Archaeologists conducting excavations at Larkhill, a garrison town in Durrington, Wiltshire, England, discovered a large array of WWI practice trenches and artefacts over year-long investigation.
The excavations were conducted prior to the building of service family accommodation for the Army Basing Programme on Salisbury Plain. According to archaeologists, the finds provide insight into life on the base at that time. The diet of the soldiers included tinned sardines and corned beef, jam, marmalade and golden syrup, condensed milk, Bovril and meat paste, with condiments such as HP Sauce and Worcestershire Sauce to make things more palatable. Researchers discovered numerous examples of the standard-issue eating and drinking equipment, such as plates, bowls and cups in enamelled tin or plain white pottery, mess tins and drinking canteens, and a nest of jelly moulds.
Other finds include many whisky, beer and wine bottles, plus containers for soft drinks such as ginger beer, lemonade, and mineral water, as well as drinking vessels like wine glasses, beer tankards and shot glasses and a tray for carrying them. Other category is connected with smoking, including pipes, cigarettes, tobacco, cigar tins, and one Irish clay pipe. Australian troops camping at the training camp is documented which is further attested by a find of a tin of toffees from Melbourne, alongside the well-known British makes of Mackintosh and Pascall’s.
(after Wessex Archaeology Online)