16/07/2026
COMPO STOCKS
Ex Active Edge was a cold war readiness exercise that was used to practice the callout of the whole of BAOR in the event of 'World War 3.' It was also a way to show the red army observers exactly where to aim their first barrage of Tactical Nukes.
Most of the time these call outs occurred around 0300hrs. Being a pad (married soldier) in Germany, I remember the knock on the door when active edge was called then turning over and going back to sleep, f**k WW3. The married guys had a habit of taking their time while the hung-over single guys got all the wagons ready to go. Then we’d stroll in for our free breakfast. There were drunken squaddies falling over everywhere but we were the most physically fit alcoholics ever.
I don’t know how true this is, but I read that throughout the cold war BAOR were permanently on 4-hours' notice to move, so huge amounts of Compo were stored in case it did kick off, but it never did, so you can imagine how much compo there was just sitting there rotting away, they soon realised just how old some of the Compo was getting. To solve the problem, they came up with the idea of having Compo Days. Every now and then the whole of BAOR ate compo in order to shift the older supplies.
The Catering Corps were not allowed to use anything but Compo on Compo Days. The local takeaway stores made a killing on those days. In our house/pad everyday was a compo day. I wonder what would happen nowadays if they introduced Compo Days in the cookhouses, now “Pay as you Starve” has been introduced. Squaddie ‘Powered mash, babies’ head and a glass of screech please.’ Chef ‘£7.50’ Please. Squaddie ‘What? You are having a laugh?’ Chef ‘Comes with a free range-card!!!!’
COMPO FOOD OF THE GODS by Clive Ward
www.clivewardauthor.com
Available on Kindle and paperback
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BQGY54HH/ref=sr_1_1
