soldier’s meager days should be scattered throughout the whole year, and then only get the average real daily norm. For peacetime, I got a meat dacha of 169 for a tsarist soldier versus 175 for a Red Army soldier. Almost the same. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bolsheviks figured out the Red Army norm, scattering the tsarist norm without fasting days. On fasting days, the tsar’s soldier’s meat was replaced with fish or mushrooms, depending on the severity of the fast. According to the conditions of that time, smelt, dried river fish fines, were most often obtained under fish, at ¾ pound per pound of meat. In fairness, it should be said that in the directory on company management from 1916 it is noted: “in order to preserve the health of the lower ranks, as well as for special local conditions, division chiefs are given permission to prepare light food for people at their posts” (9) . I doubt that in peacetime this would have occurred to officers in a normal situation, but in wartime, I believe that they could have used this right periodically.

Meat allowance for royal soldiers during non-strict fasting days.

7.Rationing of meat replacement.
In addition to fasting days, under certain circumstances there were options for other meat replacements. Although they tried to use beef, it was possible to replace it with lamb, pork, game, fish, sausages, lard, cottage cheese, cheese, and milk. I am publishing a scan from a reference book from 1899 (10) about options for replacing meat in wartime.

In 1912 Caucasian district banned the use of buffalo meat, i.e. They bought quite a bit before the ban (8). By the way, both lard and pork were supposed to be less than the norm for beef - I’m writing especially for those who reproach today Soviet Army in a wide dacha of pork for soldiers. After all, pork has more calories. Instead of a pound of beef, ¾ pound of pork or lard was given (11).

This is fatty pork for us - we don’t move much, we already consume a lot of fat. And in the past, pork was considered a more valuable meat than beef. The transfer of the army to pork in the USSR is a desire to improve nutrition. So, if we compare the meat ration of Soviet soldiers in the late USSR and tsarist soldiers, then the pre-revolutionary norm should be further reduced by a quarter according to the tsarist replacement standards. It is incorrect to say that the tsarist soldier ate boiled beef without bones, and the Soviet soldier ate lard and bones. It’s funny, but it’s true: the tsar’s soldier was given less fatty and more bony beef meat (beef has a higher percentage of bones than pig), and Soviet soldier- fattier and less bony pork meat.

8.Did theft affect the soldiers’ meat rations?
I don’t want to specifically delve into the methods of procurement of meat by military units, as well as control. I assure you that the imperial military department covered this process with a sufficient number of reports and instructions to make theft and fraud as difficult as possible. However, thieves always find loopholes, and in this the Russian army hardly differed from any other army in the world. I assume that theft in the tsarist army was due to kickbacks on contracts, but the soldier still received his meat quota. It was the treasury that suffered rather than the soldiers.

9.Real military meat cottages.
I don’t see much point in comparing in detail the meat allowance of a tsarist soldier and a Red Army soldier during the First World War and the Great Patriotic War - wars of such tension are created by circumstances force majeure. I'll give you a short one. general information. Both governments did what they could. There were pre-war intentions of the tsarist government to issue a pound of fresh meat, and the Soviet norm of 07/04/1935 was 175 g of meat and 75 g of fish. The reality turned out to be more complicated. In the very first weeks of the war, the Soviet Union lost a significant part of its territory with millions of herds of livestock. The Russian Empire, with a smaller mobilization, on the contrary, received meat trophies. But then, the Soviet Union insured lend-lease in the meat issue, and the Russian Empire was faced with the insufficient development of its own railway network, neither the number of cars nor the capacity of which made it possible to transport livestock in the quantities required by the front.

As a result, norm No. 1 of September 12, 1941 for Red Army soldiers (and command personnel) of combat units active army began to contain 150 g of meat and 100 g of fish (250 g in total), norm No. 2 for the rear of the active army - 120 g of meat and 80 fish (200 g in total), norm No. 3 for other units - 75 g. meat and 120 g of fish (total 195 g). As we can see, the loss of tens of millions of heads of livestock in the Red Army was partially compensated for by fish. During the First World War, with an initial central norm of 1 pound of meat, until 1916, front commanders were allowed to change it on their own initiative. “So, by personal order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Southwestern Front on August 25, 1914. daily norm meat per person due to the abundance of meat resources in the front line was increased by 1 pound (up to 820 g)” (12). This front abandoned this norm within a few months, and then “due to the depletion of food supplies in the front line and the deterioration of conditions for the supply of food from internal regions In the country, in March 1915, food supply standards began to decrease. From March 25, 1915, the daily meat allowance was reduced from 1 1/2 pounds to 1 pound (410 g).” “Until January 1916, the fronts’ need ... for meat and lard was expressed at 15.3 million poods, but only 8.2 million poods were sent” (13) - in other words, the existing norms were filled by a little more than half. The uniform norm since January 1916 was already 2/3 pound of meat (273 g) for the front and ½ pound (205) for the rear. Of course, there was no additional allowance for fish; it was used to replace meat if necessary. “Due to the reduction in the supply of food, especially meat, Headquarters supreme commander in chief from February 1916, she introduced mandatory fasting days, first in the rear area (up to four days a week), and then in the military area (up to three days a week)” (14). “During the war, due to a shortage of meat, it was legalized to replace it with fish or herring in the following ratios: on the South-Western Front, for one pound of meat, 42 spools of fish (179 g) or one can of canned fish were given, on the North-Western Front one a pound of meat was replaced by an equal weight of fresh and salted fish or 42 spools of dried fish” (15). As we see, there is no point in exaggerating the successes of the autocracy in military meat supply, however, I would not scold it, no one was preparing for such a war.

10. Nutrition culture.
In conclusion, I would also like to touch upon the issue of food culture, directly related to meat production, which is generally not recognized by the majority of those who have touched on this topic. I don’t want to cast a doubt on the food supply of the tsarist troops; for that time the standards themselves were quite advanced. They say that the tsarist army was the first to use a field kitchen that prepared food on the go.

With all this, before the war, the tsarist soldier in the barracks received hot food twice a day, at lunch and in the evening (in the morning he was given tea and bread), and the Red Army soldier also received a hot breakfast (on campaigns, in the war it was different, this clearly, it’s stupid to compare here). The Tsar's soldier was fasting, Lent strictly, but the Red Army soldier ate both fish and meat every day. The Red Army soldier was given three times more vegetables (according to the peace norm, 750 g versus 256 g for the tsarist soldier), the Red Army soldier ate half White bread, and the tsar’s soldier was rationed rye (not the one we buy, but only from rye flour). In 1909-1911 Gromakovsky conducted a study of the effect of monotonous lean food on the weight of soldiers. For all three years, the Lenten food given to the soldiers was higher in calories than the fast food (3759-4200 calories versus 3473-3814). However, after 2.5-3 months of frequent consumption of fast food, 82-89% of soldiers increased their weight, and during Lent, 45-78% of soldiers lost their weight (16). Understand It is not only the quantity that is important, but also the set of products!

We can say that the tsarist soldier, according to norms, ate more rarely, more plentifully, coarser food, less varied - this, alas, is a lower food culture than that of the Red Army soldiers. The Red Army soldiers ate hot food more often, their food allowance was more varied and more consistent with the norms proper nutrition. Red Army soldier's table modern man will accept it easily - it is close and understandable to him. Table of a Tsar's soldier on a kilogram of clean rye bread, rice porridge, beef and potatoes with sauerkraut, with an abundance of fasting - it will be too difficult for us. Let me give you examples of soldier’s cuisine (17), about which some people make up legends, saying how delicious the Tsar’s soldiers’ cabbage soup and porridge were, not that...

The recipe for cabbage soup is unusual for us. Only cabbage, usually sour, meat, onions, flour, salt and spices and... cereal for filling. No carrots, no potatoes - the standards for vegetables are very low. But if the soup is potato, then there are no other vegetables, however, the soup is very thick according to the standards. Or here is a scan of the recipe for “meat soup” (18).

Is it clear what this soup is for? In order for a soldier to crumble his black bread there, it turned out to be a prison. In certain conditions it will go great, but this is the most primitive cuisine. They would at least throw vegetables and potatoes to the Red Army soldier - his norm allowed this. By the way, let me also post a scan of how the meat dacha was divided. Everything is correct there, just so you know (19).

Summarize. The topic of meat allowance for the tsarist soldier has turned out to be grossly mythologized and misunderstood today. Noting the desire of the tsarist military department to make the soldier's food more satisfying, of higher quality, to protect the soldier's table from various abuses, we must admit that after the revolution, the improvement of the soldier's table continued, no rollback occurred. Even the meat supply itself in annual terms remained at the same, “royal” level, but variety was introduced into the diet by adding fresh vegetables, canceling fasts, introducing daily fish supply, and the share of easily digestible food (white bread, fish, vegetables, pasta) increased. , hot breakfast added. Under Nicholas II, the Russian army received a field kitchen, tea allowance, and a good meat quota. Under the Bolsheviks, the Red Army received white bread, hot breakfast, and a more rational food system. I propose not to contrast these two periods of our history on the “meat issue”.

Links:
1. Addition for 1912 to K. Patin’s directory, a complete and detailed alphabetical index of orders for the military department, circulars, instructions and reviews of the General Staff, etc. Main Directorates and orders, orders and circulars for all military districts. - S.-Pb., 1913. P.305-306. Addition for 1913 to K. Patin's directory, a complete and detailed alphabetical index of orders for the military department, circulars, instructions and communications of the General Staff, etc. Main Directorates and orders, orders and circulars for all military districts. - S.-Pb., 1914. P.215-216.
2. Management in a company, squadron and hundred (Pocket military library). - Kyiv, 1916. P.60.
3.Lositsky N.M. A complete guide for captains (company and squadron, with their assistants, regimental: treasury, quartermaster and armory) in the infantry, cavalry, engineers and auxiliaries. A manual for company (squadron) commanders, team chiefs and regimental staff ranks on managing military departments. 8th edition, rev. And additional To April 1, 1914 - Kyiv, 1914. P.259.
4.Military encyclopedia. - St. Petersburg: I. V. Sytin’s company, 1911−1915. - T. 9. P.146-158.
5.Addition for 1913...P.215.
6.Addition for 1912.... P.307.
7.Instructions for service in the army stages. - Kyiv, 1901. P.61.
8. The most important provisions for organizing the supply of livestock to feed armies through zemstvos or bodies replacing them, dated February 27, 1916/Calendar of the rural owner for 1917, p.189.
9. Housekeeping in the company...P.25.
10.Pestich. Layout of provisions, fodder and welding on the basis of dachas established by the highest approved “Regulations on food for troops in wartime.” - Vilna, 1899. P.4.
11. Housekeeping in the company... P.26.
12. Shigalin G.I. War economy in the First World War. - M.: Voenizdat, 1956. P.205.
13. Ibid., p.211.
14. Ibid., pp. 205-206.
15. Ibid., pp. 207-208.
16.Hygienic issues of organizing military nutrition and water supply. - Leningrad, 1938. P.27.
17. Housekeeping in a company... P.59.
18. Lositsky N.M. Complete Guide... P.265.
19. Housekeeping in a company... P.25.

I would be grateful for pointing out inaccuracies and errors. - Alexey Sergeev aka historian30h.

Original taken from

According to this order, the diet of a soldier and non-commissioned officer consisted of three parts:
*Provisions;
*Welding money;
*Tea money.

Provisions were provided in natural form, i.e. directly by products. Welding money and tea money were issued for the purchase of strictly specified products in a certain quantity, based on the market prices of the area where the military unit was located.

In the tables below, for the convenience of readers, dispensing rates are converted from pounds and spools to grams. Those who wish can recalculate it back - 1 pound = 96 spools = 409.51 g, 1 spool = 4.2657 g.

The cost of a soldier's daily ration in peacetime was 19 kopecks, which amounted to 70 rubles per year.

Food supply standards for peacetime per person per day:

Food supply standards in wartime per person per day:

Notes:
1. The norm is issued in money at market prices in the given area.
2. To family members relate - wife, children, dependent parents.
3. Children under 5 years old receive half the norm.

The food supply system was different for officers. They received so-called “table money”, which was quite good for those times.

I wonder if the legislation of the USSR provided for a measure of supplying food to family members of soldiers and non-commissioned officers in wartime? Just as a social measure?

Contents of the lower rank.(According to the order of V.V. 1905 No. 769 and subsequent amendments).

1) Each lower rank is granted the following allowance from the treasury: 3/4 lb meat of bread 3 pounds or 2 pounds of crackers, 2 1/2 kopecks for the purchase of products: (cabbage, potatoes, flour, onions, pepper, salt, etc.), cereals 32 spools(money 2 1/2 kopecks and cereals are not given out; the above supplies are bought with money; porridge is prepared from cereals), tea 48/100 spools, sugar 6 spools, soap 1/2 pound or money to buy soap.

Food. Of bread - 3 pounds a day(torment - 2 pounds 25 1/2 spool, crackers - 2 pounds), meat - 3/4 lb. in a day; for welding - 2 1/2 kopecks per day, tea - 1/2 pound per 100 people; sugar 6 spools per person per day.

Red Army.

So, what were the so-called daily allowance standards for the main Red Army ration for soldiers and sergeants of the Red Army?

Approved by STO Resolution No. K-29ss dated March 6, 1934. Introduced from April 1, 1934.

NORM No. 1

DAILY ALLOWANCE ACCORDING TO THE BASIC RED ARMY RAILING

NORM

BASIC DAILY ALLOWANCE FOR FRONT RATIONS (FOOD STANDARDS FOR WARTIME from 07/04/1935)

In summary, it can be noted that the soldiers of the Russian Army ate clearly no worse, and even, in my opinion, in many respects better, based on the norms, than 35 years later in the Red Army.

It is especially surprising how much the normative supply of meat and bread differed.

The military ration of Imperial Russia was 2254g of bread versus the frontline ration of the Red Army - 1000g. from 1934.

There was a problem with meat in general in the Red Army, 175g according to front-line standards from 1934, 150g according to front-line standards from 1941, as opposed to 716g in wartime and 307g in peacetime in the Imperial Army.

The food norms of the Red Army look more profitable only in one point - vegetables - 750g versus 255g. in the imperial army. But still, in addition to these 255g of vegetables, the RIA soldier could afford both bread and meat in extremely substantial quantities.

In fairness, it is worth noting that paper norms cannot be made absolute. How things stood with supplies in practice in each specific regiment or company is a matter of individual evidence.
Individual certificates.
1914 . Memories of food at the 3rd Moscow school for training officers in wartime. Memoirs of a volunteer cit. By Gerasimov M. N. Awakening. - M.: Voenizdat, 1965. - 272 p. — (War memoirs):

They feed not bad, satisfying and even varied: cabbage soup or soup, cutlets or stew meat, mincemeat, jelly or compote is lunch. Breakfast and dinner from one second course and tea. First course - as much as you want. The table is for twenty people. The first is served by soldier-waiters in soup bowls, the second - personally.

If you want something more refined, there is a shop available in every company. You can buy there cheese, butter, sausage, ham, cakes, hot coffee, lemonade, candy and much more.

1915
Let's turn to the evidence of a difficult year for Russian logistics in 1915, a year of severe failures for the Russian army and the Great Apostasy.
Quote by Belolipetsky V. E. Winter operations of an infantry regiment in the Augustow Forests. 1915 - M.: Military Publishing House, 1940:.
The author recalls the food in the 108th Saratov Infantry Regiment.
The contentment of soldiers at the beginning of 1915 could be called wartime good. Products included, especially meat and bread were delivered good quality and in a timely manner due to the fact that all supplies directly from Vilna, the main base of the 10th Army, went by rail to Tolmingkemen, i.e. to the 2nd category convoy. To Verzhbolovo, the trains ran along the Russian track, and then along the German track, on which they managed to capture a sufficient amount of rolling stock. Lunch in field kitchens along with bread was delivered to the companies at nightfall and managed to arrive hot. In addition, as soon as the regiment settled in place, the soldiers in the regiment were ordered to receive in your arms buckwheat and butter, of which at that time 12 spools (51 g) were distributed per person, and in the morning cook porridge in pots in their dugouts. The regiment commander had, oddly enough, to show great persistence in order to carry out this measure. The soldiers did not want to bother with cooking porridge. Only after at least a whole week did the cooking of porridge improve, and everyone found that, in addition to improving nutrition, cooking porridge gave people a pleasant activity

Quote from the memoirs of Private Porokhin, describing the situation in 1915 cit. according to P. Porokhin “For Faith, Tsar and Fatherland.”:

"They fed us enough. Ten soldiers ate food from one wooden bowl, too - porridge, sometimes buckwheat, sometimes millet - that is, oatmeal. The food was good and filling. Each person was given bread per day 3 pounds, a pound of meat in any form, half a pound of butter, 18 pieces of sawn sugar.

By October 1, a battalion was formed and transported in heated vehicles to the front. The battalion consisted of 500 young soldiers. I was immediately appointed detached commander, since I was literate. We were taken first to Kyiv, then to Bila Tserkva, then to Kazatin, then to Shepetivka station. In Shepetivka we well fed, they gave a ration and money for a month: an ordinary soldier - 75 kopecks, and a corporal - 85 kopecks." end of quote.

Quote by Malinovsky R. Ya. Russian soldiers. - M.: Voenizdat, 1969.: "- Attention! - Vanyusha gave the command and walked towards the officer with a firm step. As expected, he stopped four steps, sharply tapping his heel, and rapped out: - Your Honor, in the kitchen of the second battalion of the first reserve machine gun the regiment on allowance consists of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-seven people. Prepared for breakfast millet soup, which was distributed to everyone who was satisfied. For lunch cabbage soup with meat from sauerkraut , on the second - buckwheat porridge with lard, meat portion - weight eighteen spools. Dinner will be prepared pearl barley soup and boiling water for tea. No incidents happened while I was on duty. The kitchen duty officer is Corporal Grinko! — and took a clear step to the side, turning to face his superiors. "

1916
In 1916-1917 The most difficult time for supplying the Russian army is coming - some units are struck by an epidemic of scurvy and the supply of food is deteriorating due to logistics problems and transport devastation. On the other hand, completely similar phenomena were observed on the fronts of armies with much more developed logistics - scurvy was rampant on both sides of the front, due to the lack of food in 1916 there was an absolute famine in Germany with hundreds of thousands of victims, and the army on the fronts of 1916-1917. I ate disgustingly at times.
Here is evidence of how the allowance of Russian troops has changed. The date is September 1916, Southwestern Front.

Quote from Oski. Notes of the Warrant Officer Collection. Candid stories. - M.: Voenizdat, 1998: “It’s bad in the rear, but it’s not easier here either. The soldiers are starting to feed God knows what . Instead of cereals, noodles and similar products, lentils are now in abundance. The soldier eats it in the same form and releases it in the same form. There were several occasions in the 4th Battalion when soldiers threw the lunches they had brought on the ground, refusing to eat lentils. There's something wrong with meat too. The corned beef sent is often flavorful. More soldiers they live on bread and tea, plus potatoes, for which they climb into village gardens. The fodder situation is bad. The horses can barely drag their feet. True, we cannot now complain about the lack of shells, but the uniforms are rubbish."

I would not yet absolutize the superiority of the supply of the imperial army over the supply of the Red Army, there were enough serious problems there, but you still need to remember that everything is relative. I undertake to assert that in 1914-1915 the army was fed very, very good. Undoubtedly, during WWII, the rations of the Russian army were transformed towards a decrease, there were scurvy and food riots, but still the difference in the declared standards is striking for me personally. After analyzing the memoirs of 1914-1915, I have not yet come across evidence of severe famine in active Russian army.
Red Army
ORDER OF THE USSR NGO ON THE RESULTS OF CHECKING THE CONDITION OF MATERIAL SUPPORT OF THE 8TH GUARDS RIFLE DIVISION NAMED AFTER MAJOR GENERAL PANFILOV No. 032
The audit established that the 8th Guards Rifle Division named after Major General Panfilov has a number of major economic shortcomings.

Nutrition personnel supplied unsatisfactorily. Food poorly prepared. Its taste and calorie content are very low, the cooks are poorly trained and work with them is not organized.

Kitchens are in an unsanitary condition and are not equipped. There is a severe shortage of kitchen utensils, and the existing ones are kept dirty * . There are no menu layouts or sample books. There is no control over nutrition on the part of commanders and business executives.

During October-December 1942, caloric intake per day per soldier ranged from 1800 to 3300 calories. Due to the negligence and lack of control of the army apparatus, the division systematically did not receive enough food.

In October lost: meat - 2.1%, fats - 63%, vegetables - 47%, sugar - 4%, salt - 2.5%, tobacco - 26.8%.

In November: meat - 20.3%, fats - 52.4%, cereals - 8.7%, vegetables - 42.6%, tobacco - 29%, sugar - 23.5%, salt - 3.8%.

December 30th Guards Rifle Regiment shortfall (in daily dachas): bread - 6.1, meat - 17, fat - 20, flour - 19, sugar - 2.5, vegetables - 29, shag - 11.

A similar situation with the shortfall products happened in December in other parts of the division. At the same time, at the front-line warehouse and army base there was a sufficient amount products of all assortments, which made it possible to uninterruptedly supply all front units with food. In December in warehouses 3rd shock army there was an irreducible supply of basic products of 2-6 or more daily days. There were at least 14.5 days of them at the front.

Due to the systematic shortage of food and failure to supply it to the fighters, as well as bad organization nutrition, the division has significant amount exhausted soldiers and junior commanders.

ABOUT interruptions in food supply the division knew very well, from daily reports and seven special reports, the head of the food supply department of the 3rd shock army, military engineer 2nd rank Segal, and the chief of logistics of the same army, Major General Golubev. In total for October-December in the name of TT. Up to thirty encrypted telegrams were sent to Golubev and Segal about the poor security of the division. However, no measures have been taken on their part to provide the division with food. did not have.