German Field Kitchen at Collings Foundation "Battle for the Airfield 2013"

[@paulnapier1490]

A man with a real passion for his hobby and a great interest in keeping part of history alive.

[@Timotheus157]

A well fed soldier can accomplish their mission. The cooks are the heros behind the lines. Salute to them!

[@solomongrundy1618]

An army marches on its stomach

[@RCDRONE1010]

My grandfather served as a cook during the Korean War.

[@marklloyd4087]

14 years in the British army, are cooks were the Fith column!!!! 😉 😂 "🇬🇧 🇺🇸

[@Avenisek]

stfu dictator

[@tfoen7678]

Very true. You can lead an Army on a full stomach and a hot meal.

[@gamerjorts]

Very interesting, this showed up in my recommended shortly after the American field kitchen video. The German version is very compact and efficient. The allied version required a lot of setup and ran on gasoline, while the German version runs on wood and it's all built into a convenient little trailer.

[@psychedelia6891]

Great point!

[@omarkharnivall2439]

Was the same to me, watched the american one first.

[@Enthropical_Thunder]

I guess the fuel shortage did force the germans to rely on wood rather than gasoline.

[@brainplay8060]

Both were made to suit the supply availability. Gasoline was in plentiful supply on the allied side. Meanwhile the Germans had to use coal which was plentiful and later charcoal. The American setup was not on wheels but it was more compact and multi-role. So you could cook soups, steaks, or mashed potatoes if you had the appropriate pots. The built in stations make sense but much of that space goes to waste if you're done cooking that item and cleaning looks like it would have been a pain. If the German version only had stove tops then they would beat out the allies easily. Too bad that there was no water heater like you see with the American mess/cook setup.

[@leepalmer1210]

I think it reflected the material available and allocation ability of the quartermaster corps

[@fliegeroh]

I have studied WWII for a lot of years. Somehow, I always missed the kitchen. This is fascinating.

[@nicolasclermont893]

Very strange i'm the same way. Stumbled across the u.s field kitchen video too and im like 'wait what'

[@gothickingroachjfs5677]

Same home slice

[@pebo8306]

A combat soldier needs about 3500 calories per day! You got to reliably supply these to him,and his 1 million fellows!Not an easy task!

[@trythinking6676]

@@pebo8306 not to mention, a logistics nightmare

[@thesilentgamer1195]

I just love the logistic in a war, just imagine transporting food to the soldiers. Flour, water, meat, vegetables, fruits. It was a tremendous task to keep every soldier well fed. Too bad it doesnt get too many attention since its more of a "silent heroes"

[@shooter2055]

This is great stuff! Armies run on their stomachs. I had the privilege of serving with company level cooks of the Bundeswehr during the '80s. I never ate so well "in the woods" as when these fine cooks served us!

[@warpartyattheoutpost4987]

I had a German-American fiance from Munich who was in the U.S. Army when I was. She always lamented on how much better chow was in her home country versus U.S. chow. Her cooking tasted awesome, but it made me sleepy with how heavy it was so I don't know how combat effective I would be after a German meal. Cheers!🍻

[@AsheramK]

There's an old saying around here that says "the best spice is hunger"

[@hailexiao2770]

@feelings Are Not Arguments Cold War Bundeswehr did a lot of things right.

[@MrElliott400]

During field exercises at Bitburg Air Base I got to eat several meals with the Bundeswehr. Winter, with snow / sleet. We were served pea soup w/ham and brown bread. Best (!) winter field meals I ever had.

[@kenmichener8439]

@@AsheramK I don't like that I'm sorry God bless you

[@ShaggysnackZ]

If this man was a history teacher I would sit for that class and never get bored

[@paulwolf2775]

That was pretty cool. I just saw a video on, the U.S. Army field kitchens... A rather little studied part of history. If, you ever read the book, All Quiet on the Western Front, the first scene, takes place when the soldiers go to their company field kitchens, to get fed.

[@TheSaneHatter]

I saw that video, too. Maybe this should be a topic for a history book: "Military Field Kitchens Through the Ages."

[@ricktimmons458]

absolutely believable movie.

[@hallevingston2892]

In All quiet on the western front, there were so many casualties. That everyone ate very well

[@Skullmonkey456]

This kitchen is a postwar field kitchen but hats off to you for dragging it to shows! From a fellow kuchenbulle also towing a field kitchen to shows

[@jarikinnunen1718]

In Finland is same type "Soppatykki". In winter war it had game changer role. In early days of war, in battle soviet catch it, full of sausage soup. Finns get agry and took it back. It was first finnish victory in that war. It was good for moral.

[@agentfungus9742]

Just heard his part about the horse meat. My Polish born parents went through WWII. Father spent the majority of the war in German POW camps. I remember his story of finding a big rubbery hairy horse nostril in his stew. He was hungry, so he ate it! My mother was in forced labor camps. She never had anything too bad to say about the Germans. She worked at a library and a bakery

[@rockcrusher9524]

We eat 🐎 meat all the time here in Italy . The finest restaurants serve it. Exceptionally lean and delicate taste. Want to know where Europe gets most of it's horse meat ? Texas and Oklahoma.

[@rockcrusher9524]

@feelings Are Not Arguments Export laws are complicated things. Many times they are not broadcast to the public due to cultural norms and sensitivities.

[@rofl0rblades]

Horse meat is common in Germany and not because people don't have alternatives. There are special butcher shops for it. Even more so 80 years ago, I imagine.

[@steve1978ger]

@@rofl0rblades - "common" is quite an overstatement. It's really a rare thing today, and also I think it's a bit regional. Only once in my life did I see a food stand selling horse sausage, and maybe once or twice on a restaurant menu. Most Germans would refuse to eat horse. A few years ago there was a big scandal when horse meat was passed off as beef in processed foods.

[@highwatercircutrider]

I love horse meat, especially horse meat sausage

[@oldeafcoot]

A very interesting video about a little known area of military history.

[@sanakassara]

Ahh, the momeries. I remember this one sunny and scorching August afternoon on a training camp back in the 90's, when an M/29 Soup Cannon almost burned the flesh off from my forearm. 200 liters worth of boiling steam got suddenly released almost straight to my face, because I was so tired from all the cooking, working and not being able to sleep, that I forgot the proper way to open the damn lid. It btw takes only one bean to make the whole cooker explode. We simulated the situation in base training, the thing becomes an instant soup volcano. Goulash Cannon and the M/29 Soup Cannon are very similar devices, german version is only significantly smaller.

[@cameronninawale9610]

The ultimate friendly fire incident.

[@thesilentgamer1195]

Wish i could share a beer with this guy. I bet he has awesome stories and lot of knowledge to share about the logistic part of the war.

[@free-birdrocker8809]

Awesome! Its good that was an honor to cook. Cool little trailer and equipment too cook with.

[@jebpab53126]

excellent video, very imformative speaker clearly knows his kitchen.

[@kevinbyrne4538]

Imagine spending two hours or more cooking a meal while artillery, machine guns, and rifles are firing just 2 miles / 3.2 km away.

[@hexados7479]

ako tairi thermostats?

[@ChaplainPhantasm]

Cooks: "So uncivilized..." *Continued making the food*

[@worldtraveler930]

It would have been nice to watch them actually prepare and cook something on these field kitchens!! 🤠👍

[@2steelshells]

Love history,especially the nuts & bolts behind logistics.

[@silverjohn6037]

I read a book on the German infantry divisions in WW2. They were still heavily dependent on horse drawn transport with only about 12 trucks for the entire division of 12,000 troops. Of those 12 trucks 6 went to the Baking and Butcher companies. This might sound odd but the bakers had all they needed to make bread including grinding mills while the butchers could take live cattle and convert them into sausage. So as long as they could capture herds of cattle and graineries on farms they were nearly self sufficient for food, only requiring coffee and sugar when it was available.

[@americanmilitiaman88]

The us military calls issued glasses "birth control glasses " those must be "mother will disown you "glasses

[@kevinbyrne4538]

Called "birth control glasses" probably because you won't have much success with the ladies if you wear them.

[@minuteman4199]

I had a similar pair of glasses issues in the Canadian army in the '80s. They are designed to fit on under a gas mask and enable a seal between the gas mask and your face.

[@Gurkenpudding]

Dienstbrille.

[@rixille]

Everyone should just be allowed to have laser surgery with insurance coverage at this point. 21st century and people still need to ruin their face with specs that are inconvenient (fog from temperature change, sliding off when wet, routine cleaning, glare, frames breaking in some way, very painful during a brawl if someone presses your frames into your face, etc) and in many cases make people less attractive. At least in the military, they should provide laser surgery for all enlisted.

[@BeansAndWeens]

@@rixille this is the military glasses are considerably cheaper per man than the hospital bill for each man more pennies saved on the little things means more money for things that go boom

[@ajb7332]

Well done for keeping up an often overlooked, but highly important piece of military history.

[@MrSpinteractive]

I always wondered about the logistics of feeding soldiers in the field. Very informative. Good meals are essential to good morale.

[@P61guy61]

Excellent! Thank you for posting and keeping history alive.

[@kxd2591]

I have read that at one point in the Russian/Finnish "Winter War", the Russians, thinking it would be a short campaign, fed their men tea with jam and bread. The Finns were feeding their men hot, sausage soup. The difference in the rations seemed to really make a difference in that icy, snowy climate.

[@KaoVamp]

It was also likely a difference in supply capacity. It's generally easier to feed a much smaller defending army well while everything behind them is home ground. I have also read somewhere the lessons of that war were part of why Soviet troops in Stalingrad were fed much better. By the time of Stalingrad they also had army doctors seriously studying nutrition to a point where death from re-feeding syndrome (Being fed the wrong foods at the wrong quantity after a period of prolonged hunger leading to the body dying from something close to sudden shock to a vastly slowed metabolism) was far less common for the Red Army than it was for the Wermacht.

[@kxd2591]

@@KaoVamp Interesting. Thanks for the comment. As someone who experienced a three day period with nothing to eat while in Vietnam (this would have been close to the norm for Joseph Plumb Martin and his fellow Continentals) I have a real interest in military rations. (And if you are given the choice between water and chow, take the water. I currently have a four quart, a two quart, two forty ounce canteens in the trunk and floor board of my car, and one East German 24 oz canteen hanging over the floor shiftier. Experiencing thirst makes for a lasting impression. I also carry, in my car, three different ways to purify water. And jerky, potted meat, ramen noodles, and nabs-sandwich crackers and dried fruit and granola bars. I rotate them every six months.)

[@stinkyfinn6977]

Watched a documentary on the winter war and a Russian advance was stopped by the feild kitchen as the Russians wher that hungry they headed for the feild kitchen when they smelt the food cooking, battle of the sausges or something it was called

[@Dave-jd9qn]

Something left out of the usual documentaries and feature films. Fascinating. Great presenter.

[@Apoll022]

Ha I love this guy! He comes across as quite nervous bit he's extreamly interesting and insightful!

[@kxd2591]

Thanks so much for the video! This is the very stuff that is so often lost to history. It is the everyday items that we see and take for granted and never mention that are lost. Very well presented, and helments off to the narrator! Good job! (And now that it is on KZbin, it should last until such time as civilization as we know it ceases to be.)

[@mopar21]

0:12 didn't miss a meal, not even on June 6th, 1944.

[@Gigitygigity24]

Morbidly obese people kinda take away the significance of a reenactment to me. It just seems so out of place and immediately takes you back to present times. He is completely unfit to serve lol.

[@mopar21]

@@Gigitygigity24 I guess maybe if he was a chunky general maybe lol.

[@cancel1913]

That's Schultz from Hogan's Heroes! LOL!

[@Astrocat-od5cy]

Have you never seen Herman Goering

[@exactinmidget92]

he had extra that day.

[@WesB1972]

Great job at preserving history.Very important part of any field army..

[@alexmontgomery255]

I saw a video about American field kitchens in WW2 that was also very interesting. The equipment is different but the function is the same. And let’s not forget that the cooks are just as important in winning battles as the men holding the rifles and we should honor them as well.

[@dirtyharry1844]

I wanted to see it in action.

[@van5829]

"Procured" locally. Sometimes the local Women "helped" out in the kitchen.

[@pantherace1000]

"procured locally" assumedly at gunpoint.

[@alexporter7379]

@@pantherace1000 procurement of supplies in the field is often done at gunpoint (or in older ages, swordpoint), even by the Allies and Soviets during the War. Hell, Soviet "procurement" also usually involved rape.

[@rixille]

@@alexporter7379 The basic laws of society are not always considered by armies at war, it is up to the military itself to govern its own soldiers from committing such acts against the civilian population. I could imagine even the most principled of officers struggled to control their own soldiers who were war weary and looking to comfort themselves, exploiting the lack of law and order. One thing overlooked is how in history of armies and war; the common soldiery definitely would invite themselves (not in a good way) or pay prostitutes. This was not exclusive to the Germans.

[@lindaniedringhaus8790]

@@alexporter7379 The Germans called it "organizing" a meal.

[@rickvia8435]

Great work by Collings.

[@toddcunningham3213]

I love these videos! I've always had a curiosity of how soldiers were able to eat during wartime. Movies and few documentaries never really explain this. Somebody needs to make a war movie that is based on logistics. Many people don't understand that there is more to war than killing. Your army has to survive and travel, and that takes a lot of coordination. Great video!

[@comontater]

There are two field kitchens in St Louis one complete and one being restored.

[@zachbocchino5501]

I was at the Collings foundation in 2013...or was it the year before? Now I dont remember. But it was around that time. Someday I will return to that place but this time in uniform.

[@danschneider9921]

My wife's grandfather was a mess Sergeant in the NW ETO, and was awarded the Bronze Star in 45 for "ingenuity in utilizing enemy (German) stoves to supplement his own damaged equipment under difficult conditions during the German winter offensive". (We have a copy of the citation). Wonder what he thought about these compared to the US equivalent. Sadly he's passed away and no one picked his brain. We know the "difficult conditions" was the battle of the bulge, as his artillery unit was part of the 1st Army and was in the thick of it.

[@mgtowp.l.7756]

A Excellent Video.. Highly Recommended.. Thank You Very Much For Sharing..

[@vksasdgaming9472]

I guess field kitchen is one of those unsung workers of war. In Finnish it is called soppatykki. Loosely translated "soup cannon".

[@pteppig]

It's also extremely effective to attack kitchens behind the lines in winter. No warm food for freezing soldiers

[@ad220588]

Perkele Suomi Perkele

[@leeharveyoslik]

- Grandpa, did you kill anyone during the war? - Yes, once i killed a whole platoon. - But you said you were a cook! - But i never said i was a good one.

[@chingghishan5707]

Veli Karppinen BENIS :DDDD

[@daviscampbell9020]

I like the German setup. However my gripe with it is that none of the heaters have an alumium insert.

[@tonyperone3242]

Looks like an armored stove. Im sure hot grub was gratefully appreciated by the troops.

[@TheSaneHatter]

It's interesting to note that variations of this cart-style field kitchen can still be found on the modern market: I guess that if the design ain't broke, don't fix it.

[@graciepascual5253]

His glasses makes this even better

[@Jrhoney]

This is fascinating! I haven't really looked into field kitchens before. Definitely a blind spot in my knowledge I need to better explore.

[@pebo8306]

They still use these in Europe.Germany,Austria,Switzerland;and actually it is an art to cook with them! They are expensive,and you easily can burn the glycerin,thereby ruining the kitchen.

[@luvr381]

When I was in the infantry in the 90s, our cooks worked 20 hour days in the field. Kudos!

[@infoscholar5221]

Very informative. Well done!

[@thee.c.r.gtherealmoftheunk3717]

Excellent quality video thank you !

[@Sebek031]

We in Poland use them to this day ; they are great for Boy/girl scout camps. It's easy to use, maintain and transport.

[@BelloBudo007]

Really enjoyable viewing this, thank you. I have seen the German kitchen on the back of a truck, which looked well made, and it had me wondering what other armies did for their kitchen and cooking. But I think, so far anyway, that the German kitchens look the best thought out that I have seen.

[@pebo8306]

They still use these nowadays,but actually it is an art to cook with them,without ruining them!But there is no better goulasch,then from a "goulasch-cannon"

[@BelloBudo007]

@@pebo8306 That's interesting. Thank you.

[@KB4QAA]

Thank you! I've been very interested in these kitchens and how the men were fed.

[@fullretardcustomguns837]

Thank you, very informative and entertaining.

[@volvo1354]

Napoleon stated that an army moves on its stomach

[@bbqstation1190]

Very interesting, thanks to the folks who did this.

[@CreachterZ]

Is it too soon to ask about what kind of oven they used for the kosher meals?

[@koningbolo4700]

Does chef has the two German Heer Feld Kuche manuals ? If not I can send him the digital copies...

[@nyfinest017]

I would love to visit Germany and see the sights, also eat some of their cuisine.

[@alexrennison8070]

Excellent video! Would have loved to see the cooking action though.

[@amartinjoe]

this is awesome; love how you guys preserve this!

The ONE THING no one ever thinks of when they are watching war documentaries or movies - The Cooks, The Mess and the Field Kitchen. After all, an Army marches on its stomach. Hungry troops are defeated troops. To keep troops moving forward, they have got to be fed. The cook is EVERYONE's Friend. I know.

[@RazorwindVT]

As a former cook in the US Army National Guard I find this fascinating.

[@tomservo5347]

I've read a favorite meal that German field kitchens excelled in was beef and noodles-although many times it was horse and noodles. The glycerin filled double cooker must have made the cook's life infinitely easier as it drastically reduced the amount of stirring required, and using wood for heat meant a readily available fuel source that saved all important fuel for combat.

[@drvonschwartz]

Hmmm... Too many luftwaffles for many of these fighting men.

[@ulrichpeschen8587]

Maybe... But WWII german paratroopers (The Green Devils), belonged to the Luftwaffe. As easily to be compared with the status of the US Marines who are still a department of the Navy.

[@TDR85]

@@ulrichpeschen8587 he was making a joke about how some of them are fat.

[@pebo8306]

@@TDR85 If the cook was overweight that was a good sign:,he obviously knew his business and knew how to "acquire"("organize" in German) groceries! Like:Forget the enemy!Grasp the fucking chicken!(cow,pig) LOL

[@Country_boy-sz3bn]

That’s funny

[@thomasschulze6715]

"the living of the land" XD that's very true! my grandfather told me he had to eat sauerkraut for 3 weeks because there was nothing else available! After the war, he hated sauerkraut and didn't eat it ever again!

[@jpboucher1039]

The Victory and Liberty 44 association would be happy to welcome you to France!!

[@AlexDonnett]

Russian bear recipe? talk about a morale boost

[@mycolortv1]

Excellence video, can only imagine all the work to head to go into doing this on the Eastern Front

[@dandtfarms3365]

Especially in places like stalingrad during winter time when there was mass starvation and they would tell u to put wood shavings in the stew and bread ect ans to guard it with ur life against ur own men form stealing

[@leepalmer1210]

I wonder what the Russians or Italians had for field kitchens? Because I have found the American and German kitchen videos to be very awesome.

[@ltcajh]

I have Dutch friends who said there was one of these in their front yard.

[@johnbecay3859]

no sauerkraut?

[@ryansnyder4997]

That's a cool field kitchen

[@herrtrigger77]

Awesome. Keep it up, fellas.

[@blacksunapocalypse]

Those glasses look super uncomfortable... Wrong size? :P

[@dethofgod666]

U.S. Army has those today made out of plastic. they wrap around your face with a similar rubber harness. Not as uncomfortable as they look in my opinion. Those aren't the standard ones they issue, still the BCGs but they are in the inventory

[@MajorGeneralVeers]

Those are glasses for wearing in the field. Anyone with half a brain would know to wear normal glasses when in garrison.

[@U.S.President]

they are issued by the enemy..

[@claydayton1897]

Love your BCGs.

[@makeitsonumberone1358]

0:12 that guy never served on the eastern front then?

[@captainrex4403]

Kann ich bitte die Küche haben? ich mag das.

[@sicksideworldwide1599]

What's with the double strapped bins🤓

[@PhasedPlasmaPainting]

Buster - you can't go re-enact out on the balcony, buddy?!

[@smokeybear9180]

Great video!

[@thememeking994]

Pretty neat. The speaker knows what he is talking about but he needs to calm down and speak relaxingly.

[@HateTheIRS]

Maybe English is his second language

[@hamaljay]

English is his second language and I thought he did pretty good considering most English speaking Americans can't even speak English properly, much less another language. Also it was a pretty technical subject that required not only a mastery of the language but a mastery of the subject as well. He did very well. (English teacher eight years)

[@lindaniedringhaus8790]

@@hamaljay He did great! Love the accent and the work he has put in learning American English; good job!

[@Daehawk]

If those cooking pots weren't removable they'd be hell to keep clean. You wouldn't lose them but still.

[@omarkharnivall2439]

Just wish they let him speak german and stick some subs to it, he would be much more comfortable and we would learn more

[@michaelrizea3108]

His accent suggests that he is probably a real German

[@PC4USE1]

@@michaelrizea3108 Yes very good accent but definitely German speaker.He must have learned from a teacher who spoke in the American style.

[@PC4USE1]

These reenactors cannot where genuine Wehrmacht uniforms because of the Swaztika being on them. They have cleverly modified the uniforms to give the flavor without being illegal under German law. Very good explanation of the equipment.

[@leepalmer1210]

Very interesting and informative.

[@jmyers9853]

what are those crazy glasses he has on?

[@KB4QAA]

jM: They are probably for wearing under a gas mask so you can get an air tight seal. I had similar combat glasses in the USN.

[@oldbaldfatman2766]

Jan. 28, 2023---Tamiya has a 1/35 scale kit of this German field kitchen.

[@amsfountain8792]

Great piece of information.

[@johnwakamatsu3391]

I spoke with WWII cooks that were assigned to my father's rifle company and it had five or more cooks but, his rifle company had 200 soldiers compared to a German rifle company with 100 soldiers. I see that the German stove used anything that would burn and is better than the US Army stove that used gasoline. I know that having good food is extremely important for the morale of the soldiers any my father said that he was were fed during the war and some cooks were chefs before the war.

[@ryanbarker5217]

that lid looks like a surplus tank hatch.

[@rebelguy9487]

Who won the Tour de France in 1941? The 7th Panzer Division The French ran out of Yellow Jerseys, so they gave out White Flags. I'll just see myself out now.....

[@2adamast]

More Paris Roubaix than the Tour de France

[@georgesakellaropoulos8162]

Cosmic radiation has turned the flags left by the American astronauts white. Anyone who comes across these flags will assume that the first people on the moon were French.

[@wakcedout]

Lmfao

[@koffanatics2397]

Lmao

[@carlbowles1808]

Fine German engineering here.

[@plascencia111]

Good video, I was feeling nervous with the speaker. Lol

[@agentfungus9742]

+Juggernott111 : He does an excellent job! Very educational video. Makes one appreciate the more mundane, but very important, task of filling the stomachs of the troops.

[@n4120p]

what part did make you nervous ????

[@willshea9924]

saw this guy today

[@robertdean1929]

The U boats cook were some of the best

[@amandamiller94]

A couple of dumb Q&A 4 u #1.where can I get 1 of those?,#2.Do they make new 1's of those,&finally#3.How much does 1 of those cost

[@pebo8306]

They still use them in European armies;you might occasionally get army surplus;new they cost appprox.100.000 Usdol. and actually it is an art to cook with them,without ruining them!(Because of the glycerin filling)

[@marco23111977]

die frage ist ja,ist es ein nachbau oder eine originale. wenn letzteres dann top :)

[@hansgruber650]

My relative was a Sturmbannfuhrer in the 9th SS Panzer Div. Hohenstaufen and his brother Otto was Wehrmacht.

[@bludeuce3855]

i can imagine them cooking some bratwurst on that field kitchen and adding some potatoes and Sauerkraut

[@williamdustow8865]

And we thought they were a wonderful new machine when the nz army got them.80's. And the Allies used the N0 1 burner in WW 1. They always have seemed to be a great piece of equipment.

[@moejaime2654]

looks like some of those German boys get double rations from that kitchen !! look at those bellies lol !

[@malgremor85]

All those laddies look very well fed...

[@jamesricker3997]

The Germans never had that problem after 1940