BACKGROUND: As with any nation’s military the Germans had garrisons and barracks to house and care for its troops when they were not in the field. Following the old adage that, "an army runs on its stomach", one of the major concerns and main benefits of military life was the guarantee of three "square" meals a day. When in garrison/barracks these meals were served in mess halls that had to be outfitted with enough cutlery and stoneware to serve the number of personnel stationed there. When in the field personnel would receive their food from the units mobile field kitchen. Of Note: Regulations authorized each combat soldier a daily food ration which was most commonly prepared in the field by a unit’s mobile field kitchen and distributed to the front line troops but this wasn’t always possible in combat situations. As a result, front line combat soldiers were to be supplied with assorted canned rations and some bread to be carried individually in the event that food from the field kitchen couldn’t reach their positions.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Single piece, tooled, stainless steel construction food gravy ladle features a roughly, 15cm long, nicely, contoured, handle, with a roughly 6cm diameter "bowl". The handle is well marked with an impressed, early pattern, Luftwaffe eagle.