ANZAC Q&A - How much water was each man allowed per day?

Image: Cooks issuing light rations to sick men at No. 1 Field Ambulance on Brighton Beach, Gallipoli.

Q.   How much water was each man allowed per day?
A.   During the First World War the daily allowance of potable water was 1 gallon (4.54 litres) per man and 5 gallons (22.7 litres) for horses, donkeys and mules. The human issue was for all uses, including drinking, cooking and washing. In August, for various reasons, the ration was cut to half a gallon and then later to a quarter of a gallon. Although the ration was increased to half a gallon at the end of August, water shortages continued until the end of the campaign.

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