A cook preparing food in a dixie on a charcoal fire at the front, 1915

Photograph, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1915.

Cooking in the front line trenches was very difficult so soldiers ate most of their rations cold. If cooking did occur, it was done in one pot as in the example shown. Usually the men would create a stew by adding bully beef and biscuits into the pot. Sometimes they would add bacon and vegetables to the mix or non-ration items purchased locally or sent from home. When the food was ready it would be dished out individually for men to eat from their mess tins.

One of 193 British and Allied official photographs.