Tea, the Soldier's Drink

Sometimes even-- or especially-- in the midst of war, you just need a cup of tea. (Especially when you're British.... so much so, in fact, that this will be a two-parter, thanks to the Imperial War Museum!).

© IWM (IB 1882)

A solider drinking a tea next to a Red Cross mobile tea wagon, Calcutta, 1944. Source

© IWM (B 5349)

Members of a parachute battalion have a well-earned cup of tea after a three day fight back to their own lines, Normandy, 1944 Source

© IWM (Q 2309)

British troops have tea in Belgium, 1917. Source

© IWM (E 105)

British and Egyptian convalescent soldiers at a tea held by the wife of the British ambassador to Egypt, WW2. Source

© IWM (NA 9413)

Soldiers with tea and cakes served by a front-line Salvation Army van, Italy, 1943. Source

 © IWM (CNA 1081)

RAF men have tea in a newly created club in Algiers, c. 1940. Source

© IWM (H 22638)

A Canadian captain has a cup of tea as he recounts his experiences in the failed Dieppe raid after disembarking in Portsmouth, England, 1942. Source

© IWM (D 2172)

A Royal Engineer holding a cup of tea and a pie smiles in front of a WVS tea car, London, 1941. Source

© IWM (SE 6753)

High-ranking officers take a tea break to discuss British strategy, Rangoon, Burma, c 1945. Source

© IWM (Q 344)

Royal Field Artillerymen with tea and hot rum during the Battle of the Lys, WWI. Source

© IWM (Q 703)

Canadian troops recieving their tea ration at the field kitchen, Belgium, 1916. Source

© IWM (TR 879)

Canadian airmen line up for food and tea on a North African airfield, 1943. Source

 © IWM (E 15079)

A mobile tea canteen at the front in North Africa, 1942. Source

© IWM (F 4072)

A woman hands out tea to soldiers (and their pet monkey) at a town in France, 1940. Source

© IWM (H 1635)

A First Aid Nursing Yeomanry woman feeds tea and sandwiches to evacuated soldiers on a train, London, 1940 (the hands-ful soldier is wearing a captured German helmet). Source

© IWM (CH 2144)

Waitresses serve RAF men tea and things in a NAAFI canteen, England, 1941. Source

© IWM (TR 44)

Officers being served tea in a garden in North Africa, possibility Tunisia, 1942. Source

 © IWM (E 25711)

Troops get mugs of tea while waiting to embark on ships to Sicily, Egypt, 1943. Source

© IWM (B 9627)

Tea served to German prisoners, France, 1944. Source

© IWM (TR 2606)

Members of the ATS have tea in London, 1945. Source

© IWM (A 20255)

Wrens host a tea party for wounded soldiers, Alexandria, Egypt, WW2. Source

© IWM (C 177)

RAF officers take tea in their mess in a French airfield, 1939-40. Source

© IWM (MAL 309)

A Scottish soldier rests with a cigarette and cup of tea on a jungle patrol, Malaysia, 1948-50. Source

Part Two