The Washington herald., 1918-06-11
MARINES TAKE
iron RATION"
TO BIG BATTLE
Leaving Field Kitchens Fan
Behind, Carry Food
for Two Days.

Here Is the iron ration which each
American Marine carried forward for
his subsistence when he went for
ward in the drive against Chateau
Thierry. leaving the field kitchens
far to the rear:
Il ounces of canned corned meat.
pound OF hard tack.
LIZ ounces of roasted, ground coffee.
"a ounces OF sugar.
Ol6 ounces of salt.
The American forces prepared food
calculated to meet their needs for
two days pending re-establishment Of
communications with the field kitch-
ems is termsd reserve rations, but
because the British, French and
German armies term it the iron ra-
ton, the latter name is rapidly COM
ing into use among the American
fighters. The name iron" ration is
believed to be derived from the fact
that the food is carried in tins.
Bully Beef General
As yet the American ration is not a
fixed one. In some cases bacon has
been issued. but in the present fight
ing the use Of bully beer has been
general. The sugar, coffee and salt
and pepper are carried in a single
container with three sections. The
hard tack Is similar to that used In
the Civil War. except that 1t is made
in smaller cakes. Some of the officers
of company units are equipped with
small alcohol lamps which are capable
Of supplying the coffee needs of each
company.
he ~
learned much from each other in the
preparation Of food under difficulties
The French have taught the Ameri-
cans many of the old tricks by which
fires can be built without giving the
enemy snipers a chance to make the
location a dangerous one for the
cooks. The Americans, on the other
hand have been able to aid the
French greatly through having plenty
of supplies and excellent equipment.
A letter from a French soldier pub
lished in a Paris paper reflects the
growing admiration OF the French
poilu for his American brother in
arms. The letter in part reads:
You can tell our American friends
that 1t is impossible to imagine any
thing more cordial and congenial than
the relations between the two groups
of poilus. These are manifested in
many ways: In their eagerness to
render each other services: in their
constant swapping, and above all in
their eagerness to get together.
Around a fire you will see two Ameri-
cans cooking their meal. surrounded
by five or six French poilus and all of
them talking, laughing. joking with
each other heartily. What is most
amazing is that they manage to un-
derstand each other.
"If the war lasts a little more We
will have a new and picturesque lam
guage. The reason for such spon-
taneous friendship is that 1t is
founded on mutual esteem.
AstonIshed Mt First.
"When they first came. the French
poilu looked with some establishment
at these men with such comfortable
and often elegant outfits, and rather
free with their dollars. Well we
wanted to see them at the front-and
we have seen them.
"They have been slendid in their
tenacity. gallantry and earnestness.
Surrounded by the boches in the Ger
man raid at -. they fought like
tigers with their feet and their fists
The boches could not bring back a
single one of them. Their patrols are
remarkable. being carried out with
cool courage. intrepidity and ingeni-
BUSINESS. During the bombardment to
which they were subjected they did
not Vince. Moreover, they are not
vain enough to believe that they have
nothing to learn: on the contrary.
whenever they get a chance they ask
questions. always try to improve them
selves and to do better and better"