What diggers drank: The AIF and its refreshments 1914–18

Abstract

While alcohol consumption has dominated the very limited discussion of the AIF’s liquid intake, there has been no study of the totality of the role of various beverages in the health and well-being of the diggers. This paper explores the physical and cultural context of beverages consumed by the AIF, covering the complex and problematic issues of alcohol consumption, as well as non-alcoholic beverages such as tea, coffee, cocoa and humble water, exploring the ways in which these drinks played into the physical and socio-emotional lives of the soldiers. It frames the discussion in the international scholarship on beverages, and uses contemporary official sources as well as the private records of soldiers to understand the vital roles and challenges posed by all kinds of drinks in the AIF narrative.