How long have Royal Navy crews received special meals or extra rum at Christmas, including when at sea on operations?
Short answerSpecial Christmas meals are as old as the Royal Navy's life at sea, though extra alcohol is less common across modern fleets.
NotesWartime Christmas meals belong to a much older shipboard custom rather than a Second World War novelty. Other navies also mark the holiday with special food, although alcohol is now less consistent. Present-day exchanges aboard Queen Elizabeth-class carriers expose visiting US Marines to British mess customs. These rituals and acts of hospitality remain part of naval life alongside formal operations.