Chapter 417: Field Kitchens
What else could be optimized in the army? The first thing that came to Ernst's mind was the food situation for East African soldiers. During the campaign in South Africa, he had noticed that the army was still using the traditional method of cooking in field pots, with troops carrying cooking pots on the march being quite common.
This method wasn't necessarily bad, but it had significant limitations. Relying solely on a single pot was indeed convenient, but it required compromising on variety and quality of meals. In times of war, the quality of food could directly impact morale—this had been known since ancient times. A good meal before battle could calm soldiers' nerves and boost confidence.
After discussing naval matters with Archduke Ferdinand, Ernst turned his attention to military logistics. He called in high-ranking army officers and logistics heads to address this issue.
Ernst: "I want to understand what food-related issues have surfaced during our previous wars. Tell me about the common complaints from soldiers."
Logistics Minister: "Your Highness, when it comes to food, our army doesn't have much to complain about. In terms of supply, we may not be world leaders, but we are certainly among the best. At the very least, we're better than Austria and Prussia."
Ernst: "I know. After all, I oversaw the standards myself. But nothing is perfect—especially in emergencies. Take the recent campaign in South Africa. Although supplies were sufficient, distribution delays meant some units couldn't get their rations in time. That's a sign we still have room for improvement."
The East African Army's food standards were modeled after Prussia's—but even stronger—and comparable to France's. Only Britain exceeded them in per capita rations. And for a developing country, East Africa's standards were well above what would be expected.
Take Prussia, for example. A soldier earned around 48 groschen (2 thalers) a month but had to pay for his meals and lodging. They were exempt from taxes when buying bread—but not for meat, vegetables, salt, or tobacco. Drinks were limited to water, watered-down milk, cheap beer, or coffee substitutes. Hot drinks like tea or chocolate were out of the question.
Today, Prussian standards had improved somewhat, but given the size of the army, those improvements were still limited. Interestingly, it was Ernst himself who had pushed for lower tobacco prices in Germany. Thanks to East Africa's tobacco plantations, cheap tobacco had flooded the German market, ending foreign monopolies. Hechingen's overseas trade also helped import goods Germany didn't produce. For example, bananas—considered a luxury—were shipped from East Africa as a gift to the Prussian and Austrian armies.
This had become a tradition for the Hechingen Consortium: supporting the army not just as customers, but as advertising tools. Soldiers came from all walks of life and, after their service, would go home and spread the word about the exotic treats they'd had—like Somali bananas.
But back to food. Though East African soldiers didn't earn high wages, their clothing, food, and housing were all free. Being in a tropical region meant vegetables and fruits were abundant. Once livestock and dairy industries developed, meat and eggs would be too. As a major tobacco producer, cigarettes were a given in the army. On paper, everything looked great.
But theory wasn't reality. The kingdom's vast territory, poor roads, and long supply lines meant many units—especially in western and southern districts—couldn't enjoy the full benefits. Only the Central and Northern Military Regions received rations to standard. Ernst knew this wouldn't change quickly, so he had to look for other solutions.
Ernst: "Let's take hot meals, for instance. There's a lot of room for improvement. When I was at the front in South Africa, soldiers still cooked gruel in big pots, building makeshift stoves every time—wasting time and effort. I've heard that the Prussian Army has something called a 'field kitchen.' It sounds like a great idea—we should adopt it. It's especially useful for mobile units."
In 1853, in Bavaria, Cantor Rumford had mounted a boiler on a four-wheeled cart. From then on, field kitchens became military equipment. However, they were still rare and would not be widely adopted until the early 20th century.
Felix: "Your Highness, I've never seen such a thing. In all my years in the Prussian army, we always cooked in large pots."
Ernst: "That makes sense. It's a new idea. The principle is simple: mount a stove on a wagon. I believe there's plenty of room for improvement."
He immediately asked for paper and pen, excited to sketch a prototype (or rather, "borrow" one from memory).
Ernst: "First, mobility is key. Let's add wheels—big ones, considering East African roads. The frame should be lightweight, probably wood, but reinforced with metal sheets and iron fixtures for strength."
Officer: "Your Highness, won't a wooden frame be risky for a stove?"
Ernst (smiling): "You think I'd make such a rookie mistake? The frame is wood, yes, but not the stove parts. We'll use packed earth for insulation."
He went on to draw a rounded stove—a design clearly inspired by simple, improvised rural stoves made from iron barrels back in the Far East.
Felix: "Why the circular design?"
Felix thought stoves should be square since they burned wood or coal, and square stoves made ash cleanup easier.
Ernst: "It's for a special fuel called 'honeycomb coal.' It burns cleaner and longer—up to half a day. Open the air vent at the bottom, and it heats up nicely for cooking. Close it, and it can boil water continuously. It works with other fuels too…"
Ernst didn't explain what honeycomb coal was in technical terms. Many of his officers were barely literate. He knew it was better to show them a working model and let them try it firsthand.
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