Cigarettes in Canadian Soldiers’ Rations

World War I: The Great Army Smoke

When Canadian soldiers went to war in 1914, the Canadian government and civilian organizations recognized that tobacco was essential for morale. According to the Canadian War Museum, Canadian soldiers received cigarettes in their rations and often obtained an extra supply from YMCA canteens or in packages from home [citation:2].

📦 The Gazette Tobacco Fund (1914-1918)

The Gazette Tobacco Fund was established immediately following the outbreak of World War I. Its purpose was to solicit donations from readers and the general public for the purchase of tobacco products for Canadian troops, especially those from Montreal, serving in England and on the continent [citation:1].

• 📦 Each package contained: One Briar pipe, one rubber-lined tobacco pouch, one tinder lighter, fifty cigarettes, four ounces of tobacco, and a return postcard addressed to the donor [citation:1].
• 📰 The paper’s slogan: “Our boys are giving their lives; all they ask of us is something to smoke” [citation:1].
• 👨‍⚕️ Medical justification: “There is also a weight of medical opinion in favor of smokes for the boys as a means of relieving their minds from the oppressions of various sorts that are more or less inseparable from their difficult and dangerous work” [citation:1].

🎖️ Cigarette Boxes as Morale Boosters

Cigarette boxes were manufactured specifically for military units. One surviving example in the Canadian War Museum collection was manufactured by the Phillip Morris Company for the 77th Battalion, an Ottawa unit [citation:5]. The Canadian War Museum notes that cigarettes were “one of the few luxuries afforded First World War soldiers” and were “important for maintaining morale” [citation:5].

The Black Market Crisis (WWII)

During WWII, the immense popularity of Canadian cigarettes — and the severe shortage in Britain — created a thriving black market that threatened the entire system of duty-free cigarette shipments to troops.

⚠️ The Problem: Soldiers Selling Gift Cigarettes

On April 15, 1943, Minister of National Defence James Layton Ralston addressed Parliament about a growing scandal [citation:4]. Some Canadian soldiers were selling cigarettes — received duty-free as gifts from home — to British civilians, creating a black market that alarmed the British government.

• 📈 Scale of sales: “The sale to civilians of these cigarettes by certain individuals has reached alarming proportions” [citation:4].
• ⚠️ British concern: Traders were “alarmed” and the United Kingdom Treasury was “disconcerted” [citation:4].
• 📉 Risk to all soldiers: The privilege of duty-free cigarettes for all Canadian troops was jeopardized by the actions of a few [citation:4].
• 💷 New tax pressure: When the British introduced a new cigarette tax, it “intensified the pressure for illegal disposal” [citation:4].

📜 Routine Order No. 2299: The 1,000 Cigarette Limit

To curb the black market, Canadian Military Headquarters issued Routine Order No. 2299 on July 22, 1942 [citation:4]. This historic order stated:

The order had several key provisions [citation:4]:

• 📦 1,000 monthly limit: Any individual soldier could not receive more than 1,000 cigarettes per month from home.
• 🔒 Surplus held by units: Quantities exceeding 1,000 would be held by unit commanders for later distribution.
• 🏪 Pool distribution: If a move prevented transportation of the stock, surplus would be turned over to Auxiliary Services for general distribution.
• 📋 Record-keeping: Consignments of cigarettes were recorded in each unit to ensure compliance.
• 🎯 Exemptions: Bulk shipments to commanders, hospitals, and organizations for distribution were not restricted.

Official Ration Quantities (1945)

On April 6, 1945, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defence Douglas Charles Abbott provided the official numbers to the House of Commons [citation:3].

📊 Daily Cigarette Rations by Type

• 🎒 Pack rations: 7 cigarettes per day [citation:3]
• ⚔️ Field service rations: 6 cigarettes per day [citation:3]

Abbott explained that all rations for the Canadian army overseas, including cigarettes, were supplied by the British supply organization. It was not practical to issue any type of ration to Canadian forces that was different from the general British issue. Cigarettes issued were “sometimes of British manufacture and sometimes of Canadian” [citation:3].

📦 Beyond the Rations: Auxiliary Services

In addition to the daily rations, soldiers had access to cigarettes through the “pool” — about twenty-five cigarettes per man per month from auxiliary services [citation:3]. This came from organizations like the Overseas Tobacco League and the “Buckshee fund,” which together supplied approximately 8,000,000 cigarettes a month [citation:4].

The Fight for Canadian Cigarettes

Canadian soldiers greatly preferred Canadian cigarettes over British ones — a preference that sometimes led to friction with the military establishment. As one veteran recalled [citation:10]:

The minister, Colonel Ralston, responded with decisive action:

• 💥 Direct order: “If you crime this man for speaking out, I personally will crime you” [citation:10].
• ✅ Results within a week: Canadian troops received Canadian beer, Canadian cigarettes, and new Canadian uniforms [citation:10].

Canadian brand cigarettes were so sought-after in Europe that the alternative — British brands like Victory, included in the Compo rations — were widely hated by Canadian troops [citation:9].

The 300-Cigarette Innovation (1944)

On June 12, 1944, Postmaster General William Pate Mulock announced a new system for sending cigarettes to members of the armed forces in Italy — one that would soon be extended to forces in Britain and France [citation:8].

📋 Key Features of the 1944 System

• ✈️ Air mail labels: Labels were sent by air mail to a Mediterranean depot, where cigarettes were drawn from a large reserve built up by bulk shipments [citation:8].
• 🏷️ Label instead of parcel: The sender’s postage was attached to a label, which was then attached to a cigarette parcel overseas — a revolutionary concept that improved reliability [citation:8].
• 📦 300-cigarette standard: All orders had to be in “standard packages of three hundred cigarettes” [citation:8].
• 🚫 Loss protection: If a plane carrying labels was lost, duplicates could be quickly produced — the cigarettes were already at the depot [citation:8].

🏷️ Participating Brands

The brands available under this system were carefully selected [citation:8]:

• Imperial Tobacco Company: Sweet Caporal, Winchesters
• W.C. Macdonald Incorporated: British Consols, Exports (which would become Export A)
• Tuckett Limited: Buckinghams, Wings

The Canadian Cigarette Advantage

Canadian cigarettes were considered superior to their British counterparts. According to Canadiansoldiers.com, “Canadian brand cigarettes were sought after in Europe; the alternative was hated brands like Victory, which were included in the Compo rations” [citation:9].

🎖️ The Sweet Caporal Legacy

One of the most popular brands among Canadian soldiers was Sweet Caporal, manufactured by Imperial Tobacco. Wartime packages featured the label imploring “Don’t Forget The Boys Overseas: Send them ‘Sweet Caps’. Use back for order form” [citation:9].

🕯️ The Ronson Lighter and Sherman Tank

The Ronson lighter was a commonly carried item by Canadian soldiers. Its civilian slogan — “lights every time” — was ironically applied to the Sherman tank, whose faulty ammunition stowage and gasoline-fueled engine caused them to burn without fail when hit by enemy anti-tank rounds. Canadian soldiers nicknamed the Sherman “The Ronson” [citation:9].

Morale: Why Cigarettes Mattered

Military authorities understood that cigarettes were not just a luxury — they were essential for maintaining morale.

📜 Medical Opinion (WWI)

The Gazette Tobacco Fund argued that cigarettes relieved “oppressions of various sorts that are more or less inseparable from their difficult and dangerous work” [citation:1].

🎖️ Soldier Testimony (WWII)

According to Canadiansoldiers.com, “Many men picked up the habit as a result of their military service, and the hardships they had to face” [citation:9]. The daily cigarette ration provided a brief respite from the horrors of war — a small comfort that reminded soldiers of home.

From Battlefield Rations to Today: Native Cigarettes

While Canadian soldiers once relied on government-supplied rations and charitable tobacco funds, today’s smokers have a different kind of advantage: affordable native cigarettes.

• 📜 Rich history: Tobacco has been part of Canadian military life since the First World War — a tradition that continues today.
• 💰 Affordable prices: At $29-55 per carton, native cigarettes are 70-80% cheaper than commercial brands.
• 🪶 Indigenous-owned: Supporting First Nations economic development with every purchase.
• 📦 Convenient delivery: No need to rely on overseas tobacco funds — Cigstore.ca delivers to your door.