Dixies
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What are dixies?
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by
cyngast
moderator
The term dixie in general relates to containers for either carrying or cooking hot food. In this case, it sounds like these were cooking pots so the men could cook in the trench rather than having hot food carried up from the back area, as you see happening in this photo: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205237058
Rob, the photo shows what looks like a version of the dixie carrier described in your blog post from July 2014: https://blog.operationwardiary.org/2014/07/07/battlefield-technology-tanks-planes-gas-and-dixie-carriers/ Back then we weren't sure what a dixie was, either. Shows how far we've come and how much we've learned since then.
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by
ral104
moderator, scientist
Thanks, Cynthia! If I recall, the diary that blog post was based on contained sketches for various harnesses for carrying the dixies too. I've read several accounts of men struggling to get them up to the trenches while under fire.
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by
bje
In a time long long ago when I was a Girl Guide, the pots we used for cooking meals over our open fire at camp were called dixies. As far as I remember these were tall cylindrical pots, big enough to hold the food for everyone at camp
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Images for dixie’s ww1 link:
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1DSGL_enGB426GB426&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Images+dixies+ww1
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by
cyngast
moderator
in response to bje's comment.
@bje That sounds familiar. I never would have remembered it on my own, but I think when I was a Girl Scout here in the U.S. there was such a thing as a dixie.
There is still a company in the U.S. that makes disposable plastic food containers and paper cups called Dixie, as well as the Dixie Gun Works that makes canteens.
There's a discussion of the various items called dixies here: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/148149-dixi-or-mess-tin/ at The Long, Long Trail's forum.
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