When they thought the First World War would be a tea party: Officer's travelling tiffin set including burner, kettle and crockery goes up for sale

  • The travelling set, still in its original wicker carry case, will be auctioned on Nov 6
  • It includes a burner, a stand, a kettle, a tea bag stainer, tins and crockery
  • The set was made by Drew & Sons of Piccadilly Circus, London, founded in 1844

By Miranda Aldersley For Mailonline

Published: 06:50 EST, 4 November 2018 | Updated: 06:59 EST, 4 November 2018

A World War One officer's travelling tea set has gone up sale, revealing how its owner believed life on the front line would be a picnic.

The set, which comes in its original wicker carry case, includes a burner, a stand, a kettle, a tea bag stainer, tins and crockery.

Officers were often photographed using their sets during the early months of the conflict before the horrors of the trenches hit home. 

The set, which belonged to a WW1 officer, comes in its original wicker carry case and includes a burner, a stand, a kettle, a tea bag stainer, tins and crockery

The set, which belonged to a WW1 officer, comes in its original wicker carry case and includes a burner, a stand, a kettle, a tea bag stainer, tins and crockery

The rare item will be sold on November 6 at auction, ahead of the 100-year anniversary of the armistice on November 11

The rare item will be sold on November 6 at auction, ahead of the 100-year anniversary of the armistice on November 11

Many of these men, who typically came from the upper class, perished in the fighting.

The officers who replaced them could not afford to bring along with them such 'unnecessary luxuries'.

The set was made by Drew & Sons Piccadilly Circus, London, who were founded in 1844 and sold in the 1930s, according to records.

The Drew & Sons logo is visible on the inside of the wicker carry case
Drew and Sons, of Piccadilly Circus, London were sold in the 1930s, records show

The set was made by Drew & Sons of Piccadilly Circus, London, who were founded in 1844

It has been consigned for sale with C & T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent, and carries a pre-sale estimate of £300.

Matthew Tredwen, specialist at C & T Auctions, said: 'The officers famously went to war thinking they would be back home in time for Christmas.

'In the early stage of the war the officers were typically from the high class society and for them it was their generation's campaign after their fathers and grandfathers' Victorian military campaigns.

It has been consigned for sale with C & T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent, and carries a pre-sale estimate of £300

It has been consigned for sale with C & T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent, and carries a pre-sale estimate of £300

The set reveals how its owner, like many of his peers, believed life on the front line would be a picnic

The set reveals how its owner, like many of his peers, believed life on the front line would be a picnic

'You can see many photos of officers with their tea sets in the trenches.

'As the horrors of the trenches became apparent, many officers sadly perished and the officers who replaced them who were from a lower class of society couldn't afford to bring along such expensive luxuries.

'It is quite rare for such a complete tea set to emerge for auction.'

More than 660,000 British soldiers died during the Great War, in addition to over 41,000 officers.

The sale takes place on November 6.

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When they thought the First World War would be a tea party: Officer's travelling tea set up for sale

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