Hi Scott, When you say grease, what sort of grease are we talking about? Do you happen to have a photo of the tin you are on about? Regards Sniper [Mike]
is it likely that this tin would be for whale fat that i think was issued to soldiers in the fight against trench foot? If so, im sure I remember reading that it became an offence to be found not applying the stuff!! As Sniper mentioned, really need to see the tin, but if your as computer friendly as I am then we may be waiting a while to see it!! Im yet to work out how it's done.
I've often seen coalminers greasing their boots to waterproof them when working in wet conditions , would this have happened in the trenches , rather than the skin on their feet ! just a thought .
Whale fat (blubber) was traditionally rendered and refined into a purified oil used in heating lamps. As I understand it, it was clear, colourless, odourless, and even a good watch-lubricant in small usages. It was eventually replaced by kerosene, a petroleum distillent, which could be cheaper. Also whales were being over-harvested (and still are). Military storage fats, such as Cosmoline. are made from animal fats. The British suffered from the Sepoy Mutiny in India (1857) when the Muslims were told the ammunition cartridges were stored in rendered pork fat, the Hindi were told rendered beef fat, both anathema. But such military quartermaster fats and oils had to be rendered, refined, purified, and processed lest it soon spoil. After such processing it is hard to recognize the origin of the fats and oils. I presume the quartermaster corps would have further information.
