Page 13 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 57

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Field Cookers Down the Years

Editor: I am often asked for photographs of field cooking equipment and kitchens so
I thought I would include these as a reminder of just some of the equipment used by
Army chefs over the years.

Soyer Stove The Triplex Oven

The Soyer boiler introduced by Alexis Soyer was adopted by The Triplex Oven was used in WW1 but could still be
the British Army during the Crimean war. They were used requested from the RAOC right
continually until the 1980’s when the vast mojority of through to the end of the Cold
the British Army stock was lost in the sinking of the War and though rather inmobile
Atlantic Conveyor during the Falklands War. Capable due to the its weight it
of boiling 12 gallons of liquid using solid fuel, was very efficient in
they were simple and efficient. The original static field kitchens.
specification was that two could be carried by
a mule.
Field Oven

No. 1 Burner
The much loved No.1
burner was introduced in
1939 became standard
equipment for the next
40 years until health and
safety ruled them unsafe
for use, shortly after the
Falklands Conflict. It was The Burner Trench
the workhorse of the Army chefs through most of the life of the We could not leave out the
Army Catering Corps. “Burner Trench”.
Some stories have
been told about
No. 2 Cooker theses over the

The No. 2 Cooker was a single burner years.
cooker and was introduced during
WW2 many used by crews of armoured
vehicles. No. 5 “Suitcase” Cooker
The No. 5 Cookset
known as the
“Suitcase” was
the smaller brother
No. 3 Cooker of the No. 4 Trailer
mounted version.
The No. 3 Cooker was
a two-burner version
also introduced during the
WW2. this version could be used Operational Field Catering System
as a cooker or could be fitted with a The Operational Field Catering System
field oven for baking.
(OFCS) is the current field cookset in
use today and has seen service in Iraq
No. 4 Trailer and Afghanistan. Designed to
enable multiple menu meals
The No 4 Trailer mounted cookset from fresh ingredients to be
replaced the No. 1 burner and prepared and cooked in the
was designed to provide a mobile field. Its power source is the
kitchen producing meals for Karcher diesel fired burner
150-200 personnel. Fuel supply was which is a multi fuel
either petrol or LPG. It opened out to a system.
full kitchen with five work tops.

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