Event    From 1915  To 1920

Waterloo Free Buffet

Fed over eight million soldiers and sailors from British, Imperial & Allied Forces. Worked and supported entirely by voluntary effort, probably also entirely female.

We could not find a picture of the buffet but we did find this image of a leaflet which the ladies gave to each of the men they served.
The Kipling Journal, September 1932 contains: In addition to their good work in feeding hungry and tired soldiers during the war, the Ladies of the Waterloo Free Buffet presented every visitor with a souvenir in the shape of the leaflet of "If," with an imprint on the cover, "With the best of Luck from the Ladies of the Waterloo Free Buffet." Captain A. A. Carnell writes as follows:—'During the War my late wife worked all through at the Ladies' Buffet at Waterloo Station. Mr. Kipling kindly gave permission for these ladies to have printed for distribution to all the men who passed through copies of "If." . . . He was kind enough to sign six.' There is also a note on the secretary's page about this leaflet, a copy of which Captain Carnell very kindly sent to us.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Waterloo Free Buffet

Commemorated ati

Waterloo Free Buffet - WW1

Lovely bronze plaque to a heartening war-time British service.

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Other Subjects

R. G. Beckley

R. G. Beckley

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
J. Palmer

J. Palmer

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Lieutenant Colonel John Guilbert DuFour

Lieutenant Colonel John Guilbert DuFour

John Guilbert DuFour was born on 6 September 1909 in Alameda, Alameda County, California, USA, the elder child of Clarence John DuFour (1879-1937) and Emily Marcia DuFour née Taylor (1879- 1966). H...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
A. J. Evans

A. J. Evans

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Securicor PLC

Securicor PLC

Security company. Founded by Edward Shortt as Nightwatch Services. Originally, its employess rode bicycles and wore old police uniforms. In 2004 it merged with Group 4 Falck to become Group 4 Secur...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial