Rum ration cups?

[Stinkpotpete]

Was there an actual cup for this? Did the officers have a cup they used to measure it out? Or did the Tommies use their tea mug and the person pouring eyeballed it?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Never heard of such a thing?

Cheers, Ade.

[Battery Command Post]

The Royal Navy certainly did have a measuring device for the rum ration. This was one-eighth of a pint measure, known as a 'tot' - the "tot of rum" being the standard issue (neat for Senior Ratings, 2:1 mix with water for Junior Ratings I believe). I don't know if the army had a similar device. I do have a copy of the army's Priced Vocabulary of Stores for 1915, and I will have a look (after i get back from work) to see if i can see one on issue

Rob

[aj4010]

I thought they used a tablespoon as a measure?

Regards,

Andy


Edit:
There are some interesting accounts of the use of rum here:

The Role of Rum - Other - Great War Forum

No mention of exact measures though.

A

[Stinkpotpete]

Someone on another site asked this question. I remember when I worked with the Brits that they beer ration one night in the field, and one of the Squadies told me that when it was cold, sometimes they got rum to help warm them. This was in '89, but we weren't allowed any alcohol in the field, he couldn't understand why not, neither could I lol Someone else mentioned the RN, and added this link Pusser's Rum History
So I got to wondering if anyone knew if there were actual cups for the measure. Could be something interesting to look for if it existed. Thanks Rob, Andy. I couldn't find much on the Army and rum, most was about the Navy.

[Walkwolf]

Rob is correct - the Royal Navy used them. I just missed one of these
last year at the local Antiques Mall. It sold for $35.........

[Stinkpotpete]

That I can afford lol I'm going to keep an eye out now

[Battery Command Post]

I had a look through the Priced Vocabulary of Stores 1915, and the only item I could find was under Section 12: Barrack and Hospital Stores:

MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, pewter; to nest. A.S. Corps, F.S.

This was a nest of measuring cups, costing 17/6 (seventeen shillings and sixpence) for unit accounts. The individual measures are also listed as separate items:

MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1/2 gallon, with handle, F.S., also for BEER; hospital
MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1 quart, G.S.
MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1 pint, G.S.
MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1/2 pint, G.S.
MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1 gill, G.S.
MEASURES, WINE AND SPIRIT, 1/2 gill, G.S.

These range in price from 7/6 to 1/0.5. F.S means 'field service', and G.S. means 'general service'. So these items were definitely British Army issue, and had no other function than measuring out booze. Unfortunately it doesn't mention rum ration specifically. The smallest one (1/2 gill) would be the equivalent of the Royal Navy 'tot'.

These would be very nice for a collection

Rob

[Stinkpotpete]

Great info Rob, thank you very much. I'm definately going to keep an eye out for all of these now.

[Battery Command Post]

Great info Rob, thank you very much. I'm definately going to keep an eye out for all of these now.

No problem, it was in interesting little project, although I am unsure what the significance of the 'hospital beer' reference is. I thought initially the measures were just barrack stores for the 'wet canteen', but they are referred to as 'field service' items, as used by the Arny Service Corps, so it's quite possible they are the actual rum and beer ration measuring devices used in the field. Of course, the Barrack and Hospital Stores section lists all kind of crazy things that the army supplied at its various fixed stations, including coffee mills, jelly moulds, fire engines, candlesticks and 'belts, restraint, military prisons' (whatever they are?).

There are some interesting accounts of the use of rum here:

The Role of Rum - Other - Great War Forum

No mention of exact measures though.

A

Actually there are several mentions, although I'm not sure whether they actually mean it in the literal sense. It says:

"If ever a drink was justified, I believe it is the soldier's winter tot”

and

"First thing in the winter morning we have that controversial blind, rum. We get a "tot" which is about equal to a tablespoonful"

A 'tot' would appear to have been 1/2 gill (1/8 pint), so if we take them at their literal word, that's what they were getting. Of course, people use the phrase 'tot of rum' in the same sense as 'snifter of brandy', but it seems likely they used the same measure as the RN. Interestingly, a 'tablespoon' at the time, wasn't an exact measure. Today it is defined as 15ml, but then it just referred to the piece of flatware, which was made in various sizes by the many manufacturers. British Army tablespoons were freaking huge

Rob