War Diaries Talk

Milking a Cow

  • cyngast by cyngast moderator

    This story from the 1st East Surreys is just too good not to share. Within the brackets at the bottom of the page it says, "Although the fire was so heavy [they were under heavy enemy shell fire] it did not deter 2 men from leaving their trench to milk a cow which had wandered behind."

    This was on 22 October 1914 and they were in the line near Lorgies, south of Neuve Chapelle. I've seen references to farm animals before in other diaries, but this is the only one, so far, where anyone milked a cow!

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    Brits will go to extreme lengths to put milk in their tea.

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  • marie.eklidvirginmedia.com by marie.eklidvirginmedia.com

    Regarding tea - I tagged a diary where the French asked for their ration of coffee to be increased because they preferred that to tea. Perhaps they did not like chasing cows - and drank their coffee black.

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    I'd definitely drink more black coffee if I had to chase a cow every time I wanted milk, and that's even without the artillery bombardment!

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  • erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be by erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be

    And Sugar? 😃

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  • ral104 by ral104 moderator, scientist

    I'd bet you men who were willing to milk a cow under shellfire would have found some sugar too 😄

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