How did supplies get to soldiers behind enemy lines and what kinds of food did they get?

Answer 1

Hi Iucais

Supplies of all kinds were usually generated in and/or allocated to the homeland. From there, a system of depots distributed supplies in a network system to more forward depots. The depot was usually connected to a command - thus a division had a divisional depot, a Corps a Corps Depot and so on. The details of the system varied with country and situation. Supplies were normally shipped by train (or ship). The last stretch to the very frontline had to be solved in some other manner (motor transport or other).

So normally, supplies reached rear area soldiers before they reached frontline soldiers, both supplies in transit and such intended for rear area troops.

Rations were the same throughout the armed forces of most countries and thus extremely standardised. What type of rations you ate did not normally depend on how far from the front you were (but some countries did have special combat rations). Rations were largely based on canned food of various kinds (there are sites on the internet dedicated to strange reverence of corned beef and Altmann etc). If possible though, hot food would be cooked and if at all possible it would be done rationally - i.e. in large amounts (the company being the normal "chow" unit with one common kitchen in all western armies) and cooks (whether company or higher unit) would of course try and vary the rations and add whatever local flavour available.

In addition, all armies had a system of shops accompanying the units (normally but not alwayas a company based shop too), selling a standardised variety of consumer goods, including e.g. candy and cigarettes etc.

Troops rarely ran out of food during the war unless in very special circumstances (sieges, airborne operations, djungle and other difficult terrain warfare etc).

Of course, troops in rear areas operating in functional (more or less) civilian societies had the option of enrichening their diet with whatever was available to buy. Frontline troops would not normally have that option. But in the case of some areas of operation, e.g. the Libyan desert or Guadalcanal, one can safely assume that rearward troops enjoyed no real benefits of this kind.

If "behind the lines" refers to soldiers operating behind enemy lines, systems of supply varied with unit and country (and operation) but generelly, supplies did not reach them at all. Operations would not normally last long enough to demand resupply and the carrying of extreme weight (backpacks with rations and supplies) is a dominant memory of all special forces soldiers of all nations. It is quite possible for a well trained soldier to carry a weeks rations and more.

If need be supplies could be airlifted in (e.g. Stalingrad, Chindits), airdropped (e.g. Market, Budapest) or delivered by clandestine naval operations (eg Subs). Patrols (eg. LRDG, Fernkampftrupps) could simply exfiltrate back to their own lines to replenish, then return on patrol. In the case of the Russian front, partisan groups would often find large enough gaps in the front to simply walk (ride) over to friendly lines and resupply.

Hope that helps some

Sincerely Tommy