The German Submariner’s Bill of Fare, 1916

I don’t need to search my archive of posts to find out if I have previously written on the subject of submarine food – I am quite certain that I have not! Today I give you a short extract from World War I story entitled LIFE IN A GERMAN SUBMARINE: CAPTURED SKIPPER’S ADVENTURES SPECIAL ACCOUNT, which appeared in the Peking Gazette on June 10, 1916. Naturally I have extracted the information on the daily bill of fare aboard the submarine!

The following which is reproduced from the “Times” is an account, as related by Captain Norberg, of the Norwegian barque Lindfield, of the experiences of himself and his crew on board a German submarine after their ship has been torpedoed.

The prisoners got the same food as the submarine crew. Here is the bill of fare. Breakfast consisted of coffee, black bread, butter, sugar, condensed milk, and sausages. A similar meal was served at 4 o’clock and again at 6.30 p.m., except that in the latter case there was tea instead of coffee, and sardines in addition. Luncheon on Saturday consisted of a stew of mutton, vegetables, and potatoes boiled together. On Sunday there was fresh meat and potatoes, with preserved plums as dessert. On Monday the midday meal was of rice and sausages.

Cooking aboard a submarine must be a special challenge indeed. I had never thought about it before, but on brief reflection, in the light of this story,I now have the greatest respect for deep-sea cooks.

Many things go by the name of “German Sausages,” some good, some not so good. I somehow doubt that the sausages served to the seamen in the newspaper story were not so fine as those in today’s recipe:-

German Sausages.

Take the crumb of a small loaf, a pound of suet, half a lamb's lights, parsley, thyme, marjoram, and onion, minced small, and season it with salt and pepper; these must be stuffed in a sheep's gut, and fried in melted suet: they are only fit for immediate use.

The Complete Economical Cook, and Frugal Housewife (London, 1837) by Mary Holland.